A delegation of Tamil political party leaders from Tamil Nadu plans to call on the visiting Sri Lankan President on Wednesday to urge him to expedite the resettlement of about 80,000 displaced Tamil civilians remaining in the camps.
Indian daily Hindustan Times reported that a delegation of DMK headed by Parliamentary Party leader T R Baalu and Congress MPs from Tamil Nadu will meet President Rajapaksa tomorrow to discuss the issue of rehabilitation and resettlement of the displaced Tamils.
"We will be meeting Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa on Wednesday to press him the need for resettling over 80,000 people who are still lodged in various camps in northern Sri Lanka," Baalu was quoted by the newspaper.
The Sri Lankan President has instructed his government to take measures to resettle all the displaced by the end of August. On the eve of his departure the President held discussions with Tamil political leaders in Sri Lanka on the very same issues the Indian Tamil delegation is prepared to raise during the meeting with the President.
"We will also urge the President to quickly address the Tamil question and take steps to integrate Tamils into the mainstream," Baalu has said.
President Rajapaksa, who is on a three-day official visit to the regional superpower, will hold discussions with his counterpart Indian President Pratibha Patel, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi and other Indian government officials.
Ahead of President Rajapaksa's visit Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has written to Prime Minister Singh on Sunday asking him to discuss the issues of rehabilitation of war-displaced Tamils and formulation of a permanent political settlement.
President Rajapaksa's discussions with Indian leaders are expected to focus on the resettlement of the remaining displaced and his plans for political reconciliation and power devolution.
The President is also expected to sign several bilateral agreements in areas of counter-terrorism operations, trade, and Indian assistance for development projects in Sri Lanka. The controversial Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two countries is also up for discussions.
Following his official visit, his first since his re-election to a second term in January, the President will visit Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. Himachal Pradesh Governor Urmila Singh will reportedly host a reception in President's honour. President Rajapaksa is expected to return to Colombo on Friday.
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