What a young Tamil expatriate says...:

'It's good to be home'

By Dhaneshi Yatawara

Young men and women living in Mullaitivu are not alone in their development efforts. Their brethren living overseas are returning to their homeland for visits and the numbers continue to increase with each holiday. To many Tamil youth expatriates, Sri Lanka is a paradise compared to their neighbourhoods in London. Trying to take the realistic picture of the peaceful Sri Lanka to Tamil expatriates living in United Kingdom has become dangerous for youth. "There are still a few extremist groups existing in the UK and if by any chance they see our comments in the media with our real names and photographs they will begin to threaten our lives and livelihood," said one youth who wished to remain anonymous. We met him recently during our tour in the Mullaitivu district. He was visiting is native home in Pudukuduyirippu during his vacation. Under the circumstances we are compelled to give him a pseudonym, let's call him Vijay - meaning victory. Vijay left Sri Lanka in 1999 with great difficulty to avoid intensified terrorist threats at that time. Today he has invested money in businesses in Mullaitivu and continues to assist his family and friends to uplift their lives.

Protesters in favour of Sri Lanka hold a protest in the UK calling on expatriates to contribute to development in the island

Mullaitivu town now bustles with activity. Pic: Thilak Perera

Even if threats exist in London, Vijay has high hopes to bring more of his friends in London back to the motherland and encourage them to invest in businesses in their home towns. Following are excerpts of the brief discussion with this young man.

Q: How is the present situation among Tamil expatriates living in your neighbourhood in the UK?

A: Many Sri Lankans living in the UK will visit Sri Lanka during the long school vacation. I'm sure when they come here they will enjoy the prevailing situation. Nobody wants to talk about the past. There are no more deaths due to attacks and there is no harmful situation in the country. That is the most positive position that could ever happen.

Q: Within the community in the UK where you live are there many people from Mullaitivu?

A: Yes there is a significant number. There are people from Pudukuduyirippu, Mulliwaikkal and such areas of Mullaitivu. These people have been living in the UK for a long time now. They are leading comfortable lives now.

Q: Is this visit after a long time? How do you see the present situation?

A: Not really. I came back to Sri Lanka since 2012. Every year I see tremendous development in our areas. The road network was terrible during 2012 and today even the rural roads are in good condition. This is the same with housing. The rich or the poor have good houses. Some people in the Mullaitivu district do not get housing grants through the Indian Housing scheme but with donations from well-wishers of all ethnicities, soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army build houses for needy families. That is a great social service I witnessed.

Q: Are the Tamil people living in your community in the UK willing to help their brethren living in their home towns?

A: Of course they are. They are helping their families and friends living in Sri Lanka. It is only recently that some of them started investing money in businesses in Mullaitivu. I invested in a business this year. So likewise a few of them have invested. I like to go back and tell my friends in the UK how peaceful our villages are and encourage them to invest in businesses here. So that many local youth will get job opportunities.

Q: We hear that there are extremist groups living among Sri Lankan expatriates in the UK and are trying to tarnish the country's image. Some of them are threatening those who promote Sri Lanka as being peaceful and conducive for investment and business. Are such groups extorting money. How peaceful is it? What is the situation?

A: The truth is before May 2009 many people in the UK and Tamil expatriates, supported the LTTE. They believed that the LTTE would bring liberation to the Tamils and solve their problems. But as time went by and during the last phase of the war on terrorism, communities over realised the true face of the LTTE.

Though people who were trapped in the war zone wanted to escape, the LTTE prevented it and in the melee there were some deaths. Today many foreign countries talk about it. But, as family members of those who died we must logically see whether we are going to continue talk about a gloomy past or try to bring a better world for the future generation? We must decide whether we are going to move forward. Trying to bring back a black era is not going to give us any good.

As I believe we must focus on a better future. The majority of Tamil expatriates know that history will not repeat. Apart from a few extremists almost all the Tamils want to lead a good life in peace and they assist their friends and families through legal means. They do not send money illegally to the country.

Q: It must be easy for you to understand the Sri Lankan situation because you lived here during your adolescence. But some youth living in the UK were born and bred there. How about convincing them as they are clueless about the true situation?

A: Yes that is true. They do not know anything about Sri Lanka and they are well educated. There are enough opportunities and freedom for them to rise and even go to Parliament to make their voice heard.

On the other hand, there are extremists who viciously encourage and push these youth to raise their voices against Sri Lanka. Some of them fall prey under pressure.

But I can assure that when these youngsters come to Sri Lanka they will love it. Because everything you find in Sri Lanka is so nice. IF you want to enjoy the beach within a few hours you have it.

If it is a cooler climate you are privileged to enjoy it within a few hours. It is such a beautiful country that when you fall in love you can never get away from it. They will not change their minds.

Q: So we can hope for the good in the near future?

A: Yes, surely. Year by year I see more and more youngsters coming to visit Sri Lanka from the community where I live. I believe the numbers will increase. I hope to come with a couple of friends again in July or August.