The Tamil Nadu state government said meeting with Sri Lanka to discuss the voluntary repatriation of Eelam Tamil refugees was premature due to ongoing issues affecting Tamils on the island, The Hindu reported.

Governor K. Rosaiah said to the state assembly that any talks should be deferred due to the prevailing atmosphere of fear and intimidation, the militarisation of Tamil areas, non-settlement of internally displaced people and the absence of any concrete and credible measures taken by the Sri Lankan government.

He said the government was committed to the “peaceful, just and honourable resettlement of the refugees”, but added that “voluntary repatriation can be countenanced only after proper rehabilitation of the internally displaced Sri Lankan Tamils”.

Mr Rosaiah stressed that a congenial atmosphere for the return of the refugees could only be achieved by fully restoring the autonomy and democratic rights of Tamils, alongside economic and political measures.

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Tamil Nadu political parties welcome NPC resolution, call on India to take action (16 February 2015)

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Concrete reconciliatory steps required in Sri Lanka for Tamils to return to North-East says Tamil Nadu CM (28 January 2015)

India urges ‘political reconciliation’ of Tamils in Sri Lanka (19 Jan 2015)