by Oshan M. Gunathilake
“Reparation is a pressing need for thousands of families”
The Office for Reparations was one of the key commitments by the Government of Sri Lanka towards its Transitional Justice and Reconciliation mechanisms – which was brought under the UNHRC 30/1 Resolution. In October 2018, the Parliament passed the relevant act for the implementation of the Office and in January 2019, applications for the members of the office were advertised to the public. Aligning to these developments, as responsible citizens of the country it is important to have an understanding of the current need for the Office for Reparations, in order to build reconciliation and heal the old scars of our nation.
A story from the North: Maivili’s hopes for reparation
“If I go for tuition… I will pass the scholarship examination…” a young girl remains hopeful against all odds. Maivili is a nine-year-old girl who is seeking help to better her academic prospects.
Who is Maivili? And, where are her parents?Maivili is a daughter of a disappeared father. Maivili’s father Krishnapagalanwas forced by aterrorist organisation to run menial errands. He surrendered to the military through Father JoshepFransisat in Mullivaykkal 18th of May 2009 when Maivili was just a baby that was two months old.
“I have never seen my father. I seethat my father was there at my brother’s 1st birthday through photos. But he was not there for my 1st birthday. I did not spend any of my birthdays with my father…”,Maivilistill craves her father’s love. Her tears melt our hearts.
Maivili lives in Selvanagar, Kilinochchi with her mother and two brothers. Her mother was a teacher at Kilinochchi Maha Vidyalaya and she received a very small-scale salary.
“…I lost my husband. I have no other financial support to bring up my children. I have three children. All three of them are minors…”, Maivili’s mother laments.
Maiviliis in Grade 4 and is supposed to sit for the scholarship examinations next year. “I study well. I wish to pass the scholarship exams like my brother. My mother used to teach me. But now she is sick, and she can’t teach me. I want to go for tuition. But as I don’t have my father with me, there is no one to pay my tuitions fees for me...”
Maivili’s mother is a dialysis patient. She cannot work anymore because of kidney failure. Unfortunately, she does not have any other financial support.
“I am worried about my health. If anything happens to me, my children will be orphans and their education will be stopped and their life will be a question mark...” she cries.
After informing them about the establishment of the Office of Reparations…
“If you give money to us soon, I will be able to go to the tuitions...”says a smiling Maivili. It is easy to see the happiness in her eyes at the hope of a better education.
“We lost everything during the war. My husband was not a LTTE member. But he was compelled to run some errands for the LTTE. So, he did. When the government asked to surrender all the people who have connections with LTTE, he surrendered. That was the last day, I saw him. I faced huge difficulties without him. Maivili was a two months old baby then...” she explained.
“We were not provided with any compensation. He was the only breadwinner of my family. After he disappeared, I started to work. I had gone through a very painful life as I needed to look after my three children solely. The Office should have been established earlier. However, we are really happy about this new initiative. There are thousands of mothers like me. They can get some kind of assistance/support through the Office” she warmly welcomes the Office of Reparations.
“I will be more than happy if we can get reparations. I see reparations not only as monetary compensation but also as an acknowledgment of the state for our grievances. If anything, bad happens to me, then at least I will have a hope that even my children will be compensated for their father’s loss and they can use the money for their future...”
A story from the South: A grieving mother – Babynona Peiris
“I suffered a lot. My happiness is gone with my sons. They took my sons by force. I was very unlucky as even I was not able to do the final rituals for my sons” - PeliyagodagamaBabynona cries.
PeliyagodagamaBabynona aged 84 is a victim of JVP insurgencies. She lives in Akuressa, Matara. She had 3 sons and has 4 daughters. P.C. Somasiri (age 26) and P. C. Ariyadhasa (age 23), the two eldest sons had been married and the younger one, P.C.Siripala (age 19) was single at the time of the incident. On 2nd of December 1988, they had been abducted by a group of JVP insurgents and they never return home. Babynona had gone through innumerable hardships in her life since all her three sons were disappeared. She lost all of her sons (breadwinners) within a day. She had experienced the real bitterness of life while bringing up the remaining four daughters.
“I did not have any ways to send my daughters to school. My sons were saving for their sisters; education. After I lost my sons, my daughters had to stop their education though they were interested in studying” Babynona laments.
Babynona’s four daughters had to stop schooling as they had no means to send them to the school. Babynona was a labourer who was unable to earn much with her meagre wages.
The two wives of the two elder sons were in great shock due to the forced disappearance of their husbands and they had no means of earning. This added an extra burden to Babynona, but she took care of both wives of her sons amid all troubles.
Babynona said that while wives of two elder sons received 50,000 rupees as compensation money for each, she had only received 25,000 for her younger son who was not married. This wouldn’t have been enough to take care of her big family.
“I received only 25,000. I don’t remember when exactly I received it. But I received it after many years of the incident. I was helpless soon after the incident. It would be much great if I could receive any assistance, support or compensation soon after I lost my sons.”
Further, she explained that there were a large number of mothers from the South who were not provided reparations for their lost children. Many of them still live with difficulties. She appreciates the initiative to establish the Office for Reparations. She requested the Office for Reparations be established before she dies as she still believes that she has not received adequate reparations for her loss.
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