GroundView Free first issue

Price Rs 15.00 Volume 1 No. 1 January 2007 INside Response to floods and landslides: voices from the regions

Stopping the slide Page 5

Rising from the ashes Page 7

Cry Vaharai: on the run again Page 8 Are we prepared for Sweep stakes Pic by K.D. Dewapriya for survival Page 9 Another Disaster? By Prasad Poornamal We don’t want ‘buth packets.’ Jayamanna, Puttalam Settling where Building risk based planning into develop- S Sheela (33): “When Due to incessant rains which gets affected, roads and canals are displaced lasted a month, several reser- ment decisions and durable, resistant infra- fixed fast, because the ‘loku maha- voirs in the Udaha area in Put- structure are the needs of the hour and not thuru’ and ‘amithigollo’ (politicians Page 10 talam district overflowed, flood- and influential individuals) are there. ing a large area. The problem simply the allocations of millions of rupees Even with deaths and starvation no was aggravated by the fact that for relief activities after a disaster strikes. one hears our plight.Another flood flood waters from , will come and go with nothing being Shanty , and Galgamuwa Secretary. Deduru Oya, Mee Oya and done.” had also entered the district en The most recent floods had- Lunu Oya were among the D A Mangala Priyantha (35): “The subculture route to the sea. displaced 16,000 families, fully reservoirs which overflowed. canal is yet to be repaired. We have Floods, which occurred on destroyed 250 houses, and par- The worst affected areas in the informed all the responsible author- Page 11 four occasions, had rendered tially damaged 10,000. Seven district were the villages in the ities, but to no avail. 650 acres of almost 200,000 families home- people, including three chil- Nattandiya and Halaawatha Di- paddy fields had been laid waste. less, according to H M Herath, dren, were killed. visional Secretariat areas and We can’t commence cultivation un- some villages in the Aarach- less the canal is repaired. We do chikattuwa area. A village in not want ‘buth packets.’ We want a Worst recorded floods in recent history Wennappuwa is still underwa- solution that will save us from the ter and it is reported that the next disaster’. houses submerged for a month Chaamili Wickramasingha, Gampaha W M Wimladarama (33): “We are about to collapse. The pub- don’t want relief. We need to start As the clouds of war looming over our little island na- Biyagama, Dompe and which have been af- lic had complained that there cultivation. Help us gain our liveli- tion are getting darker and darker, the forces to nature fected in the floods in the past , have had an extra heavy had never been a proper drain- hood” seem to be striking us harder and harder. dose of floods this time. age system in this village, said H A Sumanawansa (49): “The As thousands of innocent peoples’ lives are being For the first time, the Colombo – road was Dr R M S K Rathnyake, the Duwa dam canal was not main- shattered by the brutal darts of war, thousands of other badly under water. The Colombo – highway North West Regional Director tained properly. helpless men, women and children are becoming vic- which is a barrier for proper drainage of water was also of Health Services. There had With a little money the canal could tims of the angry elements of nature. affected and transportation was hindered. The entire in- been an outbreak of infectious have been maintained and there The recent intermonsoonal rains have brought misery vestment zone and even the Colombo International Air- diseases and mosquito spread would have been no need to spend to many. Earthslips, landslides and floods have caused port did not escape the devastation caused by floods. diseases like Malaria, Dengue so much money now. The govern- havoc in the lives of numerous Sri Lankans throughout Since the floods of 1947, floods were last experienced and Chikungunya. About 7000 ment lacks planning.” the country. The which in the past suf- in the Gampaha District in 1989. The 1989 floods were people had had fever in the Kal- R Sriyanthi (40): “Millions worth fered little due to floods, has been severely affected by the result of excavation of the rocky plains at the mouth pitya peninsula. Even though of sand is collected from the Deduru awareness programs on con- the recent outbursts of nature. of the Kelaniya River, the development of the Castlereigh Oya with the help of local politicians. trolling infectious diseases Some 34,489 families have been displaced, totalling and Laxapana reservoirs and the widening and deepen- The soil of Deduru Oya belongs to it 124,410 affected people and 2,400 partially or com- ing of the by the extraction of sand. were on, infectious diseases had spread rapidly. Govern- only, and is not meant to help con- pletely damaged properties. The recent floods have been acknowledged as the struct buildings in Colombo. Those For the first time in recent history, Ja-Ela, most severe natural disaster experienced by the people ment officials, who volunteered to help the patients, themselves who live in palaces give us a slice and which have hitherto been affected a little by of the Gampaha District in their recent history. of bread, show that on T.V, and strut floods were not spared the ravages of the furious rains. Contd on pg 4 fell sick. Contd on pg 4 about as great social workers.”  GroundView

SAVING FROM DISASTER:

No. 30/81, Longdon Place, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka. Let’s go back to the drawing Tel/fax: (94-11) 2506855, 2598413 Beyond the board (once again) Sri Lanka that enjoyed in this larger social trans- one of the highest stan- formation need. In a way, news and from dard of living in Asia and this has to be construed as a very high per capita in- a crisis of our present post- come in 1948 at the time colonial state and society, the ground of Independence is today which needs a total recon- lagging behind as one of struction. Nevertheless the e are happy to announce the Asia’s poorest. Whereas State is in such a parlous launching of Groundview countries such as Malay- condition that it cannot be – a bimonthly tabloid that sia and India were able to truly reformed but to estab- W leverage their ethnic di- lish totally new state. will give space to voices from the districts. Through these different versities to attain stability That the Sri Lankan and prosperity, all admin- state is not in a position voices and perspective we hope to istrations that governed to be reformed is evident go behind the news stories to under- this country since Inde- in its inability to material- stand some of the problems we Sri pendence have dragged ize any reforms proposed Lankans face and through this raise it towards today’s ‘civil during the past 20 years. awareness of what is being done and war’ situation, primarily The abject failure to imple- what needs to be done. due to their sheer inabil- ment fully the 13th and the The first issue of Groundview fo- ity to effectively manage 17th Amendments clearly cuses on rain-related natural disas- its ethnic diversity. Sri shows that this state can- Lanka’s political parties not be reformed. Thus the ters which occured over the last two have not only failed to only available alternative months. When we commissioned stem the tide of war and is to reconstruct the state of the stories little did we know the create a peaceful environ- Sri Lanka. It will be a solu- spate of floods and landslides would ment, but also allowed the tion to the crisis facing the continue re-displacing some com- country to drift towards Sri Lankan state as well as munities and affecting others who instability that has in that facing the LTTE. had escaped the first time. While turn led to disintegration The necessary trans- the victims of the disaster wanted in the economic, social Grounding formation immediate assistance they also had and cultural spheres and the creeping collapse of l An honest inquiry their eyes fixed on more permanent the Sri Lankan State. By Shiral Lakthilake must be made into the rea- solutions to the problem of floods There is a danger of the sons for the failure of the and landslides. There is clearly a country being pushed to- hand, the LTTE finds itself Lankan society have also state and the causes that need for new studies to look at the wards another full-scale in such a situation that it contributed towards the contributed to the collapse problem but there are some solu- war without any thought cannot either be integrat- difficulty in achieving so- of the Legislature, the Ex- tions which are by no means new being given to its terrible ed into the State through lutions to our problems. A ecutive and the Judiciary and are more or less common knowl- consequences and both the a political solution or sur- wide chasm exists not only must be identified. l The Public Ser- government and the LTTE vive in a separate state. among the Sinhala, Tamil edge. The authorities however have vice must be made into a appear to be preparing at In fact, Sri Lankan soci- and Muslim communities not taken tough measures to imple- service-oriented institu- the maximum level for ety exists and functions in a but also between the upper ment existing regulations. tion where public servants such an eventuality. very tenuous atmosphere. middle-class social strata While we all talk of disaster pre- are able to perform their We believe that neither On the one hand there is and the lower ones, as a duties with respect and paredness there is clearly the need the State nor the LTTE has a tremendous gap in trust result of which even a dis- dignity. for some disaster prevention to pre- the capacity to launch and between the people and cussion cannot be initiated l A Charter of vent more casualties and damage sustain another war, the their elected representa- for a common discourse on Rights based on freedom wrought by floods and landslides. only result of which would tives. People do not believe change. All these have re- and equality must be in- be the devastation of the in what their representa- sulted in the stagnation of As the weeks go by, the determina- troduced – a Charter that Sri Lanka on a massive tives have to say but at the tion to take action grows weaker and Sri Lankan society. prevents discrimination scale. same time they willingly soon we could be seeing unregulated Overcoming the crisis against any citizen or a In this context we have become puppets on strings or badly planned new constructions group of citizens on the to realize that both the pulled by various political The best way to solve the on mountain slopes that do not take parties with different agen- Sri Lankan crisis is to adopt basis of race, religion, State and the LTTE are in language, caste, gender or into account the potential for new a state of crisis. das. So it can be said that a holistic view on all crises, disasters. no joint effort to solve the including civil, political, opinions held. This would In the present circum- be the foundation for a just There are multiple disasters and stances, the State does not country’s problems could and socio-economic prob- be undertaken without a lems, facing the country. and equal society. multiple victims at the moment in appear to have the ability l clear political agenda. Hor- The ethnic crisis, which Social attitudes Sri Lanka. While the floods and land- to find a peaceful solution and a behavioural pattern slides have led to the loss of life, mass to the ethnic crisis and izontal divisions that exist needs conflict transforma- among communities in Sri tion solution, also lies with- that would sustain a true displacement and damage to prop- overcome it. On the other decentralized system of erty and infrastructure, there is an- governance and an admin- other human disaster in the North istrative structure have to and East as a result of the increased be inculcated in society. violence. Groundview also looks at l The new constitution the situation in and should uphold: a. Sharing sovereignty to understand how people cope with for a shared destiny the impact of violence and how the b. Diversity in unity: human spirit maintains hope and The future Sri Lankan perseveres. It is this same remark- State, able human spirit which survives c. Economic develop- and succeeds in conditions of human ment and social jus- desperation be it natural or human tice, disaster or even in abject poverty, be d. Internal self-determi- nation and substantial it in the North, South, East or West of autonomy the Country. It is these tales of the hu- e. Rights of minorities man spirit that Groundview will try f. Democracy and plural- to bring to you. ism g. Constitutionalism and For contributions, information and the Rule of Law advertisements please contact: 0112598413 or h. International Law 0112506855. principles that ensure Views expressed in Groundview are the contributors own and do not the dignity of man- necessarily represent the opinions or policies of the CHA. kind GroundView 

