Family of 5 Lankan Tamils arrive on Indian shores, flee island nation carrying infant
Dayalan, the head of the family, his wife, their children, a two-month-old infant and a six-year-old girl, and their grandmother, were taken to the Marine Police station, on receipt of information regarding their arrival. Photograph:( WION )
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The illegal influx of Lankan Tamils into India began on March 22nd and families continue to arrive in batches of up to 18 people, in the hope of a better life across the Palk Strait.
The illegal influx of Lankan Tamils into India began on March 22nd and families continue to arrive in batches of up to 18 people, in the hope of a better life across the Palk Strait.
A five-membered family of Sri Lankan Tamils arrived on Indian shores in the wee hours of Tuesday, after fleeing their home country and taking a dangerous boat ride across the seas. Hailing from Jaffna, in the northern part of the island nation, this family is among several others who are being pushed to the brink amid the ongoing severe economic crisis in the island nation. Dayalan, the head of the family, his wife, their children, a two-month-old infant and a six-year-old girl, and their grandmother, were taken to the Marine Police station, on receipt of information regarding their arrival.
While being questioned by the Indian authorities, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, the family is said to have cited the basic livelihood issues and the daily struggles faced by those in the lower economic strata of Sri Lanka's. Among the reasons that prompted their extreme decision to flee their homeland are the skyrocketing prices of essentials, a kilogramme of milk powder being sold at Lankan Rs. 2000 (5.7 USD), the unavailability of vaccines meant for infants, meagre daily wages, and the fear of starving to death.
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While many manage to stay back, earn a living, make ends meet &protes against #Rajapaksa family rule in #SriLanka , the plight of poor #SriLankan tamils is in stark contrast.Fearing they'd starve to death, this Tamil family from #jaffna fled to #india with their 2month-old infant pic.twitter.com/mFXQ05SFKv
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) May 2, 2022
It is said that the five-member family has been sent to the Mandapam refugee camp in the Ramanathapuram district. The illegal influx of Lankan Tamils into India began on March 22nd and families continue to arrive in batches of up to 18 people, in the hope of a better life across the Palk Strait.
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Recently, the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution to provide aid to Sri Lanka and provide succour to a country that is faced with its worst-ever economic crisis. The decision to provide aid to all of Sri Lanka is a volte-face by the Tamil Nadu government. Earlier, the Tamil Nadu government had offered to provide aid only to Lankan Tamils. This move had faced backlash from the island nation. Many Lankan Tamil voices were clear that they were not willing to accept aid from Tamil Nadu, if it was only going to help Lankan Tamils. The Lankan Tamils were firm in their stance that any aid must benefit their entire country and not one community alone.
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However, the aid being sent from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka could only be facilitated via the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian High Commission in Colombo. In this regard, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar asked the Tamil Nadu government's Chief Secretary to coordinate with the Government of India in supplying the relief material. It was also stated that the aid from Tamil Nadu can supplement what was already being provided by the Government of India and that the Government of Sri Lanka prefers inclusive distribution of relief material.
