A NEW PHASE IN THE CONFLICT AND OfERR'S RESPONSE

After the signing of the peace accord between the LTTE and the Government of Sri Lanka in February 2002 some refugees living in India started returning to Ceylon. However, from January 2006 onwards Tamils from the Island began to flee their homeland once more, fearing for their lives and taking refuge in Tamil Nadu, India. Between January and April 2006, 611 new refugees arrived. There had been lot of ceasefire violations on the part of the LTTE and Government forces, and consequently the Tamil people felt that there was no security in their homeland. In May 2006 the influx of refugees started rising due to the escalation of violence in Northeast Sri Lanka, with 1,456 refugees making the crossing over to India. 1,770 refugees arrived in June, and 1,822 in July, with the largest number of 5,769 arriving in August. September saw 3,749 new arrivals.

By the end of March 2007 the total number of new arrivals was 18,481. In April 2007 volunteers of OfERR (CEYLON) from the Mannar OfERR office had many meetings with the fleeing people at Pesalai coast and persuaded them to postpone and reconsider their journey to India. Some of the refugees were fleeing to India for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th time. Due to this persuasion a reduction was seen in April but numbers increased again in May. The Tamil civilians felt that things were getting out of control and they had to flee the country to save their lives.

After consultations with Mr. Malcolm Rodgers of CA (Christian Aid), OfERR addressed several letters to influential international parties – the EU, Japan, Norway and the USA – urging them to persuade the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE to put an end to the violence that was escalating in the Northeast of Ceylon. At the same time OfERR expanded its advocacy work to improve the political climate in Tamil Nadu and India for the refugees so that the Governments of Tamil Nadu and India not only accepted the new refugees but also provided basic facilities such as accommodation, a small dole and food rations.

Since the commencement of the Peace Process following the Cease Fire Agreement of February 2002, OfERR has developed a good working relationship with the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission in Chennai. OfERR took part in the Sinhala/Tamil New Year celebrations conducted at the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission in Chennai on 13th April 2006. Refugees actively participated in the cultural programmes held. This effort helped in developing an understanding between the two communities, Sinhalese and Tamil. OfERR and its refugee participants earned the respect of all those who attended the function, including the Indian audience.

By strengthening our relationship with the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission, OfERR gained access to most of the Sri Lankan Government functionaries who visited or passed through Tamil Nadu. OfERR made it a point to meet with ministers, leaders of political parties, peace activists, academics and others to communicate the views of the refugees and their efforts to strengthen the Peace Process. 24 such meetings have taken place.

At these meetings OfERR reiterated that the refugees in India, unlike their counterparts in many other parts of the world, are waiting to return to their homeland after peace is restored. They are looking forward to a peaceful settlement and the opportunity to help rebuild their land.

On 21st September 2006, World Peace Day, OfERR made history by visiting the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission in Chennai with 50 refugees (women, men and children), where we joined with the High Commission staff (Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims) in lighting candles to express solidarity in the efforts to achieve peace. Being touched by this gesture of the refugees, the High Commission supported the request of OfERR to hold the Sri Lankan GCE (O/L) Examination at the Chennai High Commission for eligible new arrival refugee students in Tamil Nadu. This was approved by the President of Sri Lanka and more than 100 new refugee children benefited from this unprecedented humanitarian arrangement.

The GCE (O/L) examinations took place in December 2006, and the arrangement was repeated in December 2007. Mr. S. C. Chandrahasan (OfERR Treasurer), our office volunteers and the students met with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister at the Arivalayam in order to express our thanks for the facilitation of these exams in Tamil Nadu. The Chief Minister was kind enough to spend 45 minutes with us, during which our Treasurer explained our stand on the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. The Chief Minister understood and appreciated our commitment to solving the problems of the refugee community through peaceful processes.

OfERR’s advocacy work has continued with diplomats of other foreign missions in India, especially those in Chennai. OfERR has used these meetings to raise awareness of the influx of refugees from Ceylon, the events and causes behind it, and the plight of the new arrivals. OfERR has highlighted the need for greater protection of human rights on the Island and the need for United Nations human rights monitoring in order to improve the situation. OfERR also addressed five communications to the Co-chairs of the Tokyo Conference for Reconstruction and Development in Sri Lanka, appealing for their intervention to help control the escalating violence that was causing the influx of refugees into India.