Hambantota When the tanks gave way! By K. D. Dewapriya, Kataragama The Weeravila, Debara, Yodha, Pannegamu and Bada- giri Tanks of the Tissamaha- rama area spilled over due to the heavy rains experienced since December to date, while two spillway gates blew open submerging several villages. The overflowing water from the tanks and the Lunu- gamvehera Reservoir passes through the . As it was unable to hold the flow of the opened flood gate, the huge water flow caused a huge disaster devouring many lives and livelihoods. Areas that went under wa- ter include Magama, Weli- pothewila, Andaragasyaaya, Udasgama, Polgahawelena, Gemunupura, Pattiyapola, Vijithapura, Ekamuthugama and Dambewelena. The Tissamaharama divi- sional secretary, Mr.Mahesh Gammanpila said, around 500 houses were submerged and about 300 were complete- ly damaged due to this flood. The 4000 families displaced by the floods were sheltered in the Yodhakandiya Devana- nda College and the Kirinda Vidyalaya. Timely action Lunugamvehera was also under the threat of a spill- over, after many other reser- voirs were reported to have overflown. The SL Air Force headed by Wing Commander Chan- dralal, of the Hambanthota Disaster Management Cen- ter had cautioned people of the area several months ahead and many had left the area in time. As a result of this awareness, people around these Reservoirs were evacuated along with their valuable possessions. May lives were saved as a result. Precaution with flood It is very evident that which the water from Lunu- the failure to develop a gamvehera reservoir and ’s turn of floods gates! well planned and capaci- other tanks in the area flows Pic by Wasantha Chandrapala, Ampara Excessive rainfall, pre- tated drainage system by that causes floods in the out- vious deforestation, river the authorities to allow a skirts. sedimentation, inadequate systematic flow of the wa- Huge trees have taken land use-planning, inap- ter to prevent disasters in root in the Kirindi Oya af- propriate infrastructure the event of a heavy down- ter it caused much land ero- design and construction pour like this was one of sion. The number of illegal techniques, inadequate ur- the major causes for the settlers around the Kirindi ban infrastructure, etc are disaster in these areas. Oya, river sanctuary ex- specific causes for such Authorities must pay at- ceeds 2000. Agricultural floods. Although differ- tention to fortifying the organizations accuse the ences between these cat- flood gates. encroachers of polluting the egories may be fuzzy, their Attention is also required river bed with building of ranking is logical. to the Kirindi Oya, through houses and toilets.  GroundView

Water, water

Flooded south and west everywhere Pix by KD Dewapriya

Worst record in... Another Disaster? Contd from pg 1 were destroyed. Contd from pg 1 Remedies to minimise if not Lakshman Hewapanna, Di- It is said that most of the staff at The Highway Development The Government and civil alleviate the escalating problems rector/Planning and Mr. Upul the Kalpitya Government Hospital Authority warning against society organisations rushed to of floods have been identified. In Jayasinghe of and the staff of several other orga- sand mining in Deduru Oya provide immediate relief to the the Gampaha District, cleaning elaborated on the measures nizations including the Kalpitya was ignored. With the help of affected people. has commenced of the Kelaniya planned to overcome damage Police and the Divisional Secre- politicians, racketeers are now Parcels of food were distrib- Naatha Canal, Kumbul Oya and by floods. tariat suffered Chikungunya. removing the sand which was uted. Later, dry rations were Sapugahawella Canals. More ca- The measures are both short Villages in Halaawatha went un- carried by the floods. provided. A sum of Rs. 20,000 nals are also lined up for cleaning term and long term. der water due to the overflowing was awarded per completely operations. The short term measures of Deduru Oya. Several villages in Govt allocations: damaged house and lesser In order to find out the rea- are renovating the Kalu Ca- Nattandiya were under water as The government has allocated amounts allocated to less dam- sons for the problems caused in nal, cleaning the river mouths the Hamilton Canal and Lunu Oya Rs: 16,922,700 for the relief of the aged houses under a financial the Gampaha District due to the around the , were in spate. The opening of the displaced in the Puttalam district, aid package. recent floods, we contacted the relocating the barges across all the spillways at the Thabbowa says H.M.Hearth, Puttalam-Dis- As the waters recede, aid dis- Gampaha District Disaster Man- the Dadugang Oya and renova- reservoir had submerged several trict Secretary. But what is re- tribution is stopped. However, agement Co-ordination Unit. tion the Thekka Canal. villages in that area. Construction quired here is for common sense the damage to the lives of the Some of the reasons cited The long term measures of buildings blocking the water to prevail the people say. A ‘one victims is irreparable. Homes were as follows: unprecedented are systematizing the blocked channels and drains, and the con- time’ strategic investment on an are destroyed. Precious pos- torrential rainfall per day, inac- water ways, creating proper struction of prawn tanks along the environmental safety net that will sessions gathered over the tivity of the drainage system of drainage in the bridges and lagoon had destroyed the existing produce long-term tangible value years are gone. Loved ones the Kalu Canal, inactivity of the archways, building a pumping drainage system. achieving sustainability by build- have lost their lives. Disease drainage system of the Tekka- station to remove excess water With all the roads inundated, ing risk-based planning into devel- spreads. gas canal, blocking of the river at the Opatha anicut and devel- vehicular traffic had ground to a opment decisions in future, build- The scars that remain in the mouths around the Negombo oping the waterways around the halt. Fishermen and the Navy pro- ing more resistant infrastructure, memories of the victims cannot lagoon, unauthorized construc- paddy fields. vided relief to the marooned. and insuring higher financial and be erased. Fear of the future tions blocking the drainage sys- As development planners Twenty feet of the bank of the social resistance to extreme events pervades. Will another flood oc- tem, lack of systematic drainage brainstorm and come up with Deduru Oya were eroded by the etc are the needs of the hour that cur? When will it occur? What if associated with bridges and solutions, the need is urgent to floods. And a further 20 feet of would help prevent another disas- it occurs? arches, blockage by barges of give top priority to implementa- erosion could damage the bridge. ter in a sustainable sense. It is also It has been understood that the Dadugang Oya, the Opatha tion and introduction of sustain- Erosion of the bank had also dam- ridiculous to allocate millions of problems caused by floods anicut lying below sea level and able remedies. aged several plantations. 600 coco- rupees for short term relief where have been heightened due to a large number of paddy fields If not, just like the ravages of nut trees were washed away. The much of these allocations are pock- irresponsible human behaviour lying fallow. war, the ravages of nature too District Secretariat said that 5000 eted by corrupt individuals. “Buth and poorly planned develop- Mr. Ruparatne, District Sec- will continue to cast doom over acres of paddy and 7000 acres of packets” cannot stand these people ment efforts. retary, Gampaha District, Mr. Sri Lanka . vegetable and fruit plantations another disaster. GroundView  Stopping the slide

