Date:03/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/03/stories/2008040360460800.htm

Tamil Nadu

Sri Lankan refugee camps under police scanner

Staff Reporter

RAMANATHAPURAM: Sri Lankan refugee camps, particularly those in southern and central Tamil Nadu, are under the police scanner in view of United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s visit to Karaikudi on Saturday.

She will participate in the inaugural function of an auditorium constructed by Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram for Alagappa University and attend a rally at Karaikudi. There are about 108 Sri Lankan refugee camps in the State. Of them, the Mandapam camp in Ramanathapuram district and Kottapattu in Tiruchi district are protected. Over 7,000 Sri Lankan Tamils stay in these two camps.

According to a rough estimate, more than one lakh Sri Lankan Tamils are living in various parts of the State. In Sivaganga district, where Karaikudi is situated, there are six opens camps at Thayamangalam, Okkur, Monkiloorani, Devakottai and Nattarasankottai, which has two camps.

Sanjiv Kumar, Inspector General of Police, South Zone, who is camping at Karaikudi, told The Hindu on Wednesday, that the Additional Director General of Police, Law and Order, Vijay Kumar, had chalked out a plan of action to monitor Sri Lankan refugees. “As for open camp refugees and non-camp Tamils, we have devised a mechanism to monitor them. It is being strictly enforced.”