"Please re-open our ruined school in Madawatchchiya"

Elmo Leonard in Madawatchciiya

The two men in the picture stand on the ruins to the school they once attended, which was called Thammankulama Vidyalaya, in Madawatchciya, on the outskirts of Vavuniya.

G. Jayasakera, 56, a farmer, who is on the right of the picture said it would be nice to see the school reopened and the children in the classrooms, and playing about. The other, in the picture, A. Wijeratne 47 recalled his days in the school. His emotions, suggested happiness, and in a moment, it changed.

In 1985, LTTE terrorists burned down all 85 houses of the village, Kala Siyambalawa, in Neeriyakuluma, Vavuniya, and killed three Sinhalese peasants. They also burned down this school. The Sinhalese living in this village and nearby, ran away and lived as refugees in the district of Anuradhapura. With it, this school which had 70 students and living quarters for teachers remained a burned down affair.

In 1992 the Sinhalese peasants returned to their land and built new homes. In 1995, the school was repaired and reopened, and teachers occupied their quarters, but no parent sought admission for his child. The school is back in ruin. The villagers have appealed to the authorities, local government and higher, to repair and reopen the school, once more.

They say that this time their children will attend the school. They have said that their children travel to Periyakuluma Gamini Wewa Vidyalaya, seven kilometres away or Sirisuma Maha Vidyalaya, 12 kilometres away. Because only one bus leaves these distant rural villages in the morning and comes after dusk, most children walk or cycle to their schools.

When we went to Gamini Wewa Vidyalaya, we found that the 350 children of this mixed school and their footwear were meant for walking. They came from villages in the environs, they said.

A science lab was gifted to the school, two months earlier, by the Karuna Trust, at a cost of one million rupees (rupees 108 to a US dollar).

The laboratory was well furnished, with equipment, sinks, fans, ceiling and other necessities.

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