Vanni hearing brings out problems and thinking

by T.Sabaratnam

(September 28, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The hearings of the Lesson Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) held in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts had brought out the real problems of the war affected people and their thinking about the future.

The main problem the people face was about their missing family members.

For three days beginning last Saturday hundreds of women gathered opposite the premises where the hearing was held carrying photographs of their missing husbands, sons and daughters and pleaded for information about them.

Some of them who got the opportunity to give evidence begged the Commission to find out what happened to their dear ones. They said they were only seeking their safe return and were not interested in land or property.

Those who failed to make representation provided information about their missing relatives in the printed forms distributed to them.

Their requests varied. Susilavathy Devaruban of Kandavalai asked the commission to find her son and return him. Aiyakooku from Malayalapuram wanted the commission to find out whether his son is living. Mathivannan Mathusha pleaded for help to release her husband detained in the Omanthai camp.

Susilavathy told the eight-member commission, headed by former Attorney General C R de Silva that her 19-year-old son was forcibly recruited by the LTTE in March 2009.

Although he escaped and returned home twice they took him away a third time.

“Today,” she said, “I don’t know where my son is. Please find my son and return him to me.”

Elderly Aiyakooku said he had three sons. The eldest joined the LTTE when he was17 and is dead.

The second was taken away by the LTTE.

The third son and his wife were taken away 18 days after their wedding. Both of them are dead.

“My wife and I are grief stricken. We ask you to find out and tell us whether our second son is alive or dead,” they pleaded.

Mathusha who was from Vivekananda Nagar said her husband Mathivannan was employed in an LTTE establishment from 2004 to 2006. They were in an IDP camp in Vavuniya when some people had informed the security forces about Mathivannan former LTTE connection. He was arrested and detained.

“I have no means of livelihood- not even money to buy milk powder for the children,” and wept begging for help from the commission to get him released.

Commission chairman C R de Silva readily agreed to discuss with the CID officers Mathusha’s problem and find a solution. He assured Susilavathy and Aiyakooku that the commission would find out the whereabouts of the missing persons. Similar assurance were given to others too.

The chairman told the witnesses that their approach was to inquire into the problems and past grievances of the affected people who are equal citizens of Sri Lanka, and resolve ethnic, religious and community differences.

He said finding solutions to the problems faced by the people was an important issue that merited attention.

A variety of other problems also came up before the commission.

One women said they went into the welfare camps with the clothes they were wearing. “One year has passed. We are still in those clothes.”

Another said, “We lived in a comfortable house. Now we are living in a tin sheet shed”.

Some complained that they were not being allowed to return to their land.

People from Ponnagar said they were prevented from returning to their lands.

The commissioners explained that they could not claim rights over land distributed by the LTTE or its affiliated organisations as they had no authority to distribute land.

The commissioners assured them that alternate housing in other areas would be provided to them before the end of the year.

There were also complaints of extortion and bribery.

One witness said some men who posed as CID officers had demanded huge sum of money to get her relative released.

She said she had made complaints to the police and the army but they were asking her to identify the men concerned.

Most of the people who gathered to give evidence were women. Human rights activists said women were the most affected by the war.

Several families in Vanni are headed by women.

The hearing also brought out that in many cases the LTTE had taken away young males and females by force.

Many said their husbands and sons were taken away by the LTTE.

It also came out that the LTTE had prevented civilians from leaving the area controlled by them. Susilavathy said, “The LTTE prevented us from leaving. Although I told them that my child had suffered a spinal injury they refused to let us leave”.

The thinking of the people about the future also came out.

Most of the witnesses said that they are against any future armed struggle.

They wanted a permanent solution for their basic needs and the ethnic conflict.
Witnesses said the armed conflict was the result of accumulated grievances of the Tamil people.

The feeling of discrimination and the repeated riots and violence in which the Tamils suffered were the primary causes. They said a permanent solution to the ethnic problem is necessary to prevent peace to prevail in the long run.

On the Indian scene the Kashmir agitation is continuing.
All the separatist leaders have told the Indian All Party delegation headed by Home Minister P Chidamparam that their agitation would continue unless their main demands were met.

Their demands were: Indian government should declare Kashmir an international dispute; withdraw troops from Kashmir; revoke the emergency powers given to the security forces and release all political prisoners.

They told the Indian parliamentarians: We demand our rights and not an economic development package.

In Tamil Nadu, a massive celebration to mark the 1000 years of the building of the Thanjavur Periya Kovil began on Thursday with 1000 dances dancing in all the main streets of the Thanjavur city.

The event glorifies the Chola period of Tamil history.

The temple, one of the wonders of the world, was built by Raja Raja Cholan to mark his victory in the wars against Pandiya, Chera and Sinhala kings.

It was built soon after he conquered Anuradhapura and moved the capital to Polonnaruwa.