“The Tamil politicians have once again proved they continue to be hypocrites of the worst type, by not highlighting the plight of these unfortunate re-settled IDPs.”………………………………………….
By: Dr. Rajasingham Narendran
(December 26, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The internally displaced persons (IDPs) had become the bone of contention between the government of Sri Lanka (GOSL), many governments and institutions in the international community, and the Tamil community at large-both within Sri Lanka and the Diaspora, after the war ended. Many tears – some genuine but mostly ‘crocodile’- were shed on the plight of these unfortunate people. The predominant motive was to use the IDPs and their plight to bludgeon the Sri Lankan government rather than finding enduring solutions to the problems of these IDPs as a people and as individuals.
Politics of the worst sort came into play and the IDPs became its victims, as much as they were the victims of a brutal war that was insensitive to human suffering. The government was accused of,
1. Incarcerating these people behind barbed wire fences,
2. Holding them in Nazi-type concentration camps,
3. Not providing enough food,
4. Not providing adequate water supplies,
5. Not providing adequate health care,
6. Not providing adequate toilet facilities,
7. Forcing the IDPs to live under squalid conditions and exposing them to the ravages of the now raging monsoon.
8. Having malicious intent to convert the IDP camps into permanent settlements,
9. Sexual harassment of female IDPs.
Large numbers of these IDPs have been released from these camps in the past two months and purportedly resettled. The government has largely complied with the deadlines it had set for itself to resettle these victims of a brutal war and man’s inhumanity at its worst. The Tamils and the international community that had applied considerable pressure to release and resettle these IDPs, are pleased the GOSL had responded to their pressure. The truth as I saw recently seems to expose the farce the whole issue of these IDPs has become.
I have just returned from a four day visit to Jaffna through the A9 highway. I was one of the first to travel through the A9 highway by private vehicle, once the travel restrictions were relaxed. What I saw was only confined to the A9 highway and either side of it. There were yet restrictions on moving off the A9 highway in the Vanni. What I observed between Vavuniya and Muhamalai of note are:
1. The land adjoining the A9 highway have been cleared of scrub and trees, and demined up to a width of 100 meters on either side.
2. The IDPs are living in shelters, made of twelve galvanized iron sheets and a sheet of blue water-proof plastic. These galvanized iron and the plastic sheets are provided as a standard free issue to the IDPs leaving the camps irrespective of their family size.
3. There are no toilets visible. The IDPs are very likely using the adjoining scrub jungle as open toilets and these definitely pose a serious health hazard.
4. There are no visible sources of available water near most shelters.
5. There are army security posts at approximately 50-100 meter intervals on either side of the highway and these are also of the most elementary type.
6. The IDP shelters are set between these security posts.
7. Due to the heavy rains and accompanying winds the re-settled IDPs are living under the most inhuman conditions. There was water inside many shelters and the shelters themselves were surrounded by water. The conditions in which these IDPs are living are heart rending to see.
8. The conditions under which the soldiers in the security posts are living are only marginally better than those of the IDPs. However, the soldiers are provided with their food , water, transport and health needs by the government in an organized manner.
9. The IDPs are being provided with food stamps to obtain only their dry ration requirements.
10. The IDPs had been paid about Rs 25,000/= in cash and a further Rs 25,000/= had been deposited into saving accounts in their names.
11. Medical faculties are not available in the vicinity and ready transport is unavailable. The few buses that travel on this route are over-crowded and do not stop for these IDPs.
12. The IDPs have been re-settled in areas close to their original villages and most of these temporary settlements I saw only extended from Omanthai up to Mankulam. The IDPs I spoke told me their original homes are damaged badly and the area beyond the 100 meter zones along the highway is yet mined.
13. The few schools that are yet intact are functioning as transit camps for the IDPs being re-settled.
14. Schools are yet not functioning in the areas seen.
15. Kilinotchi town is in shambles and has to be almost completely re-built. I saw only a handful of civilians in Kilinotchi town.
16. There were no visible signs of NGO presence along the stretch of A9 highway between Vavuniya and Muhamalai.
The situation along the A9 highway can be best described by the words (almost identical) of the IDPs- male and female I spoke to, “Ahathihal Muhamileyey Irrunthirakkalaam” ( “We should have continued to stay in the IDP camps”).
It is an indictment on the Tamil community in particular and the international community at large they did not act in a sober and rational manner to the plight of the IDPs. An opportunity to resettle these IDPs into safer, securer and better organized villages and towns has been idiotically missed. The agony of these IDPs has been wantonly and criminally prolonged. Individual rights to survival and care have been sacrificed at the altar of expediency. Lofty concepts such as human rights have been vulgarized, because of their use out of context and blind of circumstances.
These IDPs are now free to enjoy their misery! The female IDPs who are widows and yet young are now free to become victims of sexual exploitation! Young girls have been made to live in close proximity to soldiers! The child IDPs who are without a father are now free to roam free and become the dredges of society! The able bodied men have no access to gainful employment! The Sri Lankan government and the Sri Lankan community at large have been absolved of their responsibility to discharge their responsibilities towards these unfortunate people.
Tamils as a people have proved themselves to be heartless political animals and short sighted fools!
The Sri Lankan government that had the guts to stand up to international pressure to carry the war to a finish has failed to stand up to the same pressures when it came to the issue of the IDPs and making the resettlement process an opportunity to bring about national reconciliation. The Tamil politicians have once again proved they continue to be hypocrites of the worst type, by not highlighting the plight of these unfortunate re-settled IDPs.
Photographs of the scenario along the section of the A9 highway described above are given below:
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