Namal Rajapaksa has welcomed an appeal by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking Indian citizenship or long-term visas for around 89,000 Sri Lankans residing in Southern India. However, he urged that the matter should not be influenced by electoral considerations or turned into a political exercise.
In a statement posted on social media, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP said the proposal offers hope to thousands of Sri Lankan Tamils who have lived in refugee camps in Tamil Nadu for decades, seeking stability, dignity, and secure legal status.
Rajapaksa expressed hope that the request was driven by genuine humanitarian concerns rather than the upcoming state elections, noting that similar appeals had surfaced during politically sensitive periods in the past.
Referring to the period following the end of Sri Lanka’s 30-year conflict, he said that during the tenure of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the government facilitated the safe and voluntary return of Sri Lankans residing in camps in Tamil Nadu, despite challenging circumstances, to help them rebuild their lives with dignity in their homeland.
He also voiced concern over reports of obstacles faced by those willing to return from the camps and called on the Government of Sri Lanka to review and positively address their concerns, ensuring smooth reintegration without unnecessary barriers.
“Sri Lankans have no reason to continue to toil in refugee camps in India. They can return to Sri Lanka and live here as rightful citizens,” he said.
Rajapaksa stressed that the 89,000 individuals are Sri Lanka’s people and that the country remains responsible for their well-being, safety, and dignity. He called on the governments of Sri Lanka and India, as well as the Tamil Nadu State Government, not to politicise the sensitive humanitarian issue and to work together towards a durable and lasting solution that safeguards the rights and futures of the affected families.