OfERR’s advocacy work with the Governments of India and Tamil Nadu expanded in response to steady flow of new arrivals. Meetings and discussions were held at several levels starting from the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to Central Ministers and Civil Servants in Chennai and New Delhi. These meetings and interactions paid valuable dividends in improving the political climate for the refugees in India as well as accessing facilities for the refugees in the camps. The greatest result of this advocacy work was the doubling of the Government dole paid to the refugees.  

The new phase of the conflict in Sri Lanka and the rising refugee numbers attracted media attention. OfERR interacted with several media groups to ensure that a fair and clear picture of the plight of the fleeing refugees was conveyed in the press. This process resulted in the Sri Lankan Government taking efforts to improve the security situation for Tamil civilians in Trincomalee, Mannar and Vavuniya, which in turn led to a reduction in the number of Tamils fleeing the Island. The exposure facilitated by OfERR in the Times of London and the BBC had a far-reaching impact.

OfERR’s vision is the eventual return of the Ceylon refugees to their homeland. We conduct workshops and meetings among the refugees to discuss the right moment for return. Major research has been carried out among the refugees to discover their views on return, and the results were presented to representative gatherings of refugees at Erode, Nellai, Trichy and Chennai in April and May 2006. This was followed by workshops on what had to be done to facilitate the ultimate return of refugees to their homeland. Mr. Malcolm Rodgers (CA) was the resource person at three of the workshops including the final session at Chennai. The research was done under the guidance of Professor Gladstone of Loyola College, Chennai.

To meet the challenges caused by the arrival of refugees, OfERR’s regional teams and the Refugee Camp Committees, especially women’s groups, engage in advocacy work at the local level. This has inspired more support for the refugees in and around the camps. OfERR’s advocacy work continues to ensure that all Ceylon refugees are accepted and cared for by the governments and people of Tamil Nadu and India.

OfERR Database

The OfERR computerised database has played an important role in our successful advocacy work. Key information is acquired regarding newly arrived refugees and the new camps established by the government to deal with the influx since 2006. Details of births, deaths, marriages, camp transfers and other developments are constantly updated. Since OfERR works at the refugee landing points and in all the camps old and new, we are able to provide government officials, the media, concerned persons and refugees with accurate and up-to-date information.

Family Reunion

From the beach landing points the new arrivals are taken to Mandapam Refugee Camp for screening and initial accommodation. They are then transferred to other camps in Tamil Nadu. At this point the OfERR database is of great benefit to the new refugees, who can locate camps where known persons are accommodated. The information provided by OfERR is crucial in facilitating the reunion of families and friends.

Restoring Registration

The Government of Tamil Nadu prepares monthly details of the refugees living in the camps across the state. A huge discrepancy was found between the figures produced by the Department of Rehabilitation and the data collected by OfERR: the latter identified the presence of approximately 7,000 more Ceylon refugees living in Tamil Nadu. There were various reasons for this. Some lost their refugee registration due to marriages with people living in other camps; other spent long periods seeking work away from the camps and missed government checks. These unfortunate people were undergoing great hardship as they were not entitled to the government dole and rations. OfERR continuously advocated the re-registration of all excluded refugees. The Government of Tamil Nadu has accepted our stand and the Department of Rehabilitation is now re-registering those in question. Over 4,000 refugees have been re-registered to date, thus improving their financial situation and level of support. The OfERR database, providing comprehensive details of those in need, has been invaluable in this process.


Current Situation

Regular co-ordination meetings continue with our main partners such as JRS (Jesuit Refugee Service), CRS and the Multipurpose Social Service Societies. In addition, the past year has seen several new agencies visit OfERR intending to provide assistance to refugees in the state. These agencies include the US state department, Don Bosco, Handicap International, Care India, Project Concern International, Aide et Action and Christian Children’s Fund.  

