Tamil Refugees head East to Rebuild Lives

(July 03, 2010) Many people displaced by Sri Lanka’s civil war prefer to make a fresh start in the country’s east rather than return to the northern former battle zones. The conflict in the eastern region, which is covered by the diocese of Trincomalee and Batticaloa, ended in 2007. “Here they are landless people,” said Caritas director Father Sritharan Sylvester. Many women are without husbands. The children sometimes go hungry. “They have become a burden to relatives, friends and some charity centres,” he said. According to Fr Sylvester, the new arrivals live like “foreigners” staying with their relatives and friends or temporary sheds or rented houses. Some still hope to return to their northern regions homes in Mullaitivu, Vavuniya or Kilinochchi districts once the situation is back to normal and de-mining is completed. Meanwhile, Caritas EHED has set up an income generation program funded by CAFOD to assist the refugees to take up fishing, farming, and sewing or in set up as goldsmiths, mechanics, painters, electricians or in other trades. The $US23,000 program funds a range of business equipment chosen by the beneficiaries. They prefer to start farming, fishing or even tailoring works to earn their livelihood. “Forget the past now start your life with new hope,” advised Father Sylvester to some 88 bread winners of different categories in Manmunai north area in Batticaloa district.