It is 32 years since Muslims were evicted from the North and a solution for their plight is not visible in the horizon.
It was a gloomy night in October 1990. A heavy rain was pouring down in the northern region, which is a blessing for the farmers preparing for the Maha Kannaya. Suddenly the loudspeakers of the nearby mosque crackled getting ready to make an announcement. The PA system of the mosque is used for two purposes. One being the Azan or the call of prayer. And occasionally it is used to make special announcements such as a death of local. However, this time it was neither. Incredibly, the announcer introduced himself as a member of the LTTE, the terror arm of the Tamil separatists, which in itself was incredible. The announcer said that every Muslim in the north should leave the region within 24 hours since the region only belongs to Tamils. The announcement implied that a similar announcement is being made all over the region using the PA system of mosques in the north.
Sending a chill across the spines of the Muslim listeners, the LTTE member further said that no one can take any of their belongings with them expect what they wear. With no government forces to give protection, the Muslims had no other choice except to obey the LTTE which was notorious for its barbaric acts especially towards other communities living in this country.
However, there were countless questions the clueless Muslims faced. Of course, it is not humanely possible to leave an area they have lived for generations within such a short notice. Is this a temporary eviction? Will they be allowed to come back soon? Where can they go? What will happen to their properties, land, valuables, education of the children? What can the disable, the sick and the helpless old people do? Can they entrust their valuables to anyone? In addition, the heavy down pour too was making things compounded.
This is how the exodus of Muslims started in the North over three decades ago.
Until, 2009 when the LTTE were totally defecated by the government forces, most of the evicted northern Muslims drifted down the island and started to live in refugee camps erected in areas like Puttlam. Inevitably, those camps either lacked or was inadequate in every facility such as toilets, cook houses, sleeping areas etc. Many who lived their described them as open prisons. Some said they were worse than prisons. The places since being mostly rural, were infested with venomous reptiles. The make shift roofs were leaky making living under it almost impossible during times of rain.
The children in the camps, who grew up into men in the very camps, were deprived of education, proper health care and every other need and comfort enjoyed by kids elsewhere in the country. Without formal education their future seemed extremely dismal.
When the LTTE were wiped off the face of the earth, Muslims living in the refugee camps gradually started to go to their own areas from which they were chased decades ago. However, the process has not been completed even today. An estimated 50 % of the northern Muslims still languish in refugee camps or in homes of friends or relatives.
Governments that have come to power since 2010 promised to provide a permanent solution to the refugee issues. Accordingly, resettlement programs it implemented based on transitional justice concept.
Some of the internally displaced people who have become somewhat successful financially in the areas where they migrated are living fairly comfortably. However these people and the people living in the refugee camps will not be resettled immediately. It is not practically possible either because, from 1990 to 2010, the original areas where Northern Muslims lived prior to forced eviction remain uninhabited for over 20 years thus have become forests. It is the moral duty of the government to clear these forests and provide few essential needs to the returning people.
The government adopted the mechanism of transitional justice because it would take some time to make such arrangements.
However, this mechanism was not followed in the case of northern Muslims. They were required to resettle the entire family if they wish to resettle. If they do so, due to lack of means they will have to live in makeshift shacks and tents for an uncertain period until they gain firm footing. Only after that the Grama Niladari will come and give the necessary papers.
Until then, especially females are faced with various inconveniences such as lack of proper toilet facilities. Ironically the life in their native places rendered worse than that of the life in the refugee camps. The Northern Province administration also adhered to an unfair treatment of these Muslims.
Even when the transitional justice mechanism was in place, the Northern Province administration maintained an iron grip on the returning native Muslims. As a consequence, only 53 % of the Muslims have been resettled so far.
However, the educational facilities were not improved. The health sector is almost non existent. There is massive discrimination and segregation in the transport and other administrative activities.
It is the responsibility of the government to eliminate these shortcomings and hardships suffered by the resettling Muslims.
The Muslims of the northern region (Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and Mannar) who were forced out by the LTTE in 1990 started come back after the war was ended in 2009 to resettle
in their homeland in the districts of Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and Mannar. They returned with hope that this would mark an end to life in the refugee camps.
But, their hopes were shattered and they are now frustrated. Various barriers and hurdles were continuously placed before them one after another making resettling almost impossible in their own ancestral area. There are restrictions from the central government as well from the local authorities. The marginalization, oppression and discrimination of the local administrations in the Northern Province is more insensitive than that of the central government. By comparison life in the refugee camps seemed far better. Because there was no discrimination in camps.
How cruel it would be to get third class citizen treatment in one’s own land? Migrating altogether to another country seemed easier than trying to resettle in their native regions in their own country.
It is difficult to describe the pattern of discrimination against Muslims especially in the education and health sectors. It is almost impossible for Muslims to take advantage of the provisions provided by the state in transport, irrigation, agriculture and fisheries sectors too.
Moreover, the government had acquired many Muslim lands for security forces and the police in addition to individual land grabbing. More lands were taken by the government under its so rain forest expansion program.
They declared areas like Mullaitivu and Mannar as forests along with the boundaries of Muslim habitations. They erected boundary stones. This has made Muslims to come back for resettling and still languish in camps even after the war has been ended. Musali area in Mannar is the most effected. Even compensation too were not given for acquired lands. When Muslims tried to clear the lands that were grown into forest, environmental activists started cry foul under the pretext that Muslims are destroying wild life sanctuaries.
Able few among refugees resettled immediately. However, there are many who do not have the means or support to do so. The northern administration shows little concern for such marginalized, poor ones. They maintain that female-headed families wish to stay here for at least one year things would be solved. However, there are no housing facilities here, no defecation facilities. And without even other essential facilities, how could they live for so long?
When they are already impoverished, how could a woman who is the bed winner of the family could come here and set up temporary shelters? Who will provide them with funds? who will protect their children? And if there are female kids n the family who could guarantee their safety?
If a woman is the head of the household, how can she leave her daughter alone in Puttlam and carry out her work from the resettlement area? On the other hand if her family is brought to the resettlement area, where could they be accommodated? And how to fulfill their basic needs? There are endless questions and no answers.
Who would pay the transportation costs to travel back and forth? Even in midst of such predicament, the Northern administration maintains an iron grip. As a result, many people are living in refugee camps without coming back to resettle.
Due to the red tape of the northern administration, most of the northern Muslims have been wandering here and there in the island like gypsies for the past 10 years unable to come back to their original homes. Travel restriction imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic period things only got worse for these innocent people. Many of them went to their relatives and children’s homes in Puttlam and could not return.
Then the Northern Administration issued the most ridiculous announcement. It said that Samoordhi can be obtained by the Northern Muslims in Puttlam itself if they they register immediately in Puttlam. Muslims, who did not know about the catch in this ruse, rushed to relevant government offices to register their names hoping get Samoordhi benefits. What the authorities did subsequently, is removing those names from the voters’ lists in their respective electorates depriving even the voting franchise of this less fortunate people sensing votes of these frustrated Muslims would definitely swing against the government party in the election.
In this manner, Northern Muslims are facing difficulties, unfairness, oppressions and discriminations just about in every sector. It is time the authorities looked into their plights and provided sustainable solutions.(NewsNow)
Written by: P.M. Mujeebur Rahman
Social Activist, Mannar