By Chethana Bandara have become an almost period? At one level the and Sanjeewa Nishantha, annual occurrence. answer is very simple Pussellawa, which is on – it is due to irresponsible the Kandy- and unregulated human Road, reported the death activities. While record rainfall of six commuters due to a The construction of and heavy floods were landslide. A mother and buildings, highways, reported in a number of her 23 year old daughter and other structures, are districts from Sri Lanka, from Galagedara, Kandy done haphazardly, says from the Central High- were killed when their Professor Kapila Dah- lands especially Kandy, house was engulfed by anayaka, without consid- and Nuwara Eliya a falling heap of earth, ering the nature of the which also caused seri- land, the steepness and ous injuries to another the soil condition. Block- Prof. Kapila Dahanayaka said youth, bringing the total ing of waterways due to loss of lives due to land- unsystematic construc- the constructions of build- slides to 13. tions, improper building ings, highways, houses and Peradeniya Town, of drains, lack of proper which lies along the Kan- drainage, presence of 90° other structures, are done dy- Colombo (A-1) road, steepness were the major was temporarily closed contributing factors for haphazardly without consid- as a safety measure due to these tragedies. He fur- fears of further landslides. ther stated that, in many ering the nature of the land, After the highway constructions, Gone down the pallam: lives and belongings experienced heavy show- the steepness of the land Pic by K. Chandrarathna the steepness and the soil ers, a 10 foot subsidence is not determined by geol- condition. He further said, in of a house built on a land- ogists but by “backhoe” in the Colombo- Nuwara thota areas reported several fill was recorded from machine operators. The Eliya Road was the lack landslide prone mountains. many highway constructions, the Galagedara area. The Kandy Government Agent of sloping when widening A “LANDSLIDE PRONE” residents of Ata Baage, told the media, the land- the road. The absence of notice had to be put due to the steepness of the land is Suduhumpola area, slide threat has increased sloping was also the cause the human settlements on Pussallawa and Sena due to the continuous dig- of landslides in Pus- not determined by the Geolo- Eliya were evacuated to ging and construction in sellawa. The mountain Several early signs of avoid further disasters. the areas highly suscep- torrents broke down the landslides were quoted gists but by the “backhoe” Landslides in the Kandy tible to damage. rocks and caused them by the Geologists, such machine operators. and Nuwara Eliya Dis- It is noteworthy that to fall on the road. as: tricts, displaced around landslides on highways There is also a critical 2,000 and destroyed 85 is not just due to the dig- link between poor drain- l A rainfall of 75mm or more houses with a further 600 ging or mining of the hill age and susceptibility to within a period of 1-5 hours Districts there were re- houses being partially for construction or com- landslides. According after a severe drought. ports of landslides and damaged, the National Di- mercial purposes but is to Geologists the hill l Sudden appearance of water earth slips. These reports saster Management Cen- also a result of highway capital received 400mm fountains with muddy water. did not stand out despite ter stated. construction, under the rainfall this season. Af- l Appearance of cracks on un- the significant damage Why were such a large direct purview of nation- ter the saturation on the steady slopes. they caused or the lives number of landslides al and local authorities. ground the excess water l Slanting of the buildings on that were lost as land- reported from the hill Geologists say the main flow was blocked due to the hills. slides and earth slips capital during this rainy reason for the landslide unavailability of proper l Cracking of the earth, walls drainage which in turn and buildings. l Slanting of the trees, tele- Matale district Kandy district has caused the landslip. Specially, the hills in phone and electricity cables Number of landslide reported places 03 About 15 About 05 on a slope etc. The total number displaced 10 families 1500 families 500 families the Peradeniya town Total Loss of life Nil 10 01 has been dug at the base Number of damaged houses 05 150 50 and several shops were built blocking the drains. top of these mountains as Those who built houses a result of population spre on the slope have through ad. constructions blocked With the current en- the drains. This condi- forcement of regulations tion caused the landslip being so whimsical and due to the lack of proper a clear threat to lives and drainage. It was the same properties there is an ob- scenario around the Ram- vious need for the state boda area in Nuwara Eli- and the local authorities ya, too. to take the issue more A huge rock fall on the seriously and not just Kandy- Colombo main road engage in post-disaster which was triggered by the compensation and a roll excessive digging of the hill call of where the prob- and constructions of hous- lems are. The only solu- es and shops that blocked tion that can be taken to the drainage could be cited prevent this condition as the main reasons for the in the future will be to, landslide of the mountain prohibit unauthorized, above the Peradeniya town. unsystematic and unsafe The telephone posts and the construction and excava- advertising boards had to tion. Proper standards be removed from the site and guidelines also need following the floods. Even to be introduced with the though Matale district did involvement of geologists not record any death due to in particular. landslips, Yatawatta, Rath- Contd on pg 6  GroundView

Ground Reality

Sitting I sit in the dark and I weep for My brother who won’t get a job My child who missed the Science prize by one ridiculous point The noise my neighbour’s children make because their mother said, “No.” My shrinking household budget - I use four packets of cornflakes for a month with these children My computer that has a virus My idle, helpless hands that cannot make things better Tomorrow I will get up again and go through another day My friends will gather round me There will be a silver lining.

