Refugee voices from Batticaloa – 2
Voice of Krishnapillai (65), a daily wage labourer,
“Sri Lankan military shelled the villages of Kayamadu, Panimadu, Kalankudimadu, and Kurinchamunai. Even in normal times we face shortage of water at this time of the year. Now, we are struggling to get even drinking water in this place. There are no people living here. The wells have not been maintained and they are full of decaying leaves.
Why is the Sri Lankan military attacking civilians? If they want to fight with the LTTE they must attack the LTTE camps, not the civilian settlements. The government should stop the war it is waging against the civilians.” Voice of Yogarasa Magendran (25), a daily wage labourer says, 
“Sri Lankan military shelling from the Vavunathivu camp has destroyed the villages of Kurinchamunai and others in the Kokkadicholai area. We were already displaced and were living in the Kayamadu refugee camp when we were forced to displace again because this refugee camp was also shelled. We are now living in the forest in tiny huts. How can I describe our situation of displacing from a refugee camp due to Sri Lankan military shelling the refugee camp?
When the military starts shelling, we try to run. How about the young children, old people and pregnant mothers? We try to help them and lives are lost as a result. One night we ran due to the shelling. An 80 year old woman could not keep up. Only the next morning her family went looking and found her in the forest where she has stopped unable to run. The Kannakuda school is completely destroyed. There is no schooling for the children. Bridges have been broken. The hospital is not functioning because most of the hospital staff come from the Batticaloa town and they are unable to travel. Sick people here are not receiving treatment. Yesterday one sick man died without treatment. His family has no means to conduct his funeral. They are wondering what to do. We were already refugees and we do not have money to a put a small shed. Can’t the international community realize what is happening to us?”
07 September 2006
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Europe which has a total population of 800 million is made up of 45 language based nation states. South Asia which has a total population of one billion, (1000 million) is comprised of four states. Who is preventing and therefore benefiting by limiting new nation-states in South Asia?
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