The Struggle to Go Home in Post war Sri Lanka: The Story of Mullikulam
The Struggle to Go Home in Post war Sri Lanka: The Story of Mullikulam
Salem-News.com-Jan-24-2013
Their struggle to return home continues.
Mullikulam in the district of Mannar. Photo courtesy National Fisheries Solidarity Movement
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(COLOMBO, Sri Lanka GroundViews) - In 2011, a young Advanced Level student from Mullikulam in the district of Mannar, living as an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) in a camp in Thalvupadu, Mannar, shared with me an assignment she had done about her village and effects of displacement. She proudly described the richness of her hometown in terms of natural resources, culture and traditions. But soon, her mood turned to one of despair as she asked me and a priest who was accompanying me, when they could go home.
Neither of us had an answer for her. We were both aware that Mullikulam had been under military occupation since September 2007. We have been visiting the people of Mullikulam on a regular basis since the time they were forcibly evicted from their village by the military, having being given very little hope of returning.
But inspired by the loving manner in which the villagers spoke about their village, and the teenager’s efforts to document the rich history of the village, the priest and I thought we could perhaps assist these villagers to write the story of their village. Both, the villagers and the Bishop of Mannar welcomed the idea, and pledged their continued support. I was working with Law & Society Trust (LST) at that time, and so approached two trusted and committed friends to join my team at LST, in carrying out hands-on research and writing. They assisted with documenting the story of the village, working closely with the villagers and Church leaders. In the process, we became friends and became involved in their struggle to return home.
Even through their utmost poverty and despair, we always received a warm welcome from the villagers. They never got irritated at our questions, nor failed to feed us and quench our thirst. Last Sunday, they even offered us a delicious lunch despite clearly not having enough food for themselves.
In May 2012, they were able to negotiate with the Navy to allow a newly ordained Priest to celebrate his first mass in the village. I was also invited and eagerly joined in the celebration. It was in a way a high point in my relationship with the villagers. I experienced once again the deep attachment to the village and the church these villagers had. But it was sad to see women and men holding on the barbed wire fence pout around the church to restrict access to the village. I saw villagers were looking lovingly at their own houses, cooperative store, community centre, school and other buildings that was within a few feet, but they were not allowed to access as it was occupied by the Navy. Though I was warmly welcomed by the villagers, I certainly didn’t feel much welcome from the Navy, who had surrounded the church and constantly watched me and my friends, and later questioned us, taking down our names, addresses etc.
In June, I received several calls from Mannar asking me when I planned on visiting Mullikulam as people had decided to go and settle at the edge of Mullikulam. I was finally able to go last week. As I spent a Sunday with them, first in their Church surrounded by the Navy, and then in their new abode in the middle of the jungle, I felt I had to write about my journey with them; what I had learnt, what I had seen, heard and felt. And about the struggle of the villagers to go home. Much of what I share is also the result of a collaborative the research by my team during my time at LST with the Mullikulam villagers and Church leaders in Mannar.
The story is not complete yet, as their struggle to return home continues. I hope that someday their whole account will be published.