I sit in the sun and stare At the glowing fields of rice now slimed in stinking rot At the highway, blotted out and drowned At the children screaming in their tents At the plastic sheets that boil you in the day and don’t keep out the night chill or the neighbour’s every groan and belch At the Mahattaya who comes in a jeep that drives the water before it in surging, dirty floods At the innocent, blue skies that never rained a flood before At those bright new flats, those sparkling houses, that stand dry At my mahagedera that raises its old, proud roof above the waters At my idle, useless hands that can do nothing Tomorrow I will wait again and stare at another day Like the sun that only can restore and heal. By Sandra Fernando

Stopping... Contd from pg 5 The Government seems to As the attention of the au- have actually tried to move thorities were directed to- ahead in this instance. For wards this situation it was instance it was announced decided to carry out con- that new construction in Per- struction with corrective adeniya would be stopped and measures when widening that a soil test was required the roads or any other type before construction begins. of construction after taking Furthermore, the Gov- into consideration the status ernment relocated people of the soil and the condition in vulnerable areas to al- of the slope in consultation ternate lands. The affected with a Geologist. from Kandy are to be moved The Government has already to Town in March/ taken steps to evacuate the April 2007 and those affected people from the areas which from Nuwara Eliya will be experienced landslides as well located to Seetha Eliya in as from those areas which are March/April 2007. There is even a proposal by local peo- under the threat of a landslide. ple to relocate part of Perad- The people were provided with eniya Town from its current temporary accommodation fa- vulnerable location. The cilities in schools and temples decision of the government by the officers of the disaster regarding this will be based relief service unit with the on the investigation reports direct intervention of the Di- of Geologists. The Govern- saster Management Minister ment has decided to study Mr.Mahinda Samarasingha. the construction methods Steps were taken by the gov- in Nuwara Eliya to find out ernment to provide relief and whether there is any threat compensation, especially to of a landslide in the future. The study is being conducted those families who lost their by the University of Perad- loved ones due to the land- eniya. The Geological Unit slides in the Nuwara Eliya and of the Peradeniya University Kandy districts. has already come forward Like in any other disaster to provide their service free the Government pointed to of charge to study various the problems and announced types of construction, appro- Flooded east and south that it would strongly imple- priate drainage systems and Pix by Wasantha Chandrapala and KD Dewapriya ment existing regulations. other safeguards. GroundView 

Ground Issues

lies and rebuild their lives. Story and pix by I last met these exempla- Seetha Ranjani ry women 2-3 weeks before the tsunami. It was a time ith the ‘undeclared that everyone was fearful of war,’ intensifying another outbreak of war. I Wand prospects of remember the women who peace looking bleaker by stood out as an example of the day, my thoughts often strength to anyone, any- drift to a remote village far where in the world; women north in Jaffna, Sawalkadu. who kept mobilising them- Sawalkadu has all the selves as war widows to aura of a village and village overcome the adverse ef- life but what stood out for fects of a lopsided society me, are its women. torn apart by war. Women Scores of them share a like Saila, who wished that common fate — they are this build up of fear, was widows. Widows of a war, only a false alarm. that after two decades, still These women recognized sees no end. This cruel the strength in standing to- fate seems to have passed gether and supporting each through generations… other.. Undeterred by the One such family is that loss of their usual means of Revathi Amma. She was of life earning, they had re- widowed at the age of 25 started their lives, by resort- with four little mouths to ing to ways that were unusu- feed. When she gave her el- al. Saila, who was widowed dest daughter Saila in mar- at the age of 16, was 26 when riage at the tender age of 15, I met her. She was chairper- she never dreamt the same son of the village widower’s fate will befall her precious society leading the way to Rising from off-spring and her one-year- new ways of life. Saila’s one old daughter. Saila’s grand- wish was that the war that mother Kailaasapillei Raas- had robbed them of so much amma, was also widowed will not re-emerge. soon after. Sadly, the war, though By the year 2004 nearly undeclared, has returned 100 women of Sawalkadu to haunt these women who the ashes were widowed by the war. It have barely raised their was not an easy life for these heads from the ashes. My women, who not only had heart bleeds for them. to surmount innumerable Widows from the east challenges to survive, but The battle to also had to battle the scars survive and a life we’ve built.” of society that discriminate VICTIMS OF AN UNWANTED WAR against women and taint plea for peace This is a common plea them “widowed.” “We can buy rice and of Saila and the rest of the It is true that women are the real victims of war. The reason is an amal- But they held their heads lentils but some items are women of Salwalkadu. gamation of social attitudes that discriminate against women and most high, through sheer inner- double or more than the This was the kind of in- often render them powerless. Even in our so-called progressive societ- strength and determination usual price. People like us ner strength that couldn’t ies, widowed women are looked down as a bad omen and seen as easy to hold together their fami- can’t even think of buying be shaken even by the hor- prey by opportunists. On the contrary, it is these women who should be those items. But rors of a war. These women protected and taken care of by society. What should happen in a civilised carried a stalwart attitude society then is the eradication of these anarchic attitudes that put down Women widowed by war still we do our work with the vil- to truly live, until they women who are brave enough to rise through the ashes, with the help of a lage women too. breathed their last. mere sewing machine, a flourmill or a sack of rice; and the establishment Jaffna 3820 According to official sta- of peace. That will be the only way to stop not only women, but also in- Batticaloa 3250 We can’t travel to distant vil- tistics of 2003, out of the nocent children becoming victims of an unwelcome war. 2166 26,745 widows in Jaffna, 8847 lages, as we don’t have vehicles. 1,604 were war widows. An- Mannar 2280 other 2,216 of them were wid- Mullathivu 5856 No fuel. We are against women. Although organisations rendered. waiting everyday owed through causes that they were provided with Ampara is suffering yet Kilinochchi 3246 were not specified as war. Ampara 2758 for this situation state financial assistance, again. It is suffering again to change. What A large number of widows each passing day carved by war, which is turning the Families of the Forces 4814 who have not been included Families of Village guards 143 we ask is not to their state of widowhood. lives of those courageous snatch away the in this census currently live From the murders that were women and those widows, in Salwalkadu. committed in the name of topsy-turvy. The increasing numbers peace, even within war I awaited impatiently as of war widows stand as just zones that did not have even the brave women of Kalmu- one aspect of the unparal- the basic financial support, nai started to live again, leled damages that the war to the murders that are be- off the aid that we provided has caused to this commu- ing committed in the name through the organization nity. of war, an undeclared war. “Imada.” Valli Amma, a war People here, bear the These women who defied widow who still led a full life brunt of death or widow- the unwelcome terrors of an with her three daughters be- hood by natural causes as a unwanted war, by rebuilding fore December 2004, lost all way of life but a war, which their families on their own, her life earnings along with forced this situation on so face the fears of another one two of her daughters to the many women left widowed of that same kind. They face tsunami. All she needed to in this country. the imminent misfortunes of restart her life was a sewing- Bonded in being displaced again. machine. It’s impossible for anyone For thirty two year old Hi- common loss to forget how the tsunami daya, who lost her husband, Women of the North and added another 350 widows two of her six children, her the East are not alone in this to the total of 19,657 widows father, several relatives and tragic state, but share a com- in Ampara. Exhibiting their her home in the tsunami, mon bond with the wives of unrivalled strength and will, needed just a sack of rice to the members of the armed and like similar women in start her paddy business. forces and the policewomen other areas, the women of For 27 year old Mursuka, in the South, like Swarna Ampara _ the area worst hit who lost both her parents and Vajira. by the tsunami _ were slowly and was left homeless with Swarna and Vajira too restoring their homes and two younger brothers to sup- were rebuilding their lives lives amidst adversity. They port, needed a weaving ma- with unflinching determi- restarted their lives living chine. For some one else it nation, amidst the forces of in temporary shelters and was cattle. And for some oth- a society that discriminates through assistance that aid ers, it was a flourmill.  GroundView

