Lankan Tamils: DMK seeks Centre's help

Voicing concern over the plight of the Tamils in Sri Lanka, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Friday sought Centre's immediate intervention to ensure relief and rehabilitation to internally displaced Tamils in the island nation.

The party's concern was expressed by DMK leader and Union Textile Minister Dayanidhi Maran when he called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi.

National Security Adviser M K Narayanan was also present during the meeting. Maran, on behalf of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, called for immediate intervention by the Centre to provide quick relief and rehabilitation to the displaced Tamils population in that country.

Singh assured to impress upon Colombo to act fast to address the problems of Tamils lodged in various refugee camps there. The Prime Minister had recently assured Karunanidhi that India is committed to working on a 'priority basis' for the relief and rehabilitation of Tamils and New Delhi has conveyed its concerns on the issue to the island nation's government in "no uncertain terms."

"We fully share your concern for the welfare and well-being of the displaced Tamil population in Sri Lanka," Singh said in his reply to the Chief Minister, who wrote to him last month voicing concern about the welfare of Tamils lodged in various camps after the end of the war against the LTTE.