News

High cost of commodities drives 10 more Lankan Tamils to Dhanushkodi

Published

3 years ago

2022/11/7

With the price of sugar touching 300 Sri Lankan rupees (SLR) per kilogram, rice selling at 250 SLR and joblessness reaching new heights, 10 more Sri Lankan Tamils reached Naduthurai islet near Dhanushkodi in Ramanathapuram district in the small hours of Saturday, said a news report published by The Hindu yesterday.

It said: Speaking to reporters at Mandapam Marine Police Station, R. Pushpam (64) from Mullai Theevu in Sri Lanka said she was working as a daily wage earner. After the economic crisis started in the island nation, things turned for the worse. “There was no job. Hence, I could not get any wages. Without money, I could not buy essential commodities,” she claimed.

“Whenever I got a job in the seas, the wage earned was insufficient even to buy 100 grams of sugar as a kg is sold at 300 SLR. With my 43-year-old son, who is suffering from mental disorder, life was miserable. Hence, I sold some valuables and paid 50,000 SLR with great difficulty to the boatmen who dropped us here,” Pushpam added.

Another refugee, R. Justin (42) from Jaffna district, said prior to the economic crisis, at least jobs were assured for them, though the prices of essential commodities were high. “With no work now, feeding the family and the dependents has become a big challenge. At least if we reach Dhanushkodi, we were told, food and shelter would be taken care of,” he said.

With a three-month-old baby, he and his wife Ausiya decided to sell her silverware and a small gold chain to a pawnbroker. “We managed to pay to the boatmen who brought us to Naduthurai islet from Sri Lanka in about two hours,” he said.

The Marine Police identified the refugees as M. Jeyakumar from Mannar district (45), his wife Yogeshwari (42), daughters Tamilmathi (22) and Kanimathi (15); R. Pushpam (64) and her son Prabakar (43) from Mullai Theevu; R. Justin (42), his wife Ausiya (31) and children Ansika (3) and Anjithan (3 months).

After screening, the police handed them over to the officials at Mandapam Rehabilitation Centre. With this team, there are 199 refugees at the centre, while one aged woman died about a month ago, the officials said.

All News Advertisement

News

INS NIREEKSHAK makes port call in Colombo

Published

8 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

The Indian Navy Ship (INS) NIREEKSHAK arrived in Sri Lanka for Operational Turnaround (OTR) and a training visit on 21 Apr 26.

The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship at the port of Colombo in accordance with time-honoured naval traditions.

Commanded by, Commander Sailesh Kumar Tyagi, this Diving Support Vessel is set to conduct a training programme with the diving professionals of the Sri Lanka Navy.

The crew is also scheduled to participate in several activities organized by the Sri Lanka Navy and visit some tourist attractions within the country.

Latest News

Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North-central, Southern, Uva provinces, and Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Batticaloa districts

Published

11 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 12.00 noon 21 April 2026 valid for the period until 11.30 p.m. 21 April 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, Northcentral, Southern, Uva provinces, and in Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Batticaloa districts after 1.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:

The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities

Latest News

Six Foreign Envoys Present Credentials to President Dissanayake

Published

12 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

Two High Commissioners, three Ambassadors and an Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See presented their credentials to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (20).

The ceremony, held at 10.00 a.m., followed the formal order of precedence, with the envoys representing Papua New Guinea, Somalia, Luxembourg, the Holy See, Pakistan and Kuwait.

Accordingly, diplomats who presented their credentials were:

01. Vincent Sumale, High Commissioner-designate of Papua New Guinea (Based in New Delhi)

02. Abdullahi Mohammed Odowa, Ambassador-designate of Somalia (Based in New Delhi)

03. Christian Biever, Ambassador-designate of Luxembourg (Based in New Delhi)

04. Monsignor Andrzej Józwowicz, Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See

05. Major General (Retd) Nayyar Naseer, High Commissioner-designate of Pakistan

06. Saleh Mubarak Al-Sarawi, Ambassador-designate of Kuwait

Following the presentation of credentials, the President engaged in a cordial discussion with them. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, and the Secretary to the President, Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, were also in attendance.