Ground Situation - Vaharai Cry Vaharai: on the run again In the past months… As fighting continued to erupt across Sri Lanka’s north and east, the future remained uncertain for Vaharai’s IDPs. Around 8000 people of Vaha- rai were believed to be remaining and had not fled following the on- slaught of heavy fighting, casual- ties and most of all – hunger. They have limited humanitarian access said a UNHCR report. There are some local NGOs and INGOs who have gained access to visit the area bringing humanitarian relief with the help of government officials and the SL Army. These organizations Story and Pix by The questions remain... When will this section of people be assured of secu- believe that there will be coopera- M.I. Farook, Batticaloa rity, freedom from violence and coercion? When will the intensity of fighting tion from the LTTE and other armed groups as well accorded to them in unning a literally subside? When will there be assurance of hope for recovery enabling an envi- pursuing this humanitarian interven- obstacle race for life ronment for durable reconstruction and resettlement of IDPs? tion. amidst shell blasts UNHCR estimates that some and hell fire of bom- gal to Vaharai before arriving ties in displacement, without Preparation for the return 70,000 people have been killed Rbardments from the skies, the and 465,000 displaced in the con- in Batticaloa. Having stayed enough to eat and drink. and resettlement of these number of civilians continu- for months in Vaharai (some, With the increasing violence, Internally Displaced People flict over the last two decades. ing to flee Vaharai alone find- since April 06) they found no mass scale displacements and (IDPs) must be carried out This includes 205,000 uprooted ing refuge in Batticaloa topped security there as well when deaths continue to be the norm soon now with the same inten- since fighting erupted anew in April 30,000 at the time Groundview the govt troops started clear- of the day sacrificing lives for sity and pursuance of the war. 2006. Over the past three decades reached the press. ing the area. They started to the self aggrandizement of the Batticaloa bursts its seams as more than 3 million people have The flow of people continues flee again not withstanding been displaced in Sri Lanka. The in numbers. Out of the almost war by both the Govt of Sri IDPs gather in thousands de- the obvious death threats that Lanka and the LTTE. prived of food, health, liveli- displacements have occurred in 70,000 people in Batticaloa a North and East provinces and the number of people from about came their way, whilst trek- There is far far to go, before hood, education, human rights king down further in search enabling an environment for and basic privacy. The situa- border areas of these provinces. 20 villages from Mavilaru area The displaced people belong to all of the of hope. Some managed to es- durable reconstruction or tion irks the displaced and the cape, and face more difficul- resettlement solutions. host community alike. three ethnic communities (Tamils, have traveled through Veru- Muslims and Sinhalese).

Since then… The government security forces captured The government security forces captured Vaharai area, January 19. Most of the remaining Tamil civilians who were barred from leaving earlier al- Schools and IDPs legedly by the LTTE came into government controlled areas at the time Groundview reached the press. Schools are the most popular centres and first choice to hold the number of fleeing people two times or more The new GA of Batticaloa, Sun- than their capacity. daram Arumainayagam earlier Following are voices from Va- paddy cultivation for a living in Pat- l In Batticaloa: 60 schools are sheltering IDPs told the Groundview, 54,650 per- karai as shared talipuram close to Verugal areas, and except for a few, many have not reopened as sched- sons of 15,500 families have been with Ground- on four acres of land. Since the Ma- uled for the first term. Seven schools in Eravurpattu Di- displaced from Vaharai and the view from vilaru crisis I fled the area fearing visional Secretariat areas and many other schools in numbers are expected to increase Manayipuram, shell attacks and stayed in Vaharai Manmunai North have already been reopened for the as many more expected to move to- Eravaur in Bat- for a while and fled from there no first term for year 2007. wards the army controlled areas. ticaloa… sooner the fighting erupted between l Many schools have a morning and evening These IDPS have been given shel- the govt forces and the LTTE. session to accommodate the number of students who ter in schools and government and “There are seven “Being now displaced in Erva- have been newly enrolled. Many are from amidst the private lands under the purview of members in my vur, I am in the process of seeking IDPS who could afford it. Kiran, Valaichenai, Eravurpattu family. A shell from compensation from the govt for the l The children from poor economic back- Perinpam and Manmunai North divisional somewhere fell near- damages my paddy field has suf- grounds remain deprived of education and languish Thulasimani secretariat areas. Some measures by my home at Pan- fered and the loss of income that it unattended in the welfare centres. (34): mother of are underway to provide electric- dukalachenai on has caused to my family.” l Many teen marriages are taking place in five ity to these welfare centres. Assis- September 2, 2006. these welfare centres owing to ‘love affairs’ and fear of tance and welfare measures are be- Because of fear I got “I am Visvalingam Visvarajah young adults getting subject to sexual abuse. ing carried out by the Ministries of displaced with my family to Korakal- (43). The meaningless war deprived l Measures are underway to release the Disaster Management and Nation limadu village and my family should me of my grocery shop and a hotel schools functioning as temporary welfare centres Building. be provided food and other assistance (small tea and food outlet). I also The tents and other infrastruc- for their livelihood.” had a poultry farm and all this was ture facilities have been made by worth Rs 30 lakhs. I left everything the local and the international “ I am Saradha Thangavel (40), a and fled. I have no income in the non-governmental organizations. teacher from Kattaiparichan, Trin- welfare camp and have now decid- Under the World Food Programme, comalee. My husband and I with ed to look out for some mason work. rice, flour, sugar, coconut oil and our 12 year old daughter arrived My wife ails with aches and waist other essential commodities have in Vaharai on April 25, 2006. I left pain and can hardly sit up.” also been provided to the refugees, my house worth 20 lakhs. Since the the GA added. fighting aggravated in Vakharai “I am a labourer by profession. It is heartening to hear of the too, we fled once again and arrived There are eight many unofficial reports that plan- in Maniyapuram welfare centre. members in my ning and coordinating efforts to “With our little belongings we came family with six chil- this effect are already underway be- here through jungles and rivulets. dren. We fled from tween the government and NGO of- We have to some how struggle and Muruthanai,the ficials. Too much spending on relief find a living here. If I should get ap- LTTE controlled and temporary shelters are howev- pointed in a school close to the wel- area three months er noted to be a sorry state of affairs fare centre I can gain a livelihood.” ago. Eversince I subverting long term development Pillayan have lost my liveli- work and economic stability the re- “ I am Kumaresan Kanagapillai Sinnarasa hood my family is gion could have spearheaded in the (62), from Kattaiparichan, and did (37) suffering.” absence of an escalating war. GroundView 

