
IDP voices from hospital
Ten year old Nallaih Jesinthan faced enormous loss on 29 November 2008 when suspected cluster bombs were dropped over the IDP settlement where he was living with his mother, siblings and grandparents. This is his voice from the hospital,

“My mother, younger brother, sister and I were living with our grandmother and grandfather because we have no father. We displaced from Paranthan and went to the Kallru camp. On that night I woke up hearing a sudden explosion. My mother, grandmother, grandfather dragged all three of us and ran to another house. We heard the loud explosion. The roof of the house, which we went, fell off. My grand father was lying in a pool of blood. He was groaning and calling out our names. We could not stop to look at him because bombs continue to fall. We started running again. My younger brother then shouted that he too couldn’t get up and come. My grandmother too couldn’t come because of the wound in her hand. My mother and sister ran all the way to the neighbor’s house and hid in an irrigation channel. A loud explosion was heard again. After half an hour the rescue team, which came there brought us toTharmapuram hospital. My grandfather succumbed to his injuries. My grandmother lost one of her hands. My mother is getting treatment at Vavuniya hospital. The doctors have pronounced that my younger brother‘s body below the waist has become senseless, and will not function. How can my brother walk? ”
23 December 2008
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