Waiting for safe sail to home

Breathing fresh air in homeland is the height of freedom for a resident of any country. This being the long-awaited longing of every Sri Lankan Tamil refugee here, the day seems to be very near for them for such an experience – thanks to the efforts of an Indian NGO that has arranged for such an OfERR.

For as many as 2,508 refugees registered and lodged in various camps across the state just only one step is left, the approval of the Indian government for a sea voyage back to their homeland, the Lovely Lanka. The relieving and rejoicing part of their return is that they would be carrying their belongings with them. A list of willing persons has been sent to the Minister for external affairs Sushma Swaraj last week for her approval. 

“The voyage will definitely be sanctioned by the minister as India is optimistic about the situation in Sri Lanka”, R Eswaran, OfERR (Organisation for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation) regional coordinator told DTNext. In normal cases, the repatriation used to be air-borne. But, that at times turned out to be a painful journey in the past, for they have to leave all their belongings. The reason is the restriction on luggage load on aircraft. Respecting the sentiments of refugees who treat a majority of the belongings as a symbol of hard work and savings, the NGO in its proposal mooted a travel by ship, where they can carry a sizable quantity of other articles. As per proposal, three ships will be on duty to ferry these refugees to the popular coastal points in the Lankan map, Mannar, Triconamalle, and Jaffna. But, most of refugees tick the Kankesanthurai box as their destination presently under the control of Sri Lankan army. 

“But the UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency) has assured the refugees to assist them to reach this Northern Province and provide some initial monetary assistance for their ration”, Eswaran said. Hear the version of what one such repatriated refugee told DTNext, “Those returning to Lanka will have to face too many problems before they settle down comfortably. For instance, those who owned lands, mostly farmlands, in Vavunia and Kilinochi areas have to wrest them back from an unknow occupant (Sinhalese in most cases). 

The loss of documents is the main reason for this situation. In case of residential properties, more than 10 families live in many houses.” Though the UNHCR provides a one-time dole of Sri Lankan Rupees (SLR) 10,000 for the head of the family and SLR 7,500 for another adult in the family to start their life afresh. But, this amount may not be in proportion to the present cost of living. Sources said, the Sirisena government has been providing a limited grocery for six months and has not announced proper schemes to revive the lives of returnees. 

Very recently, the Lankan government had formed a Ministry of rehabilitation and reforms to cater to the needs of the home coming Tamils. Ironically, their condition is not that bad in Tamil Nadu as the State government is providing them with free ration, power and other assistances. But, once when they alight in their motherland, problems line up to intimidate them one after the other. “But, return to home soil drowns all these problems as mental grit gives you all kinds of strength face and overcome any crisis. Isn’t that true,” ask a group elderly refugees winking their eyes.

Only the pillars and beams are visible in the local body office, the iron frames alone remain as a proof of the popular shopping complex, the chain marks and craters on roads reveals that tanks only roamed in the area where it was public transport and cars and the houses only a few are in full shape to offer cover above their heads. Despite all these painful images, the ray of hope for a fresh life is the employment offer of the Lankan government for those returning to their homeland. So, now there is a steady stream of residents returning to the island nation.

Adding to this, the announcement by education minister V Radhakrishnan on filling up of 3000 teachers’ vacancies in north east and north west provinces, mostly Tamil settlements, where new schools have been established. The salary ranges from SLR 20,000 to SLR 30,000. This has assured the Tamil youth staying in camps and undergoing graduation in Tamil Nadu a stable future in their home land. Some also plan to return to Lanka and fly from there to UK or Germany for higher studies with an official passport and visa. 

“On an average, three to four graduates return to Lanka and get a job in a year or two after registering in employment exchange,” R Pathmanathan, Education Programme Coordinator of OfERR (Organisation for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation), told DTNext. The degree of Indian institutions is well recognised by the Lankan government and those who possess a certificate from India are given priority in employment, said Pathmanathan. As a result, many staying in the camps at Tiruchy, Dindigul, Kanniyakumari, Villupuram, Tuticorin, Sivaganga, Pudukottai, Madurai, Karur, Tirunelveli and Ramnad have obtained exit clearance from officials. 

For instance, this year, as many as 162 refugees, including 28 graduates, returned to Lanka. The number was 432 in 2014 with 18 graduates and it was 749, of which 22 were graduates, in 2013. The graduates are between 22 and 24 years.

Desperate attempts are always surrounded by deadly perils. A case in point for this is the illegal ferry route that are adopted by the refugees from here to Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Malaysia. Most of the times, the ‘escapees’ mission to find a greener pasture meet with failure.

With the Australian government, which had issued several warnings on bid to enter its soil illegally, refusing to allow the Tamil refugees, a majority of them get stranded in Indonesia, Malaysia and at times even in Somalia. “Till July 2013, the Australian government allowed the entry of refugees, but as the influx was going beyond control, they made an amendment to their foreign policy to avoid such illegal entries,” explained Eswaran of OfERR. 

Cashing in on the curiosity of the refugees, it is the agents who make hefty sums in a short span. For instance, Rs 4 lakh is collected for a man and between Rs 2 and 3 lakh for a woman while it is Rs 1 lakh for a child. In recent times, the volunteers from OfERR in association with Q-branch had organised a series of awareness programmes against the illegal voyages. “We have screened footage showing the perils of such voyages and even self-immolation attempts due to dejection over failure of such trips. Some agents even drop them into some no man’s land and leave them telling that they had reached Australia. However, after the awareness programmes, the number of attempts have come down drastically,” Eswaran said.

Though the state government has been providing basic amenities, the condition in the camps certainly need to be revved up. Several houses have either with tin or thatched roof are separated with tarpaulin sheets. While the size of the houses remains the same, the number of family members increase in due course of time and so it looks like the inmates are dumped in a dingy enclosure. “We were into tourist cab business with a fleet of10 cars and a spacious house. Fate is so cruel that now we are cramped into a 10X10 room,” said a senior citizen woman from Kottapattu camp who reached India sometime between 1989 and 91. However, they thanked the State government for the 20 kg ration rice per family every month, Rs 1000 to head of the family, Rs 750 for adults and Rs 400 for children, besides, free power, drinking water, sanitation, scholarship and revolving fund for women self-help groups. All done, still their heart longs for freedom and return to homeland.