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A typical fishing village life in Mullaithivu

Alampil is a fishing village in Mullaithivu. People from Alampil north recently displaced to Kumulamunai due to the aerial attacks and attack from the sea by the armed forces of Government of Sri Lanka.

These people, who are originally from Thellipalai and Kadduvan areas in Jaffna were evicted from their lands by the Sri Lankan Army which claimed the land for itself under the pretext of High Security Zone. The evicted people moved to Chunnakam and Mayiliddy areas in 1990. They again displaced in 1995 to Alampil during the military operation code-named “Riviresa” and settled along the coastal areas of Alampil. Now these people are frequently targeted by the Sri Lankan Navy.

These same people lost everything besides the clothes they wore. After the Tsunami they were settled in temporary shelters which were meant to shelter them for six months. Yet, they have remained there for nearly three years.

Now, once again these people have been targeted by the Sri Lankan Air Force and the Sri Lankan Navy. Two civilians were killed and many were injured including children, women and students. Now they have been living in friends and relatives’ houses and in public buildings. They lost their livelihood, the fishing and are facing difficulties in their day to day life.

School children are afraid to go to school. On 27th July 2007, a school girl, Arulthas Arulranjini aged 12 was injured in the aerial bombardment in Alampil, Mullaitivu. School building, church and nearby houses were damaged in this attack. The term examination was affected by the attacks by sea and air. Due to fear, on average, only around 15 students come to school which has a total enrolment of 593 students.

The fate of Alampil community is currently also befalling to the people of Manthai west Mannar in the opposite coast to Alampil.

The one and only yearning of these people is a place to live and work safely.

06 September 2007

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