The Island of tears of the Indian Ocean:

Her name is A. Ranjani 30 years old and her birth place is Jaffna. Ranjani lost her mother in 1988 due to the IPKF attacks. This is not only the misfortune of Ranjani as her family got caught the war in 1995 and displaced first time. After the first displacement Ranjani and her family resettled at Kanakarayankulam in Kilinochchi district.
Today, Ranjani lives with her husband 38 Years old and the 11/2 years old baby girl. Before the Eelam war 3 in 2009, her husband was a carpenter. But due to shell attacks during the war, he lost his right leg and now he can not do his profession any more as a carpenter. He became a day labourer as he needs to run the family. However, this is a huge struggle for the survival of the family today.
“Now we are living in a small hut at Puduhur Junction in Puliyankulam. We settled here just after the release of the people from the camps. Government gave us 12 tin sheets and 25,000 rupees only as the resettlement aid. The WFP gave us dry ration such as rice, flour, pulses, oil and sugar for our survival and we are depending on them today. We do not know when we would go back to our original places. We think it would have been much better if we had died during the war.” This is Ranjani’s frustrated voice. “We were seriously affected at the final war. We were living at Kanakarayankulam when the Eelam war 3 started. When the government military invaded our area the people went backward and vacate the village. We ran away to save our child and our lives with few clothes which we could carry at that time. After the Exodus, we got stranded at Puthukudurippu at Vellimullavaikkal camps at the end of the run. We were got caught at the final war and became the serious victims as we affected badly”.
Ranjani and her family could not live in the camps more than one month as they got frightened due to shells moving over their heads. At the same stage, her husband lost his right leg and became a cripple. This was another great loss for Ranjani’s life as he was the only bread winner of the family of three. Even with the wounds there was no any treatment for her husband as there was no medical facilities for any wound to treat. So, the best option was to remove his leg and save the life of the patient. The doctors help to save his life that way which they can see as a fortune at least today. Finally, they dug a bunker and lived within the bunker more than a month. Even it was like a nightmare to Ranjani today. Shells were fallen on the heads of the people and within a second people lost their lives. “We ran away when government military forces came to the Vellimullivaikkal area and ordered people to move out from the camps. We left even our father at the bunker as we could not carry him with us. We walked three days. Some times we did not have water to drink. My child was so weak with no food. What to do? I did not have breast milk too to feed her. Once, I was hiding in an abandoned well one day to save my life and my husband’s and child’s lives. That was so hard to remind now. The sufferings due to lack of food, lack of water and also the security we were in serious difficulties. As Ranjani says, “LTTE did not treat well at the last moments also LTTE didn’t provide enough food to the people because they too haven’t had enough food. But LTTE sold some food to the people who gave money. But, we did not have money too to buy foods from LTTE. The prices were very high and we could not afford at all.”

On the other hand my husband also a cripple, I am helpless in many ways. After three days struggle, we walked from Muliwaikkal to Kilinochchi Junction, which is more than 100 Km and later reached at Menik Farm by buses provided by Government military forces. Evan the military did not treat us well, but provided a bun per person.”
They were stayed there at Menik farm more than 6 months. By January 2010, it is around one month now they have settled the place where they live now.
But their voice is so wage and sharing are so much pathetic and hopeless.
“We can not see any future for our people. We were neglected as we are belonging to a minority group. We do not know how far we need to stay at these camps.”
“We are scared to live in these new settlements as serpents come to the tents in the night. What can I do with my poor husband and girl child.? We are victims of the war and the neglected due to poor and marginalized.”
Some of our people are displaced since 1995. They do not have any resettlement scheme yet. So, we do not know how long we have to be here. Some times, my poor girl will also perpetuate this life and will curse this society in the future, as we do today. I am scared to think this happen again in our society. I do not want any more violence. But there will no any option for the poor minority people in this society. What can we do? I do not like to remind the bad memories of war any more.”
Finally, Ranjani shared her fear and her frustration with a challenge to the whole Sri Lankan society.

Do we have the Commitment with a Vision?

Early morning I watched the television, ITN as usual while having my breakfast.
One so called Scholar was appeared in the TV and the presenter was also the government agent as usual.
Scholar is well known to me as he was one of my parrallel batch mate in Peradeniya university. I got mad with the economic explantions with the 5 points power centers in Sri Lanka would be the best in Asia and will continue straight forward with Mahinda Chnthana Way Forward. This is again a mere abusive mechanism of government media and the so called scholars.
I am really feel sorry about our scholars in my country. Because, people can be misleaded with these and not only the politicians do it and the scholars are also do the same.

Because, election Campaign is underway and the UPFA politicians are fighting among them for higher preferential votes. So, the competetion is only within the party?
We all are wondering what is going on. General public do not pay any attention to all these political jargons.
But, the politicians in the government, as well as the so called scholars are highly voceferous and confident about 2/3 majority. The important thing according to the people engage here is that to make the Sri Lanka wonder in the Asia, under the Mahinda Chinthana way forward, government need a strong parliament.
So, do we as people in Sri Lanka ready to believe all these?
I am not sure people will believe this. But, majority people are frustrates after the presidential election results, and now keeping quiet amidst all these political bluffing.
What we can do to face these situations?
Now, we need to think different strategies to educate people. Most of the people are easily mislead and follow the oppressive mechanisms.
I hope, committed small group with a vision, can change the world.
I do believe this and could continue what I can do in my small little way.

Herman