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Old Endings and New Beginnings

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Old Endings and New Beginnings NEWSLETTER Worthington/ICRC Sylvester Old endings and new beginnings Dear Reader, activities in Mullaitivu but also in Kilinochchi military. Over the years, national authorities, The Delegation of the International Committee districts in close coordination with the local academia and undergraduates were supported of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Sri Lanka welcomes authorities. with their efforts at enhancing their knowledge you to this first issue of its newsletter for 2014. The inevitable consequences of a conflict, of IHL, including its relevance to Sri Lanka and the humanitarian priorities following the As we look ahead in the new year, the ICRC’s wherever there has been one in the world, is that families are separated from each other ending of the conflict. This support will be priority will be to respond to remaining maintained through various initiatives both in humanitarian needs by bringing to a successful and persons go missing. This is the ICRC’s experience from its humanitarian work in more Sri Lanka and abroad. The work with the Police conclusion ongoing endeavours and by on public order management will continue for starting new ones. than 80 countries. For families separated from their loved ones, the wait until their return, is the foreseeable future. The economic recovery programme for an eternity. But, for families whose loved ones On a more subdued note, the material and vulnerable households headed by women are missing, the wait for them goes on forever. technical assistance the ICRC has been and persons with disabilities carried out in The ICRC has been in dialogue with the providing the Jaffna Jaipur Centre for Disability the Mullaitivu district in 2013 will expand to Rehabilitation to produce prosthesis and other Kilinochchi district in 2014. Some elements of authorities on the needs of the families of the missing and they have agreed to our proposal walking aids, will be phased out in 2014. This the programme, which will be integrated with collaboration has been ongoing since 1999, the Government’s Divineguma initiative, will to carry out an assessment to determine what these needs are – be they economic, with a brief hiatius between 2002 and 2007. We be implemented through community based wish them the best of luck for the future. organizations this time. September also saw psycho-social, legal or administrative. The the start of a Micro Economic Initiative for recommendations arising from the assessment 2014 will also be a landmark year for the ICRC rehabilitees in these two districts on the request on how to address these needs, will be as it will be 25 years since the organisation of the Sri Lankan authorities. In the coming implemented in close coordination with the established a permanent presence in Sri Lanka. months, the ICRC will broaden this programme relevant government structures and local non At the start, its humanitarian response was to to encompass Jaffna, Mannar and Vavuniya governmental organisations. those affected by the JVP uprising in the South districts, with the aim of reintegrating former Visits to places of detention, is an activity which and then to those affected by the conflict LTTE combatants socially and economically. is traditional to the ICRC’s global operations. with the LTTE in the North and in the East. It is a time for the ICRC to not only reminisce In 2013, vulnerable people including school In Sri Lanka, the ICRC has been visiting places of detention since 1989. These visits aim to about its contribution to protect the lives and children in Batticaloa, Polonaruwa and dignity of those affected by the conflicts of the Mullaitivu districts were able to improve their support the efforts of detaining authorities to ensure adequate conditions of detention and past, but also reflect on the challenges of its access to better sanitation facilities and safe humanitarian journey which has evolved over drinking water following the installation of treatment for all detainees in keeping with domestic laws and international standards. The the years. We salute those members of staff water tanks and toilets and the construction who made this journey possible. and renovation of public and school wells and ICRC will continue with this work in the country. well-cleaning campaigns conducted jointly In the field of international humanitarian law, We wish our Readers a productive year. by the ICRC and Sri Lanka Red Cross Society. the ICRC will continue to promote acceptance In 2014 too, the ICRC will continue with these and respect for its principles among the NEWSLETTER OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2013 | 1 Nepal: How families with missing relatives overcome societal taboos “The meetings give a sense of Reena, who wants to buy a plot of land to cultivate with the interim relief she got, solidarity because they give also draws strength from the support families a forum to discuss group meetings she attends. These support groups are made up of local networks of common issues - be they families of missing .” We meet about seven or eight times every year”, explains Reena. economic, health or The meetings give a sense of solidarity because it gives families a forum to discuss children’s education” common issues - be they economic, health It was late afternoon. A motley crowd had where it is ongoing in 15 districts, benefiting or children’s education. At the last meeting gathered at Pathari, a roadside town en route around 382 families. The Programme we had, we talked about a suggestion to to Dharan in Eastern Nepal. Ringed by the expects to reach another 252 families in 10 build a commemoration monument for crowd was a young woman running around more districts. our missing loved ones on State land”. in a demented frenzy. Two other women join In Nepal, which has a culture based on Memorials help bring about closure for her. The words of one woman has a calming tradition and religion, wives of missing these families. effect on her. persons have to overcome many constraints, “The support groups are one feature of The women are actors in a street drama especially when it comes to getting things the Programme”, explains Tankadevi, an produced by the Women’s Rehabilitation done, even routine matters. accompanier who coordinates activities Centre. WOREC as it is widely known is an Reena Meecha who lives in Jhapa, Biratnagar between beneficiaries and other organisation in Nepal, which works with and benefited from the Hateyamalo stakeholders. Around fifty percent of the marginalised communities to promote social programme when it was extended to the Programme’s accompaniers themselves justice. East of Nepal, elaborates on the constraints have a relative who is missing. Being “The drama is a depiction of the social stigma she faced. “One night, during the conflict, an accompanier has been cathartic for women have to face after their husbands a group of men came home and took my Tankadevi whose husband went missing go missing”, explains Kamal Koirala, a husband away. I have had no news from during Nepal’s conflict. Programme coordinator with WOREC. him since that day. Suddenly I had to do “I know whatever I do will not bring my Koirala is referring to mothers and wives everything by myself”. The ravages of life husband back. But, I am happy to support whose sons and husbands disappeared show on her petite frame. “Life became others who have experienced a loss similar during the decade long conflict in Nepal and a struggle for my daughter, son and I. My to mine”, says this mother of two whose whose whereabouts remain unknown. The son is eplileptic and needs special care”. family looks after her children while she conflict ended in 2006 but it left around 17, The Hateyamalo programme helped her to dedicates her time to the Programme. 000 people dead. Another 3800 people were focus on her needs and she was able to enter Many kilometres away in Morang, also in the reported missing. her daughter into a school, and sort out her east of Nepal, Koirala chairs another support son’s medical matters. She was encouraged Street dramas are one part of a larger group meeting. Twenty one families, to apply for the NPR three lakhs of interim accompaniment Programme for which whose relatives remain unaccounted for, relief given by the Ministry of Peace and WOREC is the main implementing partner. are present at the discussion which centres Reconstruction to relatives of those who The accompaniment or Hateyamalo on erecting a monument. Koirala weighs died or went missing in the conflict. The programme, which in Nepalese means in with his advice. An elderly man in the Ministry, a special agency set up after the join hands together, is a comprehensive group, whose son is missing brings up end of hostilities, deals with the needs of support programme which was started by his daughter in law’s marital status. She is the victims of the conflict, including families the International Committee of the Red being ostracised by the community they of the missing, among its other tasks. Cross (ICRC ) in Nepal for families of missing live in because of it. persons and encompasses psychosocial, The Hateyamalo programme has brought “The Programme empowers these people legal, administrative, and religious activities. together the resources of a network of to bring their problems out into the open”, It started as a pilot project in the West of local and national agencies to support the explains Koirala. “As a group, they are able Nepal in 2010 due to the high number of families because a single organisation is to find solutions and it brings them a lot of missing persons in the region and expanded unable to meet the diverse needs of the emotional relief”.
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