While appreciating the efforts taken by the State government of Tamil Nadu to secure the release of five fishermen who were sentenced to death in Sri Lanka, the Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah said on Tuesday that a permanent solution to the 'attack' on Tamil fishermen could be possible only by restoring India’s sovereignty over Katchatheevu.

This statement came in the background of the thawing of relations between Sri Lanka and India and while the President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena was still in India on his first official tour as president.

Meanwhile, the State government of Tamil Nadu said that any meeting to discuss voluntary repatriation of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees was premature and should be deferred in view of the prevailing atmosphere of fear and intimidation, the presence of the Army in Tamil areas, non-settlement of internally displaced people and absence of any concrete and credible measures taken by the Sri Lankan government.

In his address to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, Governor K. Rosaiah said the state government was committed to the peaceful, just and honourable resettlement of the refugees.

“But it is of the view that voluntary repatriation can be countenanced only after proper rehabilitation of the internally displaced Sri Lankan Tamils,” he said.

He stressed that a congenial atmosphere for the return of the refugees could be achieved only by fully restoring the autonomy and democratic rights of Tamil minorities, besides sufficient economic and political measures.
(with inputs from The Hindu)