Vaiko for closure of refugee camps

Vaiko, in a statement, said, “Sri Lankan refugees are still seen with suspicion and whenever there is any law and order issue, members from refugee camps are picked up. The special refugee camps serve as places for torturing the refugees and so they should be closed.”

He also said that Sri Lankan Tamils escaped torture from Sri Lankan government and came to India in search of a livelihood, but they are repeatedly cornered by the state government. “When it comes to Sri Lankan youth, state government is treating them as terrorists and they are arrested without carrying out investigations,” said Vaiko.

He further said that the special camp which was functioning in Chengalpattu was closed for several years, but now the special camp has been shifted to Tiruchy Central Prison. In the prison, the refugees are treated badly and so some are involved in protests. “Three of the refugees in the special camp in Tiruchy namely, Baskaran, Ramesh and Selvam are involved in protests due to the treatment meted out to them. Their fair demands are continuously rejected by the state government,” said Vaiko.

In the meantime, Vaiko along with former Minister Ponmudi, VCK general secretary and Villupuram MP D Ravi Kumar, participated in the human chain protest against extraction of methane in the state, in Marakkanam, in Villupuram district.

The human chain protest started from Marakkanam and ended at Rameswaram.