Children of War & Peace

Children in Sri Lanka suffer from effects of Violence

by Gaja Lakshmi Paramasivam

(April 13, Melbourne, Sri Lanka Guardian) I read today’s news in the consciousness of next Saturday’s event to share our experiences and resources with our folks in Northern Sri Lanka. Most of the logistics of the event is being managed by the Sydney branch of the Sangarathai Young Men’s Hindu Association. To me these children whose life is part of ours are children of Peace.I read TULF President Mr. Anandasangaree’s letter to Major General Mahinda Hathurusinge,Commander Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna, published in today’s Sri Lanka Guardian, under the heading ‘Children idle at home without going to school or for work’. That was the last part of the following paragraph:

‘What had been done is now being undone. The people here in the North and the East do not want to see the sight of a gun or army personnel in uniform. They have undergone the worst in their life. They lost all their belongings and even two years after, is still living in primitive type of houses compared with the comfortable houses in which they lived for several years. Men had lost their wives and wives their husbands. Some lost their children and some others have their children in detention, many of whom had hardly committed any offence. Many had lost their breadwinners. Children idle at home without going to school or for work.’

I concluded that the publisher did not give credibility to Mr. Anandasangaree’s identification with victims of war and the sovereignty earned by the Tamil Community to be not disturbed during its period of mourning. The picture that was published looked more like that of a ‘Street Community’ as opposed to the ones taken by me as part of my ‘experience’ of post-war Northern Sri Lanka (Appendix 1).

 

Then I read the two articles by Mr. Dayan Jayatilleke – also published in today’s Sri Lanka Guardian. One under the heading ‘External challenges to Sri Lanka’ and the other under the heading ‘Arguing about accountability’. They were both with pictures of Tamil Children – one carrying the Tiger flag and the other with two kids in combat uniforms, carrying the following label ‘The cover of an Amnesty International letter 30 May 1999 shows two child soldiers of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger guerrilla movement (LTTE) sent as part of a campaign in Colombo against the LTTE's recruitment of children. The London-based human rights organisation condemned the use of child soldiers by the Tamil Tiger rebels and urged people to express their concern to the guerrillas who are fighting for an independent homeland in the island’

These pictures, through their selection, told us a deeper story – of the silent conversation of like minded individuals. I often say that the silent communication between higher minds was far more valuable than the pictures painted for external consumption. This silent communication is the language of families and therefore sovereignty. I identified with Mr. Anandasangaree’s message through this silent communication between genuine feelings for our children. Sinhalese leader Dr. Palitha Kohona said at Harvard University ‘Don't continue to scratch a wound that Sri Lanka is desperately trying to heal’ . I concluded that Dr. Kohona’s predecessor in the UN position - Mr. Dayan Jayatilleke was deaf to Dr. Kohona’s message or to him also these kids are NOT Sri Lankan but just Tamils. This to me was an example of a silent communication between lower minds. Truth communicates Itself – irrespective of whether the medium is high or low. When the strength of Higher Minds (Governors) is greater than the collective power of lower minds (Voters), we have common solutions. When the latter is stronger than the former, we have diverse and scattered problems.

Mr. Dayan Jayatilleke says ‘Most societies settle accounts with their violent pasts by classically cathartic means such as artistic expression and public debate. Thus, some accounts are better balanced by History and left to what the French called la longue durée, the long term -- and to future generations.’

The question is whether to Mr. Jayatilleke these Tamil children are part of his society or external foreign groups?

Mr. Jayatilleke says also ‘Reconciliation is more readily achieved and more rooted through a negotiated compact between all democratic stakeholders. Such a process has already been initiated in Sri Lanka.’

Is Mr. Jayatilleke a democratic stakeholder? The answer is in the following statement by Mr. Jayatilleke himself:

‘No external claim of accountability is more important than the accountability of a government to its own citizens; its own people. That is the corollary and concomitant of popular sovereignty.’

