Mentally Retarded Beggars – Jaffna Perspective

Peace and normalcy are two essential or even sole ingredients for individual and family happiness and community development. Conflicts and commotions, social upheavals and political unrest denial of equal opportunities and inequality, suppression or oppression of one community over other are some of the dangerous social evils that barricade the social, economic and cultural development of nations. Further if this situation is to persist for long, it severely affects the mental and physical activities of the entire communities.

Before the out break of the current internal strife, more than two decades ago, there was comparatively peace and normalcy, leaving aside the peaceful political agitations. We have witnessed a wider window of openings for social, cultural and religion activities which promoted a healthy and happy community life. Social events, non political debates, honoring of outstanding personalities and religious leaders, temple festivals, multi religious festivals both at domestic and community levels, and various regional and community level functions provided a healthy atmosphere.

Contrary to this state of activities, we presently witness a situation of notable degeneration of most of these functions in Jaffna. People confine to their homes by 6 or 7pm due to curfew, no social visits as this is feasible only in the evenings, very minimal cultural and social events and curtailed religious activities. For example August and September are months of important religious festivals in most of the popular temples where people gather in thousands and thousands from all parts of the peninsula. But today not only festival hours are restricted or curtailed to wind up before curfew hours, security checking, traveling difficulties and related constraints compel the people to shun those activities and compel them to confine to their houses early

The result in physical and mental degradation affect them both mentally and physically, Psycho – social projects of some of the Non – Governmental Organization and also at state health centre do not prove an adequate panacea for these illness.
Economically we have already become a community of beggars and present situation is making us a community of mentally retarded beggars.

Mr. Kathirgamathamby
White Pigeon Institute of Prosthesis
Jaffna