A recent trip to Vavuniya: For the future looks dark and gloomy
Though I have been following the news about the war in Vanni, and the damages made to human lives and properties, I never thought it would be so bad until I went in person. I got a call from one of our parish members from one of the interim camps saying our foster son Rev. Daniel was killed in the war. The first time I experienced the steps in grief, which I had lectured several times to my students. “No, No, it can’t be” I cried. I straight away went to the Anglican Bishop’s office. I couldn’t control my tears when I saw Rev. Nesakumar. They told me that he was safe and is in one of those camps.
The next day I booked the seat and took the train to Vavuniya. I started early morning and reached Vavuniya in the afternoon. My foster daughter was waiting for me at the station. We straight away went to the camp. Nobody was allowed to get into the camp.
The schools are being used as the interim camps. But they were putting up sheds which I would call tents about 5-6 meters in length. They had put barbed wires around the camps like those around the army camps. People could see those inside only from the other side of the road. The security was very tight. I went to the army person who was in charge of the camp ignoring the shouts from other soldiers, “You dare not get closer… run away, run away!” I approached him, and spoke in English as my Sinhalese was very bad. I told him I just wanted to see my son who is a priest and that I was sure he was in that camp. He was kind enough to send word for him, but asked me to wait on the other side of the road, and said he would give me only five minutes. In ten minutes time Danny came out. He looked haggard tired and traumatized.
They had been running for their lives from place to place. The shelling was so intense that they hardly came out of the bunker. Every now and then there was bombing and gunfire. He was in charge of Karunanilayam. They had mentally handicapped inmates along with the young school going girls as well. On Sunday morning (15th Feb.2009) they had short worship service, and in the evening they had decided to leave. However they left around 1.30 a.m. I could just imagine how terrified they would have been. Since we worked in Vanni, I could imagine the dangers they faced besides the rain of shells and bombs. They had to watch out for ‘all creatures great and small’ from elephants to poisonous snakes in the thick jungles. They walked for hours in the dark, trying not to stumble on the dead bodies of those who got killed and the parts of the limbs of the human here and there. They finally saw buses which could take them to Vavuniya. As they got into one of the buses, here comes a shell and the other bus got blasted. Fourteen of the inmates were missing he said. (Later, I heard six of them were found).
As we were waiting, luncheon packets were brought in a van. We noticed the packets looked very small for a lunch. Later I heard from a reliable person that they were expected to give a parcel of minimum 650 grams. But each parcel weighed not more than 300 grams. As I went to the other camps, I noticed of course from the other side of the road, hundreds of men were having shower, may be for the first time after a long time. Ten showers were there in the open space and they all had to push and shove each other to get to the water. After some time the water would be stopped. I wondered how the women were going to manage! In the open space in the presence of the men and army! What would they do for toilet facilities!
The hospital visit was heart breaking. Almost all of those in the accident wards had undergone amputation. By standers were not allowed to many. The patients didn’t know where their family members were. They looked traumatized. In the nights used to scream and cry because of pain and of nightmares. Many had lost both legs, and some had lost their hands. A pregnant mother had lost both legs and both hands, and was lamenting that the nurses should help her die. Quite a few had been paralyzed because of the severe damage done to their vertebras.  I was drawn to one of the boys. His head was shaved. When I went towards him tears started to roll down his cheeks. He had undergone surgery in the brain. He asked me whether I could find out where his father and youngest sister were. His mother and two brothers got killed. He didn’t have any one with him. “Now that I have survived, what is my future going to be like? They say they are going to transfer all of us to Trincomalee” he said. I had no answer for him except to listen to him empathetically.Â
Once the patients are ready to go, they would be sent to the camps. Permission was denied to those who had relatives in Vaviniya who were willing to take them. Hardly any had all their family members living. They were being sent to different places like Kinniya, Polannaruwa, Mannar etc, which means even the slightest chance of a family reunion was questionable.