nutrition among the future from hoarding essential is very high. Due to short- Ground Situation - Jaffna generation.” Rev. Bishop goods and ordered them ages in supply co-operative is now taking the matter to display the price list in stores too are forced to use front of their shops, this the system of ‘lucky draw’ Story and pic by Udayar, order is flouted by some to sell this consumer es- Jaffna traders. sential. Prices of vegetables too There are 11 ‘military An acute shortage of Sweep stakes have shot up, including shops’ opened in Jaffna to food in the Jaffna Penin- drumsticks, which was sell food at controlled pric- sula in November resulted once synonymous with es, but this arrangement is in at least one death due Jaffna’s vegetable pro- grossly insufficient to cater to starvation and vendors for survival duction. According to the to the Peninsula’s popula- resorting to unique meth- Uthayan of 26 November, tion of 600,000. An added ods of exchange such as a one kilogram of drum- problem is the disincen- lottery to sell coconuts and sticks is Rs.300, brinjals tive of the public having to mosquito coils, while food Rs.400, tomatoes Rs.400, patronize shops run by the sent by people in Colombo ladies’ fingers Rs.80, car- army. to their desperate relatives rots Rs.60, cabbage Rs.90, People-to-people in Jaffna, perished owing Dubai pumpkin Rs.140 and help to the long journey by sea beans Rs.160. in inclement weather. Fish, sold for Rs.100 a kg There are sympathetic Hunger, malnutrition in normal times, is now a people in other parts of and death due to starvation staggering Rs.1000! This is Sri Lanka who are trying never experienced before, all the more ironic because their best to use people- even in the harshest bouts Jaffna is a peninsula. Fish- to-people contact to avert of fighting between the ermen are undergoing the worst consequences government and the reb- great hardship because the of this humanitarian di- els, has been the lot of the army imposes restrictions saster. Vincent Bulathsin- Jaffna civilian beginning on fishing, while the public hala and fellow members November 2006. Before is forced to eat fish at out- of the Negombo People’s the Ceasefire Agreement rageous prices. Committee for a Political (CFA), although there was The erratic supply of Solution came forward to essential consumer items the help the Tamil people a cruel war, food was avail- Queues unending: shoppers opposite Nallur cooperative shop able at a high price. But and their high demand has of Jaffna by sending 15 from November, nothing resulted in unique methods packs of milk food by post is available though even At Jaffna’s Sinnakkaddai market however, coconuts of distribution. A coconut, addressed to the Bishop of for a price. Death due to are still sold for Rs.5, but only if the consumer is will- once sold at Rs.30, has now Jaffna. This act of kind- starvation appears a real shot up to Rs.120, which is ness only reinforces that possibility. ing to gamble. All potential consumers buy a ‘lottery’ unaffordable to the aver- there are a good number The first recorded in- or a ‘chip’ at Rs.5. They then await the draw. When age consumer. At Jaffna’s of people in the Sinhala stance of death due to Sinnakkaddai market community who love starvation in the Jaffna the numbers are drawn, the person who wins gets the however, coconuts are still peace and harmony. Peninsula in recent times coconut, while the others go home empty handed. The sold for Rs.5, but only if News of this altruistic occurred on the morning the consumer is willing to gesture appeared in the of Wednesday, 15 Novem- winner and the seller are both happy while others are gamble. All potential con- Valampuri newspaper of ber 2006, at Puloly, Pt. Pe- treated as participants in a game of chance. sumers buy a ‘lottery’ or 25 November 2006. dro in Vadamaarachchi. a ‘chip’ at Rs.5. They then A remarkable contri- The body of the dead man, await the draw. When the bution to peace was also identified as Muththiah a massive food shortage and local, for having failed numbers are drawn, the made by the Peace and Chandrapala, (80), was re- in the , to anticipate this crisis directly to the President person who wins gets the Justice Commission, covered by his neighbours which resulted in the death and being unprepared for of the country, the Bishop coconut, while the others Jaffna by informing the that evening and handed of Muttaiah Chandrapala. the humanitarian disaster said in his letter. go home empty handed. international communi- to Manthikai Hospital Likewise, the A15 high- now faced by the Jaffna Food sold at exorbitant The winner and the seller ty about the plight of the through the grama sevaka way between Batticaloa residents. prices in Jaffna has result- are both happy while oth- people in the Peninsula. of the area. and Trincomalee through Bishop Saundranaya- ed in hoarding by private ers are treated as partici- They arranged to post Sources said that Dr. Vakarai was also closed. gam also addressed an traders. Certain scarce pants in a game of chance. 10,000 postcards signed C. S. Kathiravelpillai, the V. Ponnammah died due urgent letter urging the items could be obtained in A packet of mosquito of by the people of Medical Officer of to this. Co-Chairs of the Sri Lanka the black market at many coils earlier sold at Rs.32 to the international com- Health (DMO) pronounced The media brought to Peace Process to prevail times the normal price. Al- by the co-operatives store munity describing the death was “due to starva- light the clashes that be- upon the Sri Lankan gov- though government agent is Rs.200 in the black mar- disastrous situation they tion.” He stated there was gan on July 11, 2006 in ernment to implement the Jaffna, Mr. K. Ganesh and ket. With mosquito-borne were experiencing and no trace of food or water Jaffna and the suffering of CFA in its entirety, and to secretariat officials have diseases raging in Jaffna, appealing for interven- in Chandrapala’s stomach the people because of the open the A9 Road so that urged traders to refrain demand for mosquito coils tion. during the postmortem. resulting food shortages. the people “don’t feel they Neighbours said Chan- In the midst of this, Jaffna are living and suffering in Waiting ... pic by Vincent Jeyan drapala had been living Bishop Rt. Rev. Thomas an open prison any more.” alone and being a very old Soundranayagam was a The Government of Sri man they had taken turns voice of protest who point- Lanka “seems to be blind” to feed him. The current ed out the hardships and to the difficulties of the peo- food shortage in the Penin- sufferings of the Tamil peo- ple of Jaffna, and refuses to sula however had affected ple in Jaffna. The newspa- open the land route for the the neighbours too, and pers gave preference and people and make good the they could no longer afford highlighted his opinion. short-fall in the quantity to feed him.. The Bishop’s Letter of the goods brought, the Bishop said in his letter. While this happened in The Jaffna bishop wrote the North, a similar story Referring to the trans- letters to the President, port of food and fuel to came from the East. V. foreign ambassadors, the Ponnammah (60) of San- the 600,000-strong Jaffna LTTE and peace move- population as a “tedious thanavattai, Muttur East ments, calling for urgent and a mother of six chil- and difficult process” due help to avert a humanitar- to weather conditions and dren, who was displaced ian disaster. and living in a welfare rough seas, the Bishop’s Bishop Saundranaya- letter drew attention to camp at Vaharai, died of gam, sent an urgent tele- starvation. She and her six the long queues in front of gram to Sri Lankan Presi- co-operative stores, army children were displaced dent Mahinda Rajapakse to Vaharai when military sales outlets, bakeries and requesting him to reopen fuel stations. He said this operations began in San- a land route to the Jaffna thanavattai. She had lost had led to rampant profi- Peninsula immediately so teering in the black mar- consciousness after going as to allow the movement many days without food. ket, over the three month of desperately needed food long economic embargo. She was admitted to Vaha- and other essential materi- rai hospital and from there “We urge you to prevail als for the residents. upon the S.L. Government transferred to Batticaloa The Bishop was critical district hospital for further to implement the cease-fire of the Sri Lankan govern- agreement (CFA) in its treatment. She died on 23 ment’s refusal to open the November 2006. entirety and open the A9 A9, and the non-govern- Road... Closure of the A9 road mental organizations in by the government created “This is necessary to the Peninsula, both foreign avoid starvation and mal- 10 GroundView

