Angelina Jolie's Sri Lanka Journal

Angelina Jolie’s Sri Lanka Journal April 14th and15th 2003 There are many humanitarian concerns regarding the displaced and recently returned in Sri Lanka (both internallly displaced persons/ IDPs and refugees) after nearly two decades of conflict. These include danger from landmines and unexploded ordnance, inadequate shelter, food, water, sanitation facilities, health facilities, educational facilities and little to no justice. For these reasons, at the time of our visit, UNHCR in Sri Lanka cannot yet advocate organized return until conditions become more conducive to the displaced restarting their lives in safety and dignity. Despite the welcome political progress that has been made since the signing of the cease-fire in February 2002, the humanitarian needs in Sri Lanka are currently growing as a result of the large numbers of spontaneously returning IDPs (approximately 271,000 of 800,000 in 2002). Over the past year, while donor counties and aid agencies have begun “investing” in the war-affected areas of the North and East, more targeted poverty reduction, infrastructure repair, and reconciliation programs are needed to ensure that IDPs and refugees can not only to their pre-war homes, but can recover their dignity as they seek normalcy. We fly from Colombo up to Jaffna (click here for the map) and arrive at the high security airport at Palali. No civilian movement is allowed in this area. Ten thousand families are still prevented from returning due to the “restricted movement in high security zones.” Freedom of movement has been improved since the first of February. The main north-south road opened in April 2002. The plane we just took started only 3 months ago. Before that, the only way for civilians to get to and from Jaffna was a 23 hour boat ride that only went once per week. We are driving straight into the Wanni, which is an area controlled by the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam). It will take a few hours. We pass over a bridge often closed by guards. UNHCR has to call on the radio to check if we can get through. Swirls of barbed wire line the sides of the bridge about 10 feet out on either side. A second line of barbed wire is visible in the water. We continue to pass broken down buildings. In this area of the country 75% of all homes were destroyed. Some areas like Chavakachcheri were 100% destroyed from heavy fighting. I notice a few hand painted “BEWARE OF MINES” signs with pictures of bodies being thrown by large explosions. We go onto the famous A9 Road (or Highway). The fact that we can drive on it is a sure sign of a cease fire. We drive through what are called “free civilian areas.” It is a very poor but beautiful country. There are children at water wells bathing. Some home’s gates are covered in leaves of tobacco drying. 1 It isn’t long until we see barbed wire again. We are approaching the front line where the Sri Lankan Army area and the LTTE area meet. More and more men in fatigues with guns gives you the feeling or reminds you that fighting could start again at any moment. Flags are pointed out and it is explained to me that Red and Yellow ones are LTTE or Tamil, and blue and green ones are Sinhalese. Suddenly, the sides of the road are lined with red sticks and ¨danger – landmines¨ signs. Also the tops have been blown off many of the coconut trees. I ask why and I am told it was to give them a better line of sight when they are fighting. I ask Neill Wright, who is the UNHCR man I am traveling with, if it was the Sri Lankan Army who blew up the trees. “Both sides” he clarifies. We pass a small area of ¨no-mans land¨ controlled by the ICRC (Red Cross). We enter the LTTE area. There are many mine signs along the road. The few structures of what is left of buildings have a few walls still standing and are riddled with bullet holes. There is one small structure housing a 2 ft high statue of what looks like the Virgin Mary. There are very few Catholics in this area, but somehow she survived all the fighting. The people who live in this area of the country are very under the thumb of the LTTE, the tigers know every movement. They pay taxes to the LTTE. “What is the average salary per year?” It is about 60,000 rupees if they work 26 days a month, which is equivalent in US dollars to $700. On our first stop we visit a returning family of three generations. They started returning about 12 months ago. We walk into the house that is right behind a large bomb crater, which is now filling up with garbage. The grandparents meet us and three little kids run up. Neill explains that he has brought me here to show me what it is like returning home. This was the home the grandfather was born in. They left when the bombing started and for seven years they were displaced. I look at the house and there is no roof, a broken water well, and big holes from bombs and shells in all walls. This small building houses 8 people living in three rooms. I would guess that each is 10 x 5 feet wide all with holes and bars on windows. 2 The grandfather points to a large pile of rubble and says, “My brother’s house. He has not seen it yet.” He jokes, “Much work to do.” There is nothing to do but cry and start all over. Another lady comes out with a very small baby. The home is on the coast and the son has gone fishing. They were recently able to acquire a wooden boat which is clearly a very big deal. It is a true source of pride. They have nothing but each other, but they are alive and so they are happy. We head to the UNHCR office in Kilinochchi. It has only been two months since they have been allowed a 24 hour office in this area. They still have no staff accommodation here. “This will come soon, we hope,” Neill says. “It is very hard on the field staff here who have to drive in and out very far every morning and night.” I meet the UNHCR staff, a quick cup of tea and we move on. The UNHCR members are, as usual, a mixture of local people and some international. One woman, Jae Park is from South Korea. She is a UN volunteer. It is always interesting to me how someone like her finds herself in the Wanni (the jungle) of Sri Lanka helping. Jae and a few others in this area are looking after over 150,000 people displaced from war. How do all these individuals from all different organizations end up here or in places like this? It gives me hope for the good in human nature. For these people, who do a hard days work, where the benefit is more for others than themselves. The Death Penalty exists here under Sri Lankan and Tamil Law. Recently two men, Tamil soldiers, were fighting each other – one injured the other. The man was taken to court, found guilty, and was given a death sentence. I ask “Have they done it yet?” Thinking of the way it is in the states, where you can be on death row for years. “Yes,” he says. “They immediately took him out and shot him. Things are different here.” Next we visit a group of about 10 families. Some were displaced in the country during the war and had been refugees in India. I ask to sit and talk. I am brought to a tree for shade. There are many mothers and many children. We wait for mats. Plastic mats arrive and are thrown on the dirt. We sit and they tell me their story. They were displaced in 1990 and they went to India. They came back in 1992 but were displaced again by the fighting. They were moved again in 1999 to government welfare centers where they faced many difficulties. They wanted to return to this area “because,” they say, “this is our home.” 3 Upon their return, they found UNHCR. “Because we have a lot of children our main concern was a cow.” I ask what they do for food. “They get some dry rations from the government but very little. All the men are away working in paddy fields or on odd jobs to make up for the small food ration.” Sometimes they cannot find a job. That is the problem. I ask what their main concern is now? They say, actually receiving the money allocated to all people who have returned home from the government, 25,000 rupees or about $250 US dollars. It’s very little but it is promised so they can rebuild homes or shelters. It is an amount of money promised by the government after the cease fire, to promote returns to your home and encourage rebuilding amongst the rubble. It sounds like a good idea. Hopefully the funds will actually find their way to the people soon. They are concerned the rainy season will start before they get the money. Now the small mud and cement temporary homes have UNHCR plastic sheeting for roofs. They also need pens and paper for their children for school. Neill speaks of how they can help generate income for the displaced.

Load more