{"id":28456,"date":"2014-03-01T21:02:46","date_gmt":"2014-03-02T02:02:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=28456"},"modified":"2014-03-01T21:02:46","modified_gmt":"2014-03-02T02:02:46","slug":"while-tna-and-diaspora-focus-on-geneva-the-people-who-suffered-in-war-are-battling-to-re-build-their-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=28456","title":{"rendered":"While TNA and Diaspora Focus on Geneva the People who Suffered in War are Battling to re-build their Lives."},"content":{"rendered":"

By<\/p>\n

Camelia Nathaniel<\/strong><\/p>\n

While the TNA and the Diaspora are on a mission to initiate an international investigation against Sri Lanka on war crimes allegations, the people who actually suffered immense hardships and atrocities for the past 30 years are engaged in a battle to rebuild their shattered lives. The Northern Provincial Council recently passed a resolution seeking an international investigation against Sri Lanka, which many believe has become the prime objective and agenda of the NPC, and that the issues and grievances of the people has taken a back seat as a result.<\/p>\n

While the Tamil Diaspora and the TNA are only concerned about the deaths and sufferings of the Tamil people in the North, and seek justice for them, charging the government forces of Human rights violations, was it only the Tamil people who were affected by the war?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

There were thousands of innocent Sinhala civilians in border villages who were brutally massacred by the terrorists on several occasions and even children killed in the most brutal manner. How come no one including the international community talks on behalf of these people?<\/p>\n

Do they not feel the pain of losing their children, parents and relatives? Similarly what about the innocent child soldiers who were forcibly recruited and made to fight in war that they knew nothing about, let alone understand the reasons as to why they were fighting?
\nToday those who hung cyanide capsules on hundreds of child soldiers are roaming freely, while the TNA and the Diaspora are only focused on the alleged atrocities committed by the government forces.<\/p>\n

The Sunday Leader recently visited the remote Yaka Wewa village in Kebithigollewa that was devastated by a claymore bomb attack by the LTTE on a bus carrying civilians including children, and 67 persons including 15 children were killed in the most brutal manner on 15th June, 2006. In addition 65 persons received injuries in the attack. How come no one is fighting for justice for these people? In fact to add insult to injury, the Diaspora has been using the image of a distraught father who was carrying the body of his infant, in their protest campaigns against the Sri Lankan forces.<\/p>\n

This in fact is a clear indication that these people who are hell bent on bringing disrepute to the country, have absolutely no idea of the sufferings of the people who remained in the country throughout the conflict and faced numerous hardships. It is indeed a fact that the Tamil civilians in the North suffered untold hardships during the conflict, but is it not time for us all as Sri Lankans to put the bitter past behind us and move forward making sure that the past is never repeated and our people never have to face such torment ever again, instead of constantly prodding old wounds and fuelling hatred and racial disharmony all over again?<\/p>\n

As the Vice Chancellor of the Jaffna University Prof. Arasaratnam quite rightly pointed out at the National Conference on post war socio-economic development and constructive engagement with Sri Lankan diaspora recently, stating \u2018we need to move forward, try to forget the past and rebuild the North, like I have rebuilt my home that was destroyed due to terrorism,\u2019. Speaking of her personal experience, the well respected academic said that the people in the North had suffered enough due to LTTE terrorism, and pointed out that while infrastructure development is taking place in the peninsula in order to rebuild the area that was devastated due to 30 years of conflict, it was also time for the people to forget the past and move forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have been living in Jaffna, and working at the Jaffna University from 1984 to date. I have witnessed all that happened and I have been caring for my bed-ridden mother in 1995 from Jaffna to Wanni. Then I brought her back in 1997. So I am somebody who has witnessed everything firsthand, and I have written my PhD thesis with the aid of a kerosene lamp where we had to pay Rs. 300 for kerosene and unable to use the normal kerosene lamp, we have had to use the kerosene lamp using cotton wool. I have been through all these hardships living through it all in Jaffna,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Prof. Arasaratnam said that she still remains in Jaffna because she wanted to be part of the development. \u201cI have no parents, no brothers or sisters. I am living alone. But I am still living in Jaffna because I want to develop my native place. I want to develop the Jaffna University for which I strive hard as the Vice Chancellor. I have no personal interest. The only interest I have is that the Jaffna University be developed and the people\u2019s living standard be uplifted,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

