Sri Lankan govt has done nothing to help Tamil widows, MPs from island nation say

MADURAI: The Sri Lankan government has not announced any welfare measures for the widows of men who were killed during the civil war between the armed forces of the island nation and LTTE, according to four members of parliament from that country.

Sri Lankan MPs Velukumar of Kandy, Shritharan of Kilinochi, I Charles Nirmalanathan of Mannaar and Seenithambi Yogeswaran of Mattakalappu were in Madurai on Friday to attend a cultural programme

The MPs spoke about the lives of the Tamil widows in Sri Lanka. They said they had raised the Tamils‘ issues many times in the Sri Lankan parliament. However, the government had done nothing, the MPs said.

Shritharan said, “Sri Lankan Tamils, especially widows, children and aged people, are facing severe challenges due to lack of shelter and job.”

Nirmalanathan said, “There are 90,000 registered Tamil widows. Besides, there are several non-registered widows. Those children, who were aged below eight years during the end of the civil war, are now in need of higher education. Their parents are unable to meet the expenses.”

Velukumar said the condition of Malayaga Tamils — whose forefathers were brought to the island nation by the British to work in tea gardens — was worse. “They are still socially, politically and economically backward. No development activities are being carried out by the Sri Lankan government for them,” he said.