Sri Lanka: Young Tamils in Mannar and Jaffna still live in fear

By Melani Manel Perera | Asia News
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Young Tamils living in Sri Lanka north-western districts (Mannar and Jaffna in particular), children of the thirty-year conflict that ended in 2009, say they feel like a minority and live in fear. Despite President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s continual proclamations that all citizens are equal in those areas and are treated equally by the government. "There are no clashes between Tamil and Sinhalese," say some young people speaking at a Leadership Training Programme held in Negombo in the past days. "But we do not feel the freedom spoken of by the government. We do not feel we belong to a free nation. And there are still many incidents of murders and disappearances that make us live in suspicion and fear. "

"If the conflict really is over as described by the government – they continue – why are they still inspecting some areas, breaking into the homes of Tamil without notice and without giving any explanation?".

In many cases, the government seized the land in the High Security Zones (HSZ), offering alternative accommodation for families who lived there. This is the case of the Catholic villagers in Mullikkulam: "About 250 families, originally from the village - says a young man – have been scattered throughout the district. They were fishermen, farmers, ranchers and wealthy families. Now they are living like nomads but do not want to accept 'alternatives': they are determined to return to their lands. " Unofficial sources report that the government wants to build a naval base right in the village of Mullikkulam.

Another important issue is the lack of an effective program of assistance for war widows and their children. "Daily charity – says one young boy - can not be a solution."
Young people launch a final appeal: "Until we feel we are living in freedom, without any restriction, as our parents remember in their stories, we can not say we are doing well. What we should really feel is that we are truly part of this society. "

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