HORROR AT BATTICALOA

• Bodies blown up and strewn all over
• Baby falls into water at birth
• Walked without food for 3 to 4 days

Children and adults crowded in camps with insufficient water and sanitation facilities…

N. Dilshath Banu reporting from Batticaloa

Since the siege of Mutur in August, thes mass exodus of the native people from the Trincomalee District took place. Thousands moved southwards to the uncleared areas of Vakarai -the border of the Batticaloa District in search of a safe haven.

In November, a school sheltering displaced people in Kathiraweli, Vakarai came under attack and subsequent artillery fire exchange between the Forces and the LTE led to another mass exodus which still continues.

More than 40,000 people have moved towards the cleared areas and the numbers are still rising.
Palachandran Shantha, a 41-year-old, who escaped being killed by shell attacks at Verugal in Trincomalee, had fled to Vakarai for survival. He has once again fled Vakarai and is now sheltered at the Kottamunai Junior School in the Batticaloa town.

“When exchanges of fire became very frequent, we understood that we had to leave. There was no transport or facilities available to enable us escape these attacks, apart from walking to cleared area. So we all determined that whether we live or die, we were moving out of Vakarai,” said Shantha.
The road leading to the cleared area is no easy route. Shantha and many others had to cross several paths situated amidst thick jungle and swamps, while shells and artillery fire rained down in all directions.

“It’s unimaginable. We walked and walked, without any food for 3 to 4 days, barefoot and with only the clothes we are wearing. Shells were falling everywhere. I saw many people falling dead while running to escape...

Bodies were being blown up and strewn all over, I and a group of people wanted to stop. But an old lady, who was determined to walk, said that whether she lived or died she would continue walking. After we had walked a few feet, a shell pierced her face and her body crumbled…” said Shantha.

Thamilselvi, a 30-year-old, mother of a two-month old baby in the same refugee camp said, “I had to carry my baby while walking, and we had to pass flooded plains. The water level was up to our necks, but I lifted the baby above my head and walked holding my breath. There were many people who fell into underwater pits. Some were killed by shells after they managed to get out of the pits.”

Sri-Managneswara Vidyalam is another school that is providing shelter to the Internally Displaced People (IDP). Thiyagaraja Maheswari a 41-year-old, is feeding her granddaughter with rice and salmon. “It’s only after we came here we saw or tasted food, while we were walking we lost sight of food. We thought we would not survive to see food again,” she said.

A bit further, Manjula Devi a 28-year-old was nursing her 15-day-old infant said: “…It was 3 days after the delivery of my baby, our village decided to move. I had to carry her all the way, undergoing unbelievable pain and came to this shelter”.

There are more horrifying stories from different shelters. In one case a mother delivered her baby while crossing a flooded area. The baby fell into the water. No one heard her cry or tried to locate the baby. In another instance an old man was paralysed by an artillery attack. There was no one to carry him or to look after him, as everyone was running for survival.

Rumours are rife that while people were crossing, LTTE cadres had fired at their feet ordering them not to leave. Having crossed the boarder these unfortunates are now being sheltered in schools. Steps are being taken to temporarily to settle them at identified locations.

The Batticaloa GA, Punniyamoorthi said that resettlement locations have been identified in four divisions and are now being assessed by UNHCR to identify the suitability of the land for human settlements. “…we were able to find land, but it’s after the assessment is completed, we will be able to start constructing temporary shelters for the displaced…” he said. “At the same time, simply putting up tents is insufficient, as water and sanitation facilities should also be provided with the establishment of the tents,” he said.

According to the Mr Punniyamoorthi 45 acres of land have been identified as possible sites for IDP resettlement at Eravur Pattu Division, 5 acres in Kiran, 20 acres each in Parangimadu and Kirimutti; - 10 acres in Sauvukkady, 20 acres in Kaluwarnkerny and 3 acres of land in Sithandy, including an abandoned rice mill in Manmunaipattu Division; – 10 acres have been identified allocated in Ariyampathi and Selvanagar East and an abandoned school at Kaluwanchykudy; in the Manmuaipattu North Division- 3 acres in Sathurukondan, 20 acres in Kokkuvil and Palameenmadu have also been identified as possible relocation sites.

Mr. Punniyamoorthi added that more land could be allocated in Palameenmadu, but the UNHCR had advised against the selection of the site as a resettlement area because it was situated in a coastal reserve area.

