Sri Lankan family at Tamil Nadu refugee camp seeking to return home citing lack of amenities

A family that fled to Tamil Nadu as refugees due to the economic crisis in Sri Lanka has submitted a petition at the Ramanathapuram Collector’s public grievance meeting, requesting to be sent back to the home country.

Following the economic collapse in Sri Lanka, more than 300 Sri Lankans reportedly traveled to Tamil Nadu as refugees via sea routes starting from March 2022.

The Tamil Nadu government has been housing them at the Mandapam Sri Lankan Tamil Rehabilitation Camp, providing food and basic amenities.

The family from Mannar who arrived at Dhanushkodi by boat in May 2023 had submitted a petition to the Ramanathapuram Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon seeking repatriation to Sri Lanka.

The family has stated that they are seeking to return through the proper legal channels, but the Tamil Nadu government has not taken formal action to facilitate this.