She pointed out that in order to develop the infrastructure and the living standards of the people, it is vital for all communities to work together.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have done a lot of research and I have published many articles related to the development of the region. My humble request is for people to now forget what has happened in the past. We have to think of the development, and the progress of the economy of our people who need our assistance,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The Vice Chancellor said she had lost so much due to terrorism but refused to dwell in the past. \u201cI have lost my parents, my house, and many more, but I have now rebuilt my house. So why cannot we rebuild our society? We have to think positively. All of us should work together and let us work together without petty political differences,\u201d she stressed.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, speaking to The Sunday Leader, Priyantha Dasanayake of Yakawewa, who lost his wife and 1 \u00bd-year-old baby in the terrorist attack, said that although it\u2019s been eight years since that dreadful attack, he is still suffering the pain of losing his infant, but he said that he has decided to move forward and not dwell in the past.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough I was very bitter at the time, I have realized that harbouring grudges will not get me anywhere and it would only be bad for my son\u2019s soul. Hence I have decided to face life and leave the past behind. It is saddening when I hear and read in the news about the Diaspora and the political parties in the North talking as if only the Tamil people have had to undergo suffering and heartbreak due to the war. I for one and hundreds of others like me have also lost our loved ones and our precious children who were innocent victims of the brutality of the terrorists. But as long as we keep dwelling on the past bitter memories, we will never be able to live in harmony and peace among all other races.<\/p>\n

Therefore my only wish and request is that we all leave the past behind and learn to live as Sri Lankans in this land and never again hope to ever witness the kind of pain and suffering that we faced in the past,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile a former member of the LTTE Dharmasivam Antony Newton, who had also lost his brother to the war, said that he had been attached to the intelligence wing of the rebel organization. He has undergone the rehabilitation process and now for the first time, lives a normal life with his wife and three children in the Madhu area.<\/p>\n

Having followed a diploma course in counselling, he now helps others deal with the past and to get his life back on track. \u201cI joined the rebel organization willingly in 1999 and was attached to the intelligence wing. We were brain washed to believe in the theories of the terrorists back then. I was only 16 years when my brother and I both were enlisted. My brother was attached to the Black Tiger outfit and he was later killed in the Galle harbour attack. During that period I could only visit my family once a month and it was very difficult,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever now after the reintegration process, we have come to understand that the Sinhalese are not our enemies, and now we have absolutely no issue with them. There are however some elements that are trying to destroy the peace that we have all yearned for so long and create unnecessary issues, but we have understood the real situation now. We are very grateful to the president and the Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Minister as well as the Director General of Rehabilitation.<\/p>\n

The development taking place in our part of the country too is much appreciated. It is my belief that we must all now discard all communal differences and join hands as one nation,\u201d he added.
\nNewton added that there are some groups who are attempting to incite trouble again, but he said they are totally opposed to the idea of going through the past traumatic period again.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere can never be another war in this country, as we know the suffering that we had to endure. All these people who are living luxurious lives abroad are attempting to speak on our behalf, but they are not the ones who underwent the hardships of the past. They are simply attempting to make more money by selling our souls. No matter what the international community says, we know what the President has done for us. I plead with all parties concerned, to forget the traumatic past and unite in building a united Sri Lanka, where we can all live in peace and harmony,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile Eastern University Vice Chancellor Dr Kobindarajah suggested forming a committee of academics to work with President Mahinda Rajapaksa with the support of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). He said that all parties concerned should address the real cause and genuinely work hard toward reconciliation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI firmly believe that if you work with an open heart we could definitely sort out whatever the problems we have. We as the academics are ready to play a key role to promote ethnic harmony and reconciliation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He added that he had lived in Canada for eight years with more than 100 communities, and everyone there only referred to themselves as Canadians. \u201cTheir culture is not more than 400 years old but our culture is over 3,000 years old, and having just three to four communities we still refer to ourselves as Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers, etc, but we never say we are Sri Lankan,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt needs to be acknowledged that the Tamil people suffered immensely during the war, but what is needed now is not trying to crucify anyone for what happened, as atrocities were committed against the country as a whole. Now what we need to do is move forward and make a conscious effort to bring about ethnic harmony and live together as Sri Lankans and leave our ethnicities aside. Those trying to prod old wounds and incite disharmony while living in comfort in other countries, will not be the ones who will face suffering, but those living in Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

Many who are trying to hold onto the flame of separatism are safe in other countries, and their children are not the ones who were sacrificed during the conflict. Hence we as Sri Lankans should now unite in order to defeat all external forces that are trying to create disharmony within the country, and make a conscious effort to never again put ourselves through the traumatic experiences of the past,\u201d he added.
\n
\nCOURTESY:The Sunday Leader<\/em><\/p>\n

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By Camelia Nathaniel While the TNA and the Diaspora are on a mission to initiate an international investigation against Sri Lanka on war crimes allegations, the people who actually suffered immense hardships and atrocities for the past 30 years are engaged in a battle to rebuild their shattered lives. The Northern Provincial Council recently passed …<\/p>\n

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