He added that the problem in Manmunaipattu North, i.e in the Batticaloa town area, was a lack of land availability which was causing delays in resettlement. The few stretches of land available, like those at Palameenmadu, had been identified as not suitable for resettlement.

Earlier, lands in Kayankerni and Alankulam, where state land is available in abundance, had been allocated forIDP relocation, however, the people had refused to relocate in the area, due to its proximity to Vakarai.

He added that they had successfully settled 362 families at Alankulam. An approximately 500 more families could be settle in this land, if people were swilling he said. Mr. Punniyamoorthi said no long-term solutions could be drawn up families who came as IDPs nearly 16 years ago had been unable to purchase land and had been subject to displacement many times. He added that these families continued to live as IDPs.

Asked as to what the future held for the IDP families who fled Trincomalee and Batticaloa North, the GA said he could not think in terms of long-term solutions as the situation remained fluid and could either change for the better or for the worse.

If there was a ceasefire agreement he said, arrangements could be made for the IDPs from Trincomalee to visit their places of origin and assess whether they wanted to go return to these areas.

Discussions would then be held with the GA Trincomalee to construct temporary shelters prior to moving the families into permanent houses. Similar arrangements will be made to resettle the IDPs from Vakarai he explained.

He added that the decision to resettle IDPs permanently in the Batticaloa town or where they would be temporarily resettled depended on Cabinet approval. “If people have money and could buy a land for themselves, they will be able to get permanent deeds. Otherwise the Cabinet would have to approve land for distribution among these people so they could gain permanent residence in the areas where they have been temporarily resettled,” he said.

Till the time the Government takes a decision or till they earn enough money to have their own houses and properties, these people will be always tagged as IDPs, even after generations had passed he said.

Unable to say when schools could reopen: G.A.
While the struggle continues to distribute or provide relief to the displaced families, nearly 60 schools in the Batticaloa District, which are sheltering IDPs, will not be reopening for the new term on Tuesday.

The Zonal Education Director of Batticaloa, A.M.E Paul said the department was unable to assess when the schools could reopen as no arrangements had been made to relocate the IDPs. “Once arrangements are made to move people out, necessary steps could be taken regarding the reopening the school for the new term,” he said.

Statistics provided by the Zonal Education Office indicate that 60 schools were being used to shelter IDPs. This is the highest number of schools which have been used to shelter the displaced people. 22,243 persons comprising 8000 families are being sheltered in schools. Another 14,000 people are being accommodated in temporary shelters in the cleared areas of Koralai Pattu North while 10, 600 people are being sheltered in the uncleared areas.

Mr. Paul said though the IDPs have created a crisis to the educational authorities, they would make all possible arrangements to expedite the process of shifting displaced families and enable schools to function again.

“During the tsunami, displaced people were sheltered in schools as a temporary measure. This led to schools being shut for around 3 months”, stressed Mr. Paul. He pledged this would not happen this time, as the department had prepared for the continuation of the studies. If the problem persisted he said, temporary schools would be arranged for the displaced children who had lost their opportunities for education. He added that arrangements, such as extra classes would be arranged with the support of UNICEF.

Among the many problems which have arisen out of this pathetic situation are the complaints made by principals of the schools regarding damage to school property. For example the breakage of chairs and tables used as fire wood, while the IDP children uproot the plants in the garden and in many instances they urinate in the ground and in the classrooms.

“We did not allow the IDPs to settle in the few main schools in Batticaloa, as we understand that they could cause damage to the school’s premises and properties. These main schools were whitewashed recently and it would cost more money and time to repeat the process”, said Mr. Paul, He added that while the department did not want to impose any restriction on displaced families who had already faced severe hardship, authorities did not have sufficient funds for refurbishing schools. He called on UNICEF or NGOs to fund the refurbishing of damaged schools.

Many principals of rural and secondary schools fear that even though IDPs move out, it would take a considerable time to repair damaged properties and make them functional again. As a result he said, those who could afford would shift their children to other schools while those who could ill-afford these changes would go through the fear of a school closure. However, Mr. Paul assured that the authorities would not let such closures take place.

Meanwhile, the Assistant Divisional Secretary of Batticaloa, N. Vilvaratnam said that steps had been taken to make arrangements for 3 schools sheltering the displaced families in Batticaloa zonal area, to be cleared by next week in order to start schools as usual.

“ With the help of the NGOs, we are making speedy progress to set up temporary shelters and at least shift displaced people from the 3 schools before the 2nd of January”. However, no plans had been made regarding the other schools, so far said Mr. Vilvaratnam.