Does Mr. Jayatilleke include the LTTE as his own? Otherwise it is an example of ‘do as I say and not as I do’

Tamil children are primarily the responsibility of Tamil parents and community leaders. The Government of Sri Lanka has the position authority to find fault with their community leaders and parents through the Administrative process. Our children may act in breach of the laws of the nation and when they do, they are liable to be judged and punished as per the laws of the nation. Social standards of those who do not include these kids as their own cannot be applied to ‘judge’ and socially punish these children by damaging their image. Tamils need to be left to heal confidentially if the Government of Sri Lanka is to earn the right to heal confidentially – away from Foreign Governments to whom Expatriate Tamils have greater right of access through their citizenships in these nations. One who exercised his / her sovereignty owes it to others to do likewise. The more our sovereignty is disrespected the more the Natural punishment earned in the court of Natural Justice which is the Highest Court of All and to which each and every one of us has Natural Access through our Truth. Global systems are closer to this Natural system than local systems driven by habits.

Appendix 1

Children of Sangarathai

Sinnamah Vidyasalai

Vaddukoddai

Sangarathai Sinnamah Vidyasalai

Vaddukoddai

Sangarathai Sinnamah Vidyasalai is a small primary school in Sangarathai-Vaddukoddai. Established in 1936, this small traditional school is a valuable asset to the people of Sangarathai and Thunaivi. The school is managed by a dedicated team of staff led by Principal V Rajakumar, Alumni and Parents – mostly local.

Sangarathai-Thunaivi area has not been immune to the war in Sri Lanka and many lives from this area have been lost during the war period. People of the area are now recovering in their own ways and schools such as Sangarathai Sinnamah Vidyasalai help the communities heal through common activities. School leadership is also community leadership.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on 24 March 2011, that the United Nations has declared this day to be the International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims. Ms Navaneetham Pillai said also ‘Forty-two thousand six hundred and thirty-three -- this is the number of cases, of people who have disappeared and remain unaccounted for over the past 31 years, under consideration by the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. Figures also show that new cases continue to emerge from all regions of the world on a regular basis. For every one of those individuals, there are many loved ones agonising over their fate, alternating between hope and despair and waiting for news – any news.’

There are many families of the children of Sangarathai Sinnamah Vidyasalai who are included in the above group of victims. We need to help them heal themselves and groom their children towards a more Peaceful life.

Even though resources are limited, children are trained in performing arts and the community encourages the little ones to perform as if this is the best school in town. In terms of ‘effort’ these kids and their teachers and parents are not second to Tamil Teachers and parents living here in Australia. They need to feel that there is adequate reward for their efforts so they would develop the motivation required to go on to High School and further to contribute to self sufficiency at community level. Our community’s faith in education is confirmed through the standard of conduct achieved by these schools with least resources.

If we truly seek to be an integral part of these home-communities, we need to feel that they are able to derive same level of return for their efforts, as we do here in Australia. They are not likely to look the same – given the difference in cash value per unit of work. But those of us with common faith would know the real value of their efforts, as if we did that work ourselves.

Towards this ‘commonness’ those of us who are from that area, need to upgrade this school’s facilities to be in par with those of the average of Jaffna College, Vaddu Central College and Vaddukoddai Hindu College - to which schools most of these children go for secondary school education. These kids need to feel confident that they are second to none when they enter secondary school. In terms of Conduct and Academic Grades – the are well equipped to generate this confidence. But the environment in which we live is a huge influence in development of self-confidence and independence on the basis of that self-confidence.

The school needs funds to construct a new building adjoining this old one which is in dire need of maintenance work.

The Land donated by the family of Dr. Chelvadurai of Sangarathai, Vattukkottai, is available for the new building.

Local community leaders, such as Mr. Gnanakumar, Mr. Rasalingam and Mr. Nithi Sabanathan provide continuous support to the school. Greater participation by the Tamil Diaspora, especially those from that area, would be deeply appreciated. As per the estimate of the School Administration, they would need the equivalent of Australian dollars 3,000 to construct new classrooms for their immediate use. A further $3,000 would help construct toilets for students.

Interested in being part of this Educational Development project in Northern Sri Lanka? If yes, please send your contributions to Sangarathai Sinnamah Vidyasalai or to Australian Tamil Management Service at the address below. Not interested? Thank you for reading.