November 14, 2010

The Status and some of the Needs of the war affected Internally Displaced Families who are still in Shelters in or near their Land – An Appeal.

Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam, Ph,D, (Cornell)

Specialist in Education, Agriculture and Sports

Olympian, 1952 and 1956 Olympic Games,

In all the writing I have done since the 1950’s, this is the most difficult and sensitive subject that I have written about. It is an appeal to people to help the most severely affected victims of the war in the North of Sri Lanka that killed and maimed tens of thousands, and displaced over 300,000. Thousands have also disappeared since they surrendered. This in no way diminishes the suffering and similar consequence of the war that was fought in the East of Sri Lanka from 2007 to 2008. The purpose of this appeal is not to identify the causes or the perpetrators of the acts that killed, maimed and terrorized the innocent civilian children, women and men. Nor does it point fingers at those who, due to their actions or inactions, failed to protect the civilians and as a result deprived them of food, shelter and survival in the midst of mindless, indiscriminate violent actions.

The District and Divisional Secretaries and the hospitals in the war zone of the North from Madhu to Mullivaikal have recorded extensive statistics regarding the women, children and men who survived the war and were detained in the camps. These include the details of:

· Those who are now in tents or makeshift homes in their villages.

· Those still languishing in schools and in the camps.

· Those who were physically maimed and are in homes.

· The numbers of war orphans and war widows.

· Numerous other statistics such as:

o The number of women head of households with children and other emotionally or physically disabled dependents in the family.

o The fact that 170,000 houses were completely destroyed, and about

These statistics however do not illustrate how many ‘Homes’, as opposed to ‘houses’, were completely or partially destroyed. There is no viable or reliable method of counting the loss of Homes. The raw statistics do not show the full extent of the complete destruction of all aspects of the lives of those in the Vanni – the livelihoods lost by families, the decline of the human spirit, the destruction of human and social values, and the disintegration of the family and social fabric of the Vanni people – a people who were proud of their independent spirit that resisted the British colonial invaders who eventually by passed them on their way to capture of the Kandyan Kingdom.

Will the people in the Vanni be able to regain their human spirit, rebuild their vibrant social fabric and regain their independent spirit when over 30 % are families with women head of households with dependent children, elders and disabled? My assessment of the people after three months of talking to them is a resounding yes, they can and they will. They will never forget the ill done to them and what caused the war that has taken everything from them. The people are so generous that they are willing to forgive the perpetrators who caused their suffering, even if such forgiveness is never asked.

I will not go into the details of the thousands of stories of individual and family suffering that I have heard over these past three months. It is too painful to recall and write about these events even though I did not go through it myself. None of those with whom I spoke wanted charity, not even those who have lost the use of one or both limbs or those in wheelchairs. They would like assistance for a short period of time in order to learn a skill, restart their lives, rebuild their destroyed houses and time in order to learn a skill, restart their lives, rebuild their destroyed houses and devastated homes, and to eventually be independent.

I make this appeal to support the human spirit of each survivor that yearns to raise their family and rebuild the village life of which they were once proud. They wish to make their own decisions when reconstructing their Homes and lives and regaining their spirit rather than be channelled, directed, or dictated to by donors and/or the state.

In my search for a way to help the Vanni people, I found that the problem as mentioned by the District and Divisional Secretaries and their staff seemed insurmountable. But they also suggested an idea of how one can begin to help one family at a time, starting with those who are most desperate, creating sources of income for women headed households. I heard of a women’s organization in the Mullaitivu District. I met with them and they mentioned similar organizations in the Kilinochchi and Jaffna districts. I met the members of the group at all levels and studied how they operate to help the women head of households. It is not how they are organized that impressed me most, but how they practice participatory democracy and decision making at all strata of the organization including the grassroots organizations. They are a peaceful organization above party and electoral politics.

All of the members are themselves displaced from the Vanni and are now living in tents, in partially repaired houses or along the side of their houses. The Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi organizations meet in an 8 ft by 12 ft tent. They keep excellent records in writing, as they have no computers or other office equipment.

Even though they are below the poverty line, they pay a membership fee to the grassroots group based on what they can afford. They share their family and personal tragedies, war losses and their pain within the group as a way of coping. They exchange their farm produce on a barter system or for cash.

The three organizations are: Ugasakthi Women’s Federation (Mullaitivu District), Mahasakthi Women’s Federation (Kilinochchi District) and Uthayathuwarakai Women’s Federation (Jaffna District). Generally all three have similar goals and processes of operation.

Goals of the Women’s Organizations:

1. Among the families below the poverty line identify:

Widows

b. Families who are without the means of any support;

c. Women who have been abandoned by their husbands;

d. Those who have lost the ability to support themselves;

e. Those affected by the war; and

f. To improve their social and economic development through democratic decision making and empowerment.

2. Work to ensure that all persons in the villages of the district are educated.

3. Take steps to eliminate the abuse of children and women.

4. Create a society without gender discrimination.

5. Improve the health and nutrition of pregnant and lactating mothers.

6. Take actions that would help women to improve their in economic achievement.

7. Create direct marketing opportunities for the produce grown by the women.

8. Nurture the creative abilities of women.

9. Bring about changes in the laws that impede the advancement of women.

8. Nurture the creative abilities of women.

9. Bring about changes in the laws that impede the advancement of women.

10. Identify the needs caused by the natural destruction and provide needed service to help the affected.

11. Identify problems in society and find ways and means to solve them.

12. Nurture a society that will not practice the dowry system.

Structure of the Organizations:

20 women from families form themselves into a group at the village level. If there are more than 20 they form another group in the same village. They rotate their office bearers periodically and elect representatives to the Cluster Group of villages, who in turn elect their representatives to form the Federation, which elects office bearers. When funds are received by the Federation it will identify the Cluster Group that should receive the funds, using criteria that have been developed by each of the Village Groups and the Cluster Group. The Federation also decides, with consultation

Village Groups and the Cluster Group. The Federation also decides, with consultation from the Cluster and Village Groups the form of the grant or loan and the conditions of the loan.