A mother sat with a blank look. As they started to run, one of her children got killed. She had the guts to wait there, got the mammotty  (Shovel) and buried the child. She didn’t want her child’s body to be eaten by the wild animals. She didn’t cry but sure she was in the stage of dissociation. There are incidents where shells landed directly into the bunkers. I have no doubt that thousands would have got killed. Those who remain in Vanni are scared to come out for various reasons. For them getting killed is better than getting tortured.
Elsewhere in the island, especially in Colombo, the army checking has been increased. If a person has the national identity card, with the birthplace from Vanni or Mullaitevu or Kilinochchi or even Jaffna, he/she will be in trouble. Our apartment was checked thoroughly last week, and my 16year daughter’s room was checked including her wardrobe and her cupboard and she was questioned. So even if the people want to come out of Vanni, they are aware of this problem as well.
Now, what is happening here is genocide in many forms. Needless to say scattering people all over to unknown and unfamiliar places will ultimately lead to a weak population and result in damages done to our culture, education, and relationships. I can foresee a maimed Tamil generation with no hope in the future. The international community can make statements. But none will pay heed.
For me the future looks dark and gloomy!
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"Now, what is happening here is genocide in many forms" laughable……… international community also has gone deaf as you cried wolf too many times…………. until tamils denounce LTTE on thier own, there can be no future,,,
It is impossible to wake up people who are pretending to be sleeping. What's happening is nothing short of a systematic killing of people as punishment because they have chosen to side and live with their protectors and those who took up arms to fight for them.
Really? Is that why those protectors are shooting them (Al Jazeera) and forcibly conscripting their children (UNICEF)? Why don't you 'Tamil Canadians' come here and 'take up arms' for your people and your protectors?
As Ravi Nessman told Tavis Smiley regarding substantiating news stories coming from the war zone, "This is a very difficult story to cover as a journalist. The war zone is a black hole, Tavis. We're barred from going in, most aid workers are barred from going in. So all of these accusations that fly back and forth, a lot of it is based on scattered reports that we're getting – the very few reports we're able to get. And from what we're able to get from doctors up there who are the very few people with telephones that still work, from some of the witnesses who've fled, some civilians who've left, is that the government appears to be shelling in this very small area with tens of thousands of civilians, and that seems to be causing a lot of civilian casualties."
Furthermore, Ravi Nessman said, "On the other hand, the Tamil Tigers have been accused by some of the civilians who've fled of shooting at the fleeing civilians. The government says that they're being used as human shields to prevent the government offensive from taking that last bit of land. Both sides deny all the accusations against them, but what seems clear from the reports is that civilians are being killed, and they're being killed by both sides."
The Human Rights Watch said in its latest report that “Sri Lankan forces are shelling hospitals and so-called safe zones and slaughtering the civilians there.” I'm aware that it also accused LTTE of shooting civilians who are leaving for gov't controlled areas.
The above personal letter reflects the prevailing conditions of the so called internment camps and why Tamil civilians would rather die in Vanni than live in an open prison for number of years. I have also heard through family members in Vavuniya some shocking news of what is taking place in these camps.
The junk from "military spokesman" is what Al Jazeera believes in and probably some films taken with Karuna's help is what is being given to Al Jazeera. Surely, Al Jazeera does not have a reporter at Vanni !!
The Sinhala state for the past 60 years has been "influence peddling" actively in countries through their embassies. Their blatant lies and propaganda were so influencing the other country leaders, that even humanitarian assistance given by Tamil diaspora to reach their kith and kin were branded as funds to LTTE and stopped. The intent was brutal genocide, which is intensified now.
I thank the writer for God given courage to the writer of this article to go and write this note. Demonic Sri Lankan state can be destroyed only by spiritual forces.
Soon, the Sinhalese soldiers will desert North East and take to their heels. I am waiting for that day.
Er… very enterprising cutting and pasting there, Canadian, but where in the comments made by 'Nessman' is there anything about the "systematic killing of people as punishment because they have chosen to side and live with their protectors and those who took up arms to fight for them" that you claim is taking place?
