THE FORGOTTEN TAMIL PEOPLE/IDPs OF VANNI!!!

The forgotten people amidst ‘victory’ celebrations


The forgotten people of the Wanni


By Dashrath

Killinochchi, the de-facto capital of the LTTE was finally captured by the Sri Lanka Army last Friday, triggering celebrations in the south.

A couple of explosions in the heart of the city somewhat disturbed the celebrations but did not overshadow the military victory.

A few days before the capture, the Tigers claimed that it had inflicted heavy damage on the military. It had even levelled allegations that the government was recruiting children into the military. The military however denied the allegations, stating that there was no need to recruit children and that there is enough manpower.

However, according to the pro-Tiger websites, the LTTE was ‘in a very strong position’ just a few days before Killinochchi fell in to the hands of the military. Those who followed the recent reports on these sites must surely be confused.


Military gains

One thing should not be forgotten at this juncture. That is, there are still thousands of civilians stuck just a few kilometres away from Killinochchi.

As the military gains more ground, the area controlled by the Tigers continues to shrink. While the Tigers are on the back foot, the civilians continue to be helpless. The military also needs to make sure that none of the civilians are affected with future military operations obviously going to be concentrated on Mullaithivu where the civilians have found shelter.

Pro-Tiger websites continue to release news items and pictures of civilians killed due to air raids carried out by the air force. Even last week, many sites stated that more than 10 persons were killed and several injured due to air raids, which has been denied by the military.

The civilians in the Wanni have been on the move to safer places for more than 20 months. The relocation of humanitarian agencies to Vavuniya has also made their lives more miserable due to the possibility of human rights violations by the LTTE.

A sudden wave in Tamil Nadu

Not so long ago, there was a sudden wave in Tamil Nadu calling for an immediate ceasefire in the country and to stop the killings of Tamil civilians. All these calls resulted in the Central Government giving an assurance early last month, that Indian Foreign Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee would visit Sri Lanka. It has been more than a month since the assurance was given and Mukherjee is still to make his way across the Palk Straits.

The protest wave in Tamil Nadu has now calmed down considerably. Though there is still quite a din no one seems to be taking notice of it. The calls and initiations by the Tamil Nadu politicians, artistes and civilians on behalf of the Tamils in the Wanni have fallen on deaf ears. The LTTE is now limited to Mullaithivu and so are the civilians.

The fighting is closing in on them. They are not armed, not protected and are vulnerable to human rights violations. It is a situation where they find themselves between the devil and the deep blue sea.

A great disaster

The LTTE and its proxy, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) have been emphasising that the civilians are there on their own free will. The fact however is that no one would want to live in a place where there is not even an emergency exit, knowing very well that there is going to be a great disaster.

The civilians no doubt are psychologically affected. The fact that they have been displaced and on the move for months, itself would be enough cause for severe mental trauma, especially for the women and children.

These civilians have gone through a lot since they moved out of their houses — constant air attacks, rain/floods, food shortages, shortage of shelter materials, and snake bites have all been part of the daily diet. In addition, they have to go through the mental trauma of the possibility of they themselves being dragged in to war.

The government for its part has taken steps to transport food and essential items to these people through alternate routes. The military operations in the north are called ‘humanitarian operations’ by the military. However this ‘humanitarian’ effort is far from satisfactory and it has been pointed out time and again that the government cannot win the hearts of the people by sending them food items and by capturing LTTE territory alone.

Living with war for years

People in the Wanni have been living with war for decades. Even during the peace process, the civilians in the region were ready for war, as they knew going by history that the truce would not last long.

Last Sunday, once again the Tamils who had come to the Western Province from the North, East and Central Provinces during the last five years were asked to register themselves with the respective police stations.

This is not the first time this has happened. Last year too the Tamils from these provinces were asked to ‘register.’ The reason given by the police is that this was being done for the purpose of a census. Though it may be so, it is the Tamils who are being specifically targetted. It all connects to the war in one way or another.

It is a fact that Tamils have to go through these problems as a matter of routine. The blame is put on the LTTE. Yes, all members of the LTTE might be Tamils, but not all Tamils are LTTEers. The police also know this fact. However, the reality is that the police suspect almost every Tamil civilian in the country. This should change.

The people have suffered enough for the last 30 years due to the war and due to its repercussions. It is not the people in the Wanni alone, but the people in the entire country who suffer.

The duty of the government towards the Tamils will not be fulfilled even after the capture of Mullaithivu. The damage that was caused during the last 30 years cannot be repaired easily. It will take time. The repairs must begin now.

courtesy:
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