Thursday, March 15, 2007

Returning home……


Like any other normal 7 year old, Rohini, has her dreams. ‘I want to become a doctor so that I can help my people,’ she shyly confides before going out to play with her friends.  There is just one problem. Rohini is one of many thousands who have become displaced since August last year due to an upsurge in the ethnic conflict. Given the unimaginative name of ‘IDP’ (Internally Displaced Person), by NGOs, these people are housed in ‘camps’ looked after by the government and relief agencies.  For some, they have been displaced since August whilst others are relatively new comers.

The east coast of Sri Lanka from Trincomalee down to Batticaloa is now full of these ‘transitional’ camps, housing mainly Tamil refugees fleeing the fighting from uncleared LTTE held areas to find refuge in Government held areas. Rohini has experienced a lot in the last couple of months.  With her family, she had escaped on foot through jungle routes, and on rafts and boats through the lagoon and sea, running through cross fire.  Her mother, Viji says, ‘At first we did not want to flee, but the shelling got worse and we had to go.  It just wasn’t safe anymore’

These stories are not uncommon as majority of these people have been shuffled back and forth like pawns on a chess board as the war has moved across the east.  Another inhabitant within the camp, Padmini has a much more harrowing tale to tell.  Speaking from her low roof tent, that has been donated by an NGO which she shares with 7 others, she recounts how she has been ‘displaced’ since April 2006 moving from one camp to another.

For those not lucky enough to have relatives or friends to look after them, majority of the displaced people end up in camps that have been converted from schools.  With basic water and sanitation facilities, and poor cooking arrangements, life in the camp is just about bearable.  When the school buildings overflow, tents or tarpaulin sheets are erected, forcing men and women who do not know each other to live in the same vicinity with little privacy for women.  During times of emergency it seems that those who have suffered still undergo future stress, living in a tent, with strangers, scorching during the day and shivering at night, with very basic food being given and not enough toilets.

Yoga, a 48 year old farmer explains the food situation ‘we are provided with one curry and a plate of rice.  Often for days on end.  In some camps, with extra funding, they throw in some vegetables now and then.’

M. Firthous is a volunteer at one of the makeshift camps that have sprung up in Batticaloa, close to where the latest fighting is taking place.  A teacher by profession, his school has been converted into one camp and school has been suspended for the while.  He laments ‘ these type of crisis means that the education of the children is disrupted whilst the school is used for a camp.  This does not even take into account education for the displaced children’.  With some disruption, it is not surprising that there is a huge disparity in education in this part of the country as opposed to other parts.  Those children that can attend school don’t have the right frame of mind to continue education

Unfortunately with such crisis, the sudden influx of displaced people puts pressure on the authorities and humanitarian agencies to cope with demands for shelter, food and sanitation.   Some camps are well looked after, whilst others are barely able to survive.

Whilst the accusations are that humanitarian agencies are not responding enough, there is a growing concern regarding security and favourable conditions for the agencies to work in.  Following the ACF killings last August, there has been a growing reluctance for agencies to commit themselves in unsafe conditions.  Coupled with the attacks on American and European Diplomats last week as they toured the east of the country, agencies are thinking twice about it.  Hence there arises a dichotomy for action. As a head of mission does one commit his staff to these areas, even though they have narrowly avoided mine attacks and shelling?  What about the people who have suffered this for the past couple of months?  Surely they are more of a priority….  These are arguments that will go on as long as there is conflict in this part of the world.

With all this hardship, fear and uncertainty, there is one thing that everyone is united on.  Even if it takes months, they all want to go home.  Nadarajah is a family whose house was destroyed by artillery fire.  ‘ My house is destroyed, I lost some members of my family.  Even if it takes months for peace to return, I want to go home.  I want to start a normal life.’

The semblance of normalcy is what everyone needs but the scars of tension and trauma are deep and will remain for a long time.

As for Rohini as she plays on some donated swings that have been set up in the camp as part of a child friendly space, the horrors she has gone through have momentarily disappeared, until the sun begins to set and she returns ‘home’, a temporary tent she shares with her family and a few strangers….  Another day has gone


This was originally printed in Reuters Alertnet

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