Department of Rehabilitation

The Government Department of Rehabilitation has recently improved basic facilities in many camps through roof repairs, house repairs, and new toilets. The Government also permitted NGOs such OfERR, CRS and ADRA to utilise their resources in improving the water and sanitation facilities for the refugees. In order to facilitate the movement of refugees, individual identity cards are being issued by the Department of Rehabilitation.

After several years of OfERR lobbying, the government has granted permission for those in the Mandapam arrival camp to seek work. Permission for a carpentry training centre, a computer training centre and a library for students at Mandapam has also been given.

It was observed that the refugees were treated differently in every district, with no uniformity in applying rules. The new Commissioner of Rehabilitation has prepared a guide in English and Tamil which helps officials to take uniform actions in respect of refugees. The refugees themselves can refer to this guide in response to any action affecting them. Pregnant refugee women have now been extended the same facilities given to the pregnant women of Tamil Nadu.

In order to integrate the activities of young people living in the camps, OfERR and the Department of Rehabilitation jointly organised sports competitions on a district, regional and state level. These events demonstrated to the world that the refugees are active and motivated people.

Sri Lankan Citizenship for Refugees of Indian Origin

There is a long history of problems surrounding Sri Lankan citizenship for Tamils of Indian origin. Many of the refugees in the camps still do not have this citizenship. OfERR wants this group to obtain Sri Lankan citizenship before their return to the Island. To make this a reality concrete steps have been taken to hasten the process. When the Chairman of the Sri Lankan Law Commission visited our office, we sought his assistance to prepare an amendment to the Citizenship Act of 2003. On his return to the Island, he prepared the amendment, but there was delay in passing the amendment in the parliament. In April 2007 letters to Mr. P.P.Devarajah and Dr. Laxman Marasinghe, Chairman of the Law Commission were sent requesting them to expedite the amendment. In May 2007 two parliamentarians of the JVP (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna), a Sri Lanka political party, visited our office. They participated in a meeting of thirty refugee representatives who expressed their views on the citizenship issue. On the basis of OfERR’s information, the JVP parliamentarians took up the citizenship issue with the Sri Lankan Government. Thereafter the Sri Lankan Prime Minister convened a meeting of higher officials, and agreed to bring up the required amendment to the Citizenship Act in Parliament. This political pressure resulted in the appointment of a Select Committee of Parliament, chaired by Mr. Chandrasegaram, an upcountry Tamil and Member of JVP. The first meeting of the Select Committee took place on 5th February 2008. We are looking forward to a positive outcome to this advocacy work, which will raise the status and opportunities of thousands of refugees. Our thanks are due to Mr. Amsa and Mr. Nagandala of the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission and the officials of the state and central Government who have been very helpful in this work.

Bank of Ceylon Accounts

In February 2008 a momentous ceremony took place at the Bank of Ceylon branch in Chennai. OfERR forged an agreement which allowed refugees in India to open savings accounts with this bank, the state bank of Sri Lanka. This will enable the refugees to maintain and make use of these savings immediately on their return to Sri Lanka. The Chairman of Bank of Ceylon Mr. Gamini Wickramasinghe, the Deputy High Commissioner for Sri Lanka Mr. Amza, the Country Manager of Bank of Ceylon Mr. Nandasiri and our Treasurer Mr. S.C.Chandrahasan were present as the first accounts were finalised.

Politics and Peace

Meetings have been held at district level to discuss the option of a federal-style political system in Sri Lanka. As a result, requests have been made by the refugees to the President of Sri Lanka for the implementation of the APRC (All Parties Representatives Committee) proposals for the introduction of a federal type of government.

In September 2007, our Treasurer visited the USA and Canada to attend meetings on political and funding issues.

At the latest World Peace Day we participated in a joint programme in the Sri Lankan Embassy office and once more conveyed the refugee community’s desire for peace. All the refugee camps celebrated this day, and OfERR delivered a message of peace to all our well-wishers, funding partners and foreign embassies.

One of our volunteers participated in a recent human rights conference conducted in Amristar, Punjab. The problems of Sri Lankan refugees were conveyed to the international audience.

A documentary film on the lives of Sri Lankan refugees is being produced by Mr. Seshathri. OfERR is lending its full support to the production of this film.