The Cluster Group will then chose the Village that will get the funds. The village group will in turn choose which of the families will get the funds, for what purpose, and whether as a grant or a loan and will determine the interest and the payment period. The period of payment and the interest will depend on the family circumstances of the recipient family. Each village group will have a savings bank account and they will rotate the recipient as funds become available when repaid or when more funds are received. Each recipient will also have a savings bank account. The Village Group, the Cluster and the Federation will monitor the use of the funds and its benefits.

Such a system empowers women in general and the women victims of war to create ownership over their lives and decision making. In my interaction with each of the levels of the organizations I was impressed by the kindness, efficiency and tenacity of

levels of the organizations I was impressed by the kindness, efficiency and tenacity of every woman individually and as a group. It was a joy to listen to them debate and make decisions collectively. At these times the suffering, losses and degradation they have been put through for the past two years, and which continues now as they still live in villages of tents, is not readily visible though it remains within them. It was heartening to witness the spirit of independence and defiance only symphony can express. Defying fate when it knocked and continues to knock on their door or pass into their tents. The Chorale movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony where Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” invites all people to praise and express the joy of the human spirit to win over all odds is the stuff the women in the North are made of and now giving expression to overcome at last their long deprived status.

It is to support and enrich this spirit of constructive, democratic defiance of the Tamil women IDPs and victims of war that would also enlighten the spirit of all the women in the world that I appeal to you. Their needs are simple and relatively of low cost. My appeal is for everyone to choose one or more of the projects below to sponsor and give hope to these proud people. Some of the projects to support woman head-of-household families in Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, and Jaffna are:

1. Five-Month Jump-Start Support: Rs 25,000 (US$250).

a. This will provide the woman head of household with Rs5,000. (US$50) a month for five months on condition that they take up employment or self-employment and become independent before the end of five months.

b. Ideally, I would like to see every family with the means to do so make this commitment to support at least one woman head of household with a US$250. donation.

2. Independent Seamstress: Rs 26,000 (US$ 260). Includes:

a. Sewing Machine and accessories

3. Poultry Farming: Rs 60,000 (US$600). Includes

a. Rs 40,000 for 50 chicken

b. Rs.15, 000. for coops (and feed?)

b. Rs.15, 000. for coops (and feed?)

c. Rs.5,000. for medicine and Vet Charges

4. Batik printing shop: Cost: Rs. 100,000. ($10,000.) Includes: ,

a. sewing machines and accessories and initial clothes to make clothing for children and adults.

b. Ugasakthi has one at Olumadu donated by a group of Tamils from Switzerland. The other two organizations can use one each.Locally available weaving looms that can make saries for sale for senior women citizens who prefer cotton rather than those expensive sarees available in shops.

5. Milk Cows: Rs 15,000. To 20,000 for a local breed (US$150 to 200.) for a high yielding crossbreed from the South, it will twice as much. Includes:

a. Cows for each family to sell milk to a collection center that is being planned by private entrepreneurs.

a. Cows for each family to sell milk to a collection center that is being planned by private entrepreneurs.

b.This will bring a steady income to the families.

6. Goat rearing: Rs 10,000. for a pair (US$$100.)

7. All members and office bearers of the organizations are volunteers. As they increase their coverage and membership, they will need a computer and Scanner/printer/copier to keep records and give feedback to donors. The cost are:

a. one laptop Rs. 70,000. ( $700.)

b.One printer/scanner/copier Rs.6,000. ($60.)

c. Wireless internet access Rs 2,500. ($25. /m.)

8. Bicycles, one per family, for school children who live 5 to 10 miles away from school with inadequate bus service: Rs12,000. ($120.) Per bicycle.

9. Sports materials for children and youth in villages to play Netball, volleyball, soccer, soft ball cricket teams and use play as a therapy to cope with the trauma of war and displacement: Rs20,000. ($200.) Per village.

10. Exercise books, pencil, pen and school bags for needy children in a village.

I also visited the civilians, children and ex-combatants around Vavuniya who are in wheelchairs due to spinal cord injuries or through the loss of limbs. Some are learning employable skills. In addition, I met with 40 young women auxiliary cadres who are in a home and are either going to school or learning employable skills. Among them is a 24 year-old who had lost the use of one leg and a 22 year-old who lost her right eye and both hands below the wrist. She has now learned to use the computer and type and wants to get prosthetics hands with fingers so she can be independent and work more efficiently.

HOW TO CONTRIBUTION TO EASE THE SUFFERING: Those who are willing to contribute please contact me by email: ethir@yahoo.com with the area, type of project and amount you wish to contribute. I will NOT be handling any contributions. I will instead provide YOU with the details necessary for you to directly send the funds to the bank accounts of the women’s organizations. I will be glad to liaise for feedback until the organization has the capacity to do so themselves.

Another alternative is to contribute to Operation USA (Please see their website, www.opusa.org for details.) who have been helping the North and East since 1994. It is an organization that began soon after World War II and is well known for their contribution throughout the world. They are willing to transfer the funds and monitor the project and provide feedback to you. I would recommend the Operation USA option as I know the people involved for more than 10 years.