HRW has also said: "With each battlefield defeat, the Tamil Tigers appear to be treating Tamil civilians with increased brutality," said Ross. "They've shot at those trying to flee and stepped up forced recruitment and forced labor." Rather strange behaviour from "protectors', no?
No one's disputing the fact that civilians are dying, but rather than them preferring to stay with the Tigers, they are fleeing to GoSL areas as fast as they can.
The genocide charge is false, and the world knows it, which is why all the lies are falling on deaf ears. You have allowed the Tigers to paint the Tamils into a corner, and now everyone's getting wet. It's time to admit it. Once this phase of the war ends, a new one begins, and the BS about genocide will be obvious, crippling and polarizing the Tamil cause further.
The war against the tamils (oops…sorry…what I meant to say was 'Inhumanitarian Operation'…oops sorry again…I meant 'Humanitarian Operation', must be the only war in the history of the world, where civilian casualties occur due to the bombing of one side, and military casualties are rare, with at least 40 to 50 rebels being humanitarianly killed every day. I wonder why the GOSL blocked tamil net, even though it can be viewed using proxy sites.
Go check the 100s of civilians who have not been bombed by the armed forces!
to access tamilnet, go to proxyfi.com and type tamilnet and click.
the site is http://proxify.com/
type tamilnet and click search
Justin, there was a time — almost an age ago– that they used to desert. Now recruitment is at an all time high. Dream on.
C'mon Tamil Canadian, never mind what Ravi Nessman said, what about what the Catholic nuns said to Al Jazeera? One of them was named Sister Scholastica, if I recall. And Al Jazeera does have a reporter…David Hawkins. Tell you what: why don't you guys ( that's you too Justin) negotiate for a (Tiger-defended?) federal homeland of your liking, on the soil of Canada…because you certainly won't be establishing one inSri Lanka?
None of the human tragedy contained in this report would have occurred had the Tigers accepted the Indo-Lanka Accord and the Interim administration of September 1987 in which they were given 7 of 12 places including the chairmanship. The Sri Lankan military was confined to barracks. Instead, Prabhakaran went to war against the Indian Peacekeepers. The story goes on: there was no need to restart the war in April 1990 abandoning talks with Premadasa. There was no need to blow up two ships and re-initiate hostilities unilaterally in April 1995, abandoning written communications with Chandrika. There was no need to abandon negotiations in April 2003. There was no need to sabotage Ranil's election campaign in 2005. There was no need to target Sri Lankan armed forces personnel a few weeks after Mahinda was elected. So, have the honesty at least at this late date, to lay the blame for the suffering of the Tamils where the blame is due.
None of the human tragedy in this report would have occurred had the government & opppostion of the time implemented the Banda-Chelva pact, or if successive governments had not indulged in anti tamil riots in 58, 77, 81, 83. Particularly in the case of the '83 riots, the hand of government officials was very clearly visible. Had a serious attempt ever been made to hold the organizers accountable, perhaps a large section of the tamil population would not have felt alientated by the sri lankan state. Even today, with incidents such as the Muttur aid worker killings and the murder of the students in trincomalee by sections of the armed forces, the state shows no urgency in bringing the perpetrators to book. It is hard as a Tamil to believe the Sri Lankan state holds us to be equal citizens due equal protection under the law. This is really the crux of the issue and why there is a persistent level of support for the Tigers despite their conduct. Sadly, it is almost a case of better the devil that is yours than the one that isn't.
While I agree with you ( Hari is "hari"), may I point out that 1987, 1990, 1995, 2003 and 2005 all came AFTER 1957 and 1983? Meaning that despite the crimes of the earlier years, the suffering of the Tamils could have stopped in 1987, if Prabhakaran had not fought the IPKF. They could have stopped in 1990 after the IPKF left, had he not gone back to war. ( in Island of Blood, Anita Pratap writes that she asked him why he went back to war "when Premadasa would have given [him] the North and East on a silver platter". His answer was that "he did not want the North and East on a silver platter".) Or these sufferings could have stopped in 1995 when CBK had no intention of starting a war, had Prabhakaran not initiated one. Or they could have stopped in 2005 had Prabhakaran and his TNA puppets not saboaged the Northern Tamil vote. So, I repeat, please place the blame where it is due.