Settling where displaced

Dependency on government cripples Poonthottam camp

By Ranjith Jayasundara when the war resumed in 1994. have our children done to be system in the camp. With land Chettikulam, 35 kilometres Vavuniya We requested the authorities abused like this?” being comparatively flat and away from Vauniya, without many times to give us land, yet She said they lived on assis- low, rainwater gathers in the water or transport facilities, is we received no answer. I have tance provided by the govern- middle of the campground, almost a jungle. Medicines too Here they are staying put a six-year-old child. Though ment and toiled in the hot sun and is the breeding ground for are not readily available and for years on end fleeing from we might have been cheated, to buy books pencils and other mosquitoes. Even though it is one has to walk miles to get it. the then SLA controlled Wan- our children should have a se- educational material for their a health risk, the authorities “Nobody likes to go there. ni. Most of them are from Ki- cure future. If they live in this children. are blind to it. But we need land where we linochchi, Mullaithivu and Government has to spend can grow crops. If the govern- Mankulam. With their chil- There are about 3,000 families in Poon- a large sum of money for the ment can provide us the land dren and a few things they can up-keep of this camp and have we need and a training pro- carry, they walked from their thottam camp. Each household has limited to recruit a number of work- gram on handicraft for our homes to become refugees space – 10 square feet – and the lifestyle ers to administer and run the children, they can earn their in their own country. These site. If an end is to be found own living,” Thangaweli said. internally displaced people in the cramped conditions they lead has to camp life at Poonthottam, Resettling people gives (IDPs) now living at Poonthot- spawned anti-social behaviour – incest, these people should resettle them the opportunity of up- tam camp in Vavuniya over in their own villages. But this grading their lives. Further, the last 10 years , where the child abuse, addiction to alcohol among raises important issues. IDPs it will help shake off the feel- suffering they experience is other issues. refuse to go back to their vil- ings of low self-esteem, de- hardly better than what they camp, their future too will be “The school collects money lages because their safety is pendence and lethargy IDPs fled. But though unhappy, ruined,” said K. Rajan (35) an from students over and above not yet assured. However, have developed due to dwell- they are forced to remain in inmate of the camp. this for various activities. How they come up with alternative ing in camps. Resettlement the camp, because they have Children at Poonthottam can we afford such expenses suggestions. would also help the govern- no other option. undergo many problems. De- with the little we get? However, Thangaweli Malayalan (65), ment save a considerable There are about 3,000 fami- spite having no legal barrier if our children fail to give that mother of seven children said, amount of money. Moreover, lies in Poonthottam camp. to enter schools in Vauniya, money they are marginalized “We left our village of Man- it offers a way to minimize Each household has limited owing to their perceived in class. Lots of children don’t nalkuli due to the war and various social and environ- space – 10 square feet – and the lower status as refugees, they go to school because of that,” have lived here for 10 years. mental drawbacks arising lifestyle in the cramped condi- are subject to abuse by other Parwathi lamented. We don’t like to stay here but from camp life. tions they lead has spawned children. In addition there are It is important to mention we are helpless. Those who IDPs remain a huge stum- anti-social behaviour – incest, expenses parents have to in- however that several organi- have money have bought bling block preventing an child abuse, addiction to alco- cur to keep children in school zations, including NGOs, have hol among other issues. despite the state’s claim of of- launched programs with the While lifestyles, health and fering ‘free education’ to its intention of developing and IDPs remain a huge stumbling block pre- poverty are vital concerns, citizens. expanding education of these majority of the complaints venting an overall settlement of the conflict. Krishnasami Parwathi (48), children. Yet what these NGOs was that the food and other as- another heartbroken dweller offer is limited due to the mag- But ignorant of its importance, sections of sistance they receive from the of Poonthottam camp, ex- nitude of the problem. government were inadequate. the public and certain politicians express plained the situation. Several health-related is- Government provides a “We lived in Kilinochchi. sues have also emerged in the resentment at resettling these unfortunate single individual six kilos of We came to Vauniya in 1998 camp due to lack of sanitary rice, half a kilo of sugar, 750 people who pay the price of war with their owing to the war. Since then facilities. Toilets are in a bad grams of flour and 200 grams the camp has become our condition and some of them grief and tears. of dhal per month. IDPs do home. We struggle to give are unusable. As a result, peo- not receive anything, either our children a good educa- ple use the empty, secluded land and have settled down. overall settlement of conflict. in cash or kind, to meet other tion. On some days children areas in the campground for We are daily-wage earners. But ignorant of its impor- wants. When they try to work come home crying. They say lavatory purposes. When it So how can we spend money tance, sections of the public to provide for themselves they that other children don’t talk rains, the sewage mixes with on buying land? That’s why and certain politicians ex- are prevented from doing so with them. They tease them the rainwater and runs all we requested government to press resentment at resettling by the government. and call them ‘refugees’ (ana- over the campground, becom- grant us land. In fact, certain these unfortunate people who “We have been stuck in this thayo). They don’t even like ing a health hazard. families were given land in pay the price of war with their camp for 12 years. We came to sit with our children. What There is no proper drainage Chettikulam.” grief and tears. to Vauniya from Kilinochchi GroundView 11

Another development dilemma? Shanty Subculture

there was the odour that to attack opponents. By Chethana Bandara emanated from the pollut- Walking along the Mount ed, stagnant water in Beira Lavinia beach we were greet- Lake. Unfortunately as time ed by Arjuna who offered to any of our fellow was short for us, it was soon rent out a cabin to us. De- Sri Lankans are time for us to journey on to clining the offer, we settled born into families . down instead for a chat. Ar- Mresiding in shan- We could see a vast differ- juna told us that he and his ties in urban centres. Being ence between the ‘wife’ Saro, residents in the born in the shanty environ- and Moratuwa shanties. Mount Lavinia slums rent ment, they embrace a dif- Even though poverty in gen- out ‘cabins’ (shacks com- ferent subculture and take eral is a major phenomenon, plete with plastic chairs) to pride in their way of life. the Moratuwa slum dwellers foreigners, locals and lovers It is in the interest of soci- were more inclined towards for Rs 250/=. In contradic- ety that shanty dwellers are finding jobs to overcome tion to this, we learned from helped to make sense of the poverty. The unemployment a staff member of a nearby priorities of national devel- problem is solved to a cer- hotel that the price of their opment. tain degree by the many jobs cabins have gone upto Rs For instance when stream- available in the timber indus- 500/= after the Tsunami. lining national development, try and the widely spreading Apart from these cabins it the Government and policy garment factories. is also possible to rent out an makers find it easier to cater The many modern televi- “annexe” in the shanty for to a community that is part sion and radio sets working Rs 500 (a part of the shanty of the general consensus on on car batteries in the slums separated with polythene for social and economic devel- reflected the ignorance of privacy) opment. the people, that life is not No matter how interesting To find out more about life mere consumption and that a journey to the shanty ar- in the shanties, we visited the ways of people need to eas may be, shanty culture shanty areas along the coast- have more depth. It was is a backward way of life not al belt, from to amazing to see the num- conducive to the 21st Cen- Moratuwa. ber of middle aged men and tury. In Dehiwala Upul, a youth women who were wearing To address this issue, the of Moratuwa, 23 years, made heavy gold jewellery. In the younger generations in the known to us that although train station we were ap- shanties, should be taught most of the Dehiwala shanty proached by a boy of around the ill effects of living in people’s source of income 28 years who displaying a Shanties. Some of these ill was fishing and selling fish, pair of almost new rubber – effects are poverty, crime, the youth in the shanties slippers offered to sell it to uncleanliness leading to obtained additional income me for only 50 Rupees. See- disease, prostitution, drug by engaging in selling illicit ing this, another youth, peddling and addiction, arrack, kassippu and drugs. Gamage, rushed towards us begging, school drop outs We were told that there are and extracting a belt and and illiteracy. Instead, they more than 1000 people living wrist watch from his trouser should be taught alternate in these slums. pocket announced that they methods for socializing and Our next destination was were for sale at 500 Rupees good habits that lead to sus- Slave Island. As the major- each. tainable development. They ity of these dwellers were Much to our amazement, should be made aware of fac- Muslims, it was indeed in- we spied some small co-op- tors such as hygiene, morals teresting to see a Mosque erative shops amongst the and progressive attitudes. amidst the dirt and chaos. shanties in the Dehiwala Thereby they will not find As we were wandering – Moratuwa area. Titus, a the environment outside the around the slums our atten- resident, informed us that shanty culture hostile. tion was arrested by the blast the ruling party rewarded It would be most ironic if of a train horn. We were those who worked for it in the status of shanty dwellers surprised to see the looks of its last election campaign by in urban centres in Sri Lan- contempt and disgust on the providing these stores. We ka is to be treated lightly by faces of the train commut- also found out these slum those in authority in terms ers as they held their noses dwellers were exploited by of “karmic fatalism” and al- while passing this area. politicians during election lowed to continue when in However, it was no star- time to increase their vote this millennium those hold- tling matter. In addition to base. ing power need to be more the smells emanating from Some politicians also em- dynamic in the initiatives the 4 toilets that serve these ploy the shanty youth for taken than during the last 1000 odd slum dwellers, thuggery, intimidation and century. 12 GroundView

