Do not send us to Sri Lanka : Rescued Tamils

Hyderabad, May 2: The 11 Sri Lankan Tamils, who escaped in a rickety boat from the island and were rescued mid-sea by Andhra Pradesh fishermen, dont want to go back.

Please dont send us back to the jaws of death, pleaded Niranjanala, a 32-year-old Lankan Tamil housewife, who was among the lucky 11 to survive the LTTE-army crossfire when they set sail from Mullaitivu, a strife-torn area in the islands north.

When the group set sail on April 28, there were 20 in the boat. Five of them died in the gun battle and four starved to death, among them Niranjanalas mother and six-year-old son.

The rescued 11 are being treated for exhaustion and diarrhoea since Thursday, when they were rescued near Kakinada in East Godavari district.

They had intended to land in Rameswaram but got lost in the sea and drifted towards Andhra. Speaking to The Telegraph from her bed at the Kakinada government hospital, Niranjanala said she preferred to die in India.

East Godavari district collector Gopalakrishna Dwivedi has visited the hospital and told them they would be sent to a refugee camp for Lankan Tamils in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.

But they dont want to go to the camp fearing they would be sent back to Lanka later.

We have some money in banks that we can withdraw and start some business, said Shivraj Jagadeeswaran, one of the rescued.

But Dwivedi has said all Lankan nationals will stay in the Rameswaram camp, and only till a clearance for their return is obtained. The district administration has already faxed the identities and photographs of the 11 to the Lankan high commission in Chennai.

Sri Lankan refugees reach mainland India after a 1,000 kilometer sea crossing.

They're alive — just — but they say ten others who set off with them died during the journey.

[Maria, Tamil Refugee]:
"To escape the attacks of the Sri Lankan army 20 of us set off in two boats. Ten died from intense hunger. We drank nothing but sea water for ten days. We had no food to eat. But in Sri Lanka, there's no chance of peace due to the fighting. Everyone is living in fear and many people have died."

The refugees were found by local fishermen, lying unconscious in their boat.

Two children were among the survivors.

Police say three people are critically ill.

[N. Nageshwar Rao, Police Inspector]:
"We are providing food and medical treatment. Those in a serious condition will be going to another hospital. After getting all the details from them we will make further inquiries. When we've confirmed they're telling the truth we will take action under Indian law."

The Sri Lankan Army is fighting a war against rebels in a tiny part of the country.

Thousands of civilians are caught in the middle.

International calls for a ceasefire have so far fallen on deaf ears.
Source : NTDTV
Source : http://www.telegraphindia.com/

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[firdousnett]

LTTE is tamil base hindu terrorist so sri lanka government responsibility is wipe them

[fairkoala]

Go back to India your place of origin, simple.

[globalmove]

bcos of this cunts v cant travel any where legally fukin cunts destry my nations reputaion fuck ltte

[diamondcalves]

Does China accept them??? No because Asians want us to wipe their ass and step on us like stones. Fools GET away you bigot, evil, Asian invaders.

send clear message and REJECT them the way we get rejected for not speaking Tamil in a job interview. This is North America! NO room get out!

[ponnapille]

@smano555 ..how mAnY indian got beaten-up in OZ??..dosent few oustralian geting beaten up by australin too?

but STILL we tamil RULES!!!..

[smano555]

@ponnapille than how Indian are getting beaten in Australia?

[ponnapille]

we tamil rule australia

[ponnapille]

yes, we tamil rule the world + australia!

[RamsyK78]

Situation is not good in sri lanka but most of people use the situation get refugee status so many tamils around the world they know the Law

[timewarlord]

I feel for these people but why is it our problem? The sad thing is the government detains them then the public happily forgets they exist, in truth most of them end up as Australian permanent residents. If they come here illegially they should be deported.