Brighter vistas for resettled IDPs

by Ranil WIJAYAPALA in Mallavi

The gloomy atmosphere coupled with heavy downpour could not keep the tiny faces of those innocent children in darkness. Their faces were lit up with new hopes, like the oil lamp lit in front of their school to mark the new beginning.

Rainy weather prevalent in the area and the desolated surrounding, reminiscent of war ravaged buildings were no hindrance to their new beginnings as they were well aware that they have to start from zero to rebuild their lives again in their villages.

So they sat on the polythene sheets laid on the cement floor of that tiny school building, which was among the few buildings spared by the war in the Yogapuram Maha Vidyalaya, in Mallavi to hear the good news from the very same person they welcome to their school building.

Not that all the scars of war have vanished and the bad memories have erased from their minds, but, their gripped mouths, and the shining eyes gave a clear signal that they were listing to each and every word from the guests arrived there, with new hopes.

Finally the message they were yearning for came from the chief guest of the occasion, none other than the Governor of the Northern Province, Major General (Rtd) G.A. Chandrasiri that their school will be re-opened on the following day.

With courage and determination carved in their faces these innocent children tempered with tragedies of life, welcomed the news with a big applause.

They were however determined, to rise from the debris of war.

Their tiny faces once again lit up as they received books and toys from the guests attending the ceremony.

Peroli, a tiny school girl from Grade 2 along with her two sisters, were also happy as they received the gifts from the visitors.

She says she was happy to return to her village after months long stay in welfare centres in Menik Farm. Above all, she was happy to start her education in her own village along with her sisters.

Like Peroli, Nagulesvaree Kajanai from the Advanced Level class of the Mallavi Central College get ready to resume her education as she, along with her family started her new life in Mallavi.

"I am waiting till Mallavi Central College is reopened so that I can unite myself with my other friends", Nagulesvaree said in a pensive mood.

Although, her school is yet to be started, authorities have taken steps to help them, resume their education at Yogapuram Vidyalaya after they were resettled in Mallavi and Thunukkai.

Many of those who had returned to their villages such as Mallavi and Thunukkai from the welfare centres in Cheddikulam are determined to start life afresh.

A damaged government office under repairs.

A new road under construction

Pupils of Yogapuram Maha Vidyalaya at the school opening day

But, for a community which had lost all its assets due to the prolonged conflict, it was not an easy task to bring their lives back to normality. The Government has to help them in their efforts to get over their difficulties.

The Government machinery is geared to help them realize their objectives.

The opening of the school at Yogapuram, by the Northern Province Governor G.A. Chandrasiri was only a symbolic start to their new life in Thunukkai and Mallavi.

The Governor's office had taken the initiative to provide school books, uniform materials and other essential items for more than 250 children to resume their education at the Yogapuram Vidyalaya whilst distributing bicycles for the teachers to attend the schools.

The Governor assured that the rest of the schools in Thunukkai and Mallavi would also be opened very soon and education in the villages of Jeyapuram South and Jeyapuram North in the Kiranchi Division of the Kilinochchi district would be promoted.

Like the way the authorities took initiative to start the education from the Yogapuram Vidyalaya in Mallavi, they have to identify each and every requirement of the resettled people to make their lives better.

The Government machinery is now operating in full swing in the Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts as the Government extended the resettlement programm up to the heart of Wanni just five months after the completion of the battle against the LTTE.

According to the Northern Province Governor, 5,862 members belonging to 1,575 families lived in welfare centres have since been resettled in the Mullaitivu district as of November 10, 2009.

They were resettled in five batches in Thunukkai, Mallavi, and Poonakary AG Divisions, from October 22.

They have been relocated in 20 Grama Niladari Divisions namely, Thunukkai, Mallavi, Kalvilan, Uyilankulam, Yogapuram, Yogapuram Central, Thirunagar, Puttuvettuvan, Amaithipuram, Ampaitterum, Yogapuram East, Alankulam, Therankandal, Ugalenthinagar, Bharathi Nagar, Unnechchiyankulam, Thenniyankulam, Palaimurikkandi, Iyankulam and Koddaikaddiyankulam.

The job was not as easy as making public statements or having protest campaigns in Colombo demanding early resettlement of people who are now living in the welfare centres in Cheddikulam.

"Not only education facilities for the resettled school children we are also taking steps to provide all other facilities such as health, transport and irrigation to help recommence their lives in their villages", the Governor said after attending the progress review meeting with other Government officials in the Mullaitivu district.

The meeting which was held at the Sri Lanka Army 65 Division, headquarters in Thunukkai on November 6, turned out to be a fruitful one as a wide range of issues relating to resettled people were discussed.

The Government Agent in Mullaitivu, Emilda Sukumar with the key Government officials representing all sectors along with Security Forces Commander, Kilinochchi Major General Athula Jayawardena and 65 Division GOC Major General Hathurusinghe attended the meeting.

It became an interactive discussion as each and every Government official made his contribution to make the resettlement of people in Mullaitivu district a successful one with Governor G.A. Chandrasiri taking prompt action to provide solutions to issues raised at the meeting by various officials.

They rigorously followed up the initiatives taken by the Ministry of Nation Building under the leadership of Senior Presidential Advisor MP, Basil Rajapaksa to speed up the process of facilitating the resettled people.

Mobilising scattered government servants, facilitating their arrival at the newly resettled areas, providing transport facilities for the people to attend their daily needs, speeding up the process of establishing cooperative shops, renovation of tanks etc. were the issues that had to be tackled on a priority basis.

It was not only a forum to discuss problems but one to resolving matters as solutions to those problems came quickly from the other end.

Provision of two buses to facilitate transport for the Government servants, motorbikes for Grama Niladaris, water pumps for the Mallavi hospital, the speeding up of the construction of public buildings, changing the contractors who are delaying the construction works were resolved with the immediate intervention of the Governor G. A. Chandrasiri and his officials.

It was with renewed vigour that all the Government servants organised themselves, even under difficult circumstances to cater to needs of those people who had been resettled in their villages.

The doctors who were serving at the Mallavi hospital dedicated themselves to look after the health facilities of the resettled people in both Thunukkai and Mallavi areas despite the difficulties they have to face.

The Sri Lanka Army operating in Thunukkai and Mallavi also came forward to assist the Government servants to restart their lives back in their old villages.

"We are taking all possible steps to make the lives of these resettled people better and relocated all the IDPs living in welfare centres in Menik Farm in their original villages", Governor Chandrasiri assured.

He says that the only factor hindering the resettlement is the de-mining process.

"Once de-mining in the East of A-9 is completed soon we are ready to resettle the people in the East of A-9 too", he said.

Vital measures, like re-opening of the A-9 road from Omanthai to Jaffna, release of government servants living in welfare centres to enable them to do their duties in their respective areas and expediting the process of de-mining are now being taken up to speed up the whole process.

Therefore, positive signs are now emerging for the newly resettled people, to start their lives afresh. And the results could be seen very soon once they begin to contribute to the country's economy as they make renewed efforts to rise from the debris of war.

(Pic: Courtesy Northern Province Governor's office)