Ground breakers The flow of life Security call in writing August this year fol- By Frances Bulathsinghala lowing escalation of Award-winning author Jagath hostilities between the Kumarasinghe shares his experience A product of the security forces and the LTTE, the northern To write, as they very correctly say, one has to University of Per- peninsula has been first live. And living, with his feet very firmly on hit by a humanitarian the ground, wrapping around him the kaleido- adeniya, she is crisis with food and scope of life, is what Jagath Kumarasinghe has medicine in short sup- done. a human rights ply. Has the situation Jagath is the author of the acclaimed book Kider activist who improved? Chetty Street – a collection of short stories -- which A. Only a limited amount won the 2004 Gratiaen award. has won several of food items was brought Jagath did not spring from the echelons of Colom- by ships. Other essen- bo’s glass cocooned society. He was born in a village awards from the Attitudes of the people tial commodities are not in Nuwara Eliya and as a young child avidly courted supplied or available in nature, walking by streams and climbing the moun- government of have not changed yet. the open market. All the tains in his hometown. Sri Lanka. For Foreign earned money shops, whether large or “Many were the days when I played truant. I cut still fills people’s pock- small, are virtually emp- school and roamed the wilderness”, says Jagath re- her contribution ets and, as a result, the ty, though in November calling his schooldays. the food situation im- “If anyone wanted to find Jagath the school boy, it towards working demand for and the proved slightly. Since Au- was under guava trees or near streams,” the now sil- amount paid as dowry gust, 36,000 metric tonnes ver haired writer says with a hearty laugh. with people at the have swelled. of essential food items “I remember reading all of Martin Wickremasinghe’s have been sent to Jaffna books seated on a rock near a stream. I did not have grassroots level by ship and by air. The much access to the world of literature then. I just read also have livelihood pro- food situation has not re- whatever I could get and this interest in reading over- and promoting grammes for tsunami-af- turned to normal yet. shadowed my studies in which I was not very inter- human rights, fected and war-affected Q. The government recent- ested in,” admits Jagath who had left school after his families. We conduct ly appointed a commit- examinations to pursue a career in cinematography. she won the Best counselling and aware- tee to assist it to look “I wanted to be a film maker but after a few conver- ness programmes and are into the humanitarian sations with Tissa Abeysekara, I was advised to take Social Worker engaged in peace build- issues of the north and up creative writing. Subsequently, after beginning my ing activities and human east. What is this com- first job as a film journalist award from the rights work. mittee doing? at the Davasa newspaper Q. What kind of support A. The committee is making I met Martin Wickrema- then President do you get from your arrangements in consul- singhe who is my g r e a t e s t Chandrika Kuma- family? tation with the Commis- mentor. He was my ‘univer- A: My daughter, son and my sioner of Essential Ser- sity’ where I was introduced ratunga in 2000. husband who is a univer- vices to bring essential to the greatest works of sity professor in Jaffna items to Jaffna. literature and I used to Head of the Jaffna-based have always supported Q. Why have NGOS been spend hours at his Centre for Women and De- me in my work. unable to persuade residence con- v e r s i n g velopment, Saroja recently Q. In your personal opin- the LTTE to agree to with him on l i t e r a r y received an award from ion, what would be the an earlier plan by the matters. He was then over President Mahinda Rajapak- ideal solution for Sri government to tem- seventy years Jagath old and sa for documenting violence Lanka’s ethnic prob- porarily open an al- could always Kumarasinghe be found against women in the Jaffna lem? ternate land route to reading and writing in District under a project ini- A: A solution based on devo- Jaffna? his study which overlooked tiated by Information and lution of power with pro- A. The route which was sug- a small pond”. Commincation Technology vincial autonomy would gested is not in good con- Jagath says he then read mostly Russian literature Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA). be ideal. dition for people to travel which was widely available in Sri Lanka in the 1960s. She also serves as a mem- Q. In a peaceful Sri Lanka, or transport goods. At the age of 22, his writing was in Sinhala and he went ber of an advisory commit- what would be your as- Q. How many NGOs have on to publish a short Sinhala novel “Kalamediriyek tee set up by Disaster Man- piration for the Tamil pulled out of Jaffna Handata Adanne” (a glow worm cries for the moon). agement and Human Rights people? after the escalation of Jagath’s interest in writing in English began after Minister Mahinda Samaras- A. They should be able to violence in August? he joined the advertising field as a copy writer. inghe. live happily and peace- A. About five. “Pressure was on me to earn money and this is what In an interview with the fully in our beautiful Sri Q. What are the most I had been doing for more than 20 years, working as a Groundview, Saroja ex- Lanka as human beings. pressing issues con- copy writer. When I was free I read widely and concen- pressed her views on a wide Those who migrated to fronting women in the trated on improving my English,” he says. range of issues, including other countries should Jaffna peninsula? Jagath’s literary treasure, as he explains, was gath- the humanitarian crisis come back and use the A. The present burning is- ered during a stretch of seven years when he was job- knowledge they gained in the north-east. Excerpts sue is security. Children less. overseas to build our na- from the interview: are getting killed and “After the Davasa group was closed in 1974, I along tion. with my colleagues joined the ranks of the unem- Q: Could you introduce some disappear. Thou- Q. Jaffna is a place where ployed. I became a loafer,” he says. the non-governmental sand of people are living the caste system and As one sees when parting the curtain of Jagath’s life, organisation which in welfare camps with you head in Jaffna? the dowry system are Kider Chetty Street is not just a figment of the imagi- still major social is- children being deprived nation. Jagath lived those experiences, where people A: The Centre for Women of schooling. Most of and Development (CWD) sues. Despite many were poor but were rich in their humanness, where these people are unem- is a duly registered na- political and social life was not atop self-imposed pedestals. ployed and have no ad- tional organization. It changes that seem to “When I look back, I am happy that I joined advertis- equate food or income for was established in 1988 have diminished caste ing and made some money working for two of the biggest during the height of the consciousness, why is survival. advertising agencies — Grants and J. Walter Thompson war, when women were it impossible to elimi- Q. Reports point out that — but recalling those seven years when I had nothing facing many difficulties nate the systems? Jaffna ranks high in to fall back on, except human kindness, brings to me a due to the volatile situa- A: Attitudes of the people cases of child recruit- happiness I cannot explain”, says Jagath. tion in Jaffna. With the have not changed yet. For- ment, abductions and A reader of Kider Chetty Street would be introduced aim of ensuring a secure eign earned money still disappearances of ci- to these people — characters Jagath had retained in environment for women, fills people’s pockets and, vilians. What are the his mind and heart all these years, to finally put them the CWD took measures as a result, the demand latest statistics in this down on paper as stories written in a style that is to provide legal assis- for and the amount paid regard? unique and truly Sri Lankan. tance for women, who as dowry have swelled. A. Since Aug 11, 164 persons Jagath Kumarasinghe who has just returned from a are victims of domestic Q. Coming to the present have been killed and more fellowship bestowed on him by the University of Iowa violence, in cases such as situation, since the A9 than 337 disappeared. is working on a new set of stories, one is sure, will rape and molestation. We highway was closed in even surpass his first masterpiece. - FB

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