Absolutely. Tamils have to sit back and ask ourselves is the community better off or further along the path of achieving its goals today than it was before the war started? The answer is undeniably no. More Sri Lankan Tamils live outside of the country than within it, the north & east's infrastructure is destroyed, an entire generation has grown up traumatized and brutalized by war. The Tigers inability to move beyond a military strategy and develop an effective political strategy to take advantage of the many opportunities to pursue a peaceful resolution despite reservations about the bona fides of the government bear a large portion of the responsibility for the current state of affairs. This however does not excuse the governments conduct either. Disappearances, summary executions, torture, arbitrary arrest and indefinite imprisonment are not the tools a democratic government should be using against its own citizenry, especially ones you are trying to win over. By all means rightfully condemn the Tigers for their failures, but equally hold the government to standards of conduct that all civilized nations should hold themselves to. One should also not forget the role the current government had in initiating this round of conflict. For all the talk of restoring the Tamils democratic rights, this government paid the LTTE to disenfranchise Tamils and prevent them from voting in the election to bring down the UNP government of the time. Politics indeed does make strange bedfellows at times.
Al Jazeera had reporters at Kilinochchi in January and earlier this month. Al Jazeera ran footage of refugees under shell fire (I guess Karuna provided that, or was it the military spokesman?).
"Soon, the Sinhalese soldiers will desert North East and take to their heels. I am waiting for that day."
Hope you've got a nice comfy spot 'cos it's gonna be long wait.
Guys, don't think you can spread your own news by banning all media and banning NGO. Such a country can not exist in Western World now. If someone defends this policy, he or she should be either illerate or hard core nationalist. It is no point to talk to both of these people. Just one thing – Genocide can not be hidden by any means.
You said: "Such a country cannot exist in western world" World is not west. There are systems other than western system. MYOB Mattew Roberts and western world.
You literate Mattew Roberts we here in our country are illiterate.
Therefore, would you very graciously MYOB
Hari, you write: "One should also not forget the role the current government had in initiating this round of conflict". Check the dates of the first attacks on and ambushes of service personnel. Mahinda Rajapkse was being criticised in theSouth for not responding. He actually made a speech telling the Tigers not to mistake his (Buddhist) forebearance for weakness. So, Hari, just as in the case of Premadasa and CBK, Mahinda too, did not initiate this round of the shooting war. He did not draw first blood. He was just a few weeks into office! If the LTTE's Tamil rivals were shooting at them, having been massacred during the CFA, there was no reason to ambush soldiers and sailors on home leave!
Poor choice of words on my part. We can both agree the LTTE needlessly engaged in highly provocative acts both under the Ranil and Mahinda governments. My point was more MR would not have come to power without the deal struck with the LTTE. The LTTE could not have better displayed its disregard for the well being of the Tamil people. The government, despite its rhetoric about the "evil, fascist, choose your language", LTTE, had no problems striking a bargain with it when it served their needs, regardless of the impact on the Tamils whose rights they claim to care so deeply about.
Going beyond that, the fundamental problem I have with your argument is that you always couch it in terms of the LTTEs behaviour. Surely that is no standard to go by? I am not arguing for the LTTE here. My contention is that the methods the government is using in prosecuting this war against the Tigers is deliberately highly damaging to Tamil civilians. Actions speak louder than words, and the governments actions when it comes to Tamil concerns do not say much. At the drop of a dime or the word of the defence secretary the arms of the law without hesitation or attention to due process and evidence, will jail/prosecute/hold indefinitely Tamils suspected of colluding with the LTTE. Yet when it comes to cases of state actors or its cronies like the TVMP in the East or Douglas in the north murdering civilians, media members, abducting children, etc, the law doesn't seem to want to work at all. Why the double standard? Why the refusal to let the media cover the war front or the camps being set up in cleared areas? If the truth on civilian casualties is what the government says it is, then surely letting the media in can only strengthen its position?