"Thanks to MAG clearing my house and paddy land, I can move back to my ancestral lands and begin cultivating my fields," says 74-year-old Rasaiya Ragasingham from the conflict-hit village of Palliakuli.
Palliakuli was on the front line during the civil war, and its communities were amongst the first to be displaced by the conflict. Like many, Rasaiya Ragasingham left his home in September 2007, and he has since lived the harsh life of an IDP, moving between Arthimodai, Chethawadhi, Natuwan, Murippu, Anaivilunthan, Selvanagar, and Mannar.
Forced to live away from their homes for more than two years, villagers such as Rasaiya suffered many hardships including daily fear for their lives and inadequate food and shelter. Additionally, the many years of conflict left Rasaiya separated from his loved ones. Many of his family members were internally displaced, and two sons and two grandchildren became refugees after they fled the country in fear.
Even though the civil war ended last May, Rasaiya and other displaced people could not return home immediately due to leftover remnants of war. Large numbers of landmines and unexploded ordinance (UXO) - a legacy of the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) defending the area against Sri Lankan Army attacks for almost three months - plagued the area.
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| Rasaiya tends the banana and chili crops he planted. |
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| Rasaiya proudly displays his successful rice harvest. [Photos: MAG Sri Lanka] |
These dangerous items once made it impossible for displaced people to resume their normal lives. However, to aid in the resettlement process, MAG went to the community's assistance to clear 276 anti-personnel mines and 212 items of UXO between May and October 2009. As a direct result of MAG's intervention, eight families, including Rasaiva and his family, have now returned home.
After suffering the effects of the conflict for many years, Rasaiya is happy to be back in his birthplace with his family. While MAG's clearance work enabled Rasaiya's family to return home, the International Organization for Migration and local Sri Lankan organization, Sarvodaya, provided his family with building materials for their house and helped them rebuild their well.
"My family is reunited now that we have a home to live in," says Rasaiya. "My sons will visit me next month for the first time in 20 years, as they are no longer afraid to come back."
Rasaiya's daughter, Ashanti, also returned home this January with two children. She now helps her father farm their 20 acres of paddy land, while her children attend school in nearby Adampan.
The cleared land is now providing Rasaiya's family with a renewed sense of economic security. The family's last harvest brought them 800 bags of rice, which they sold for around 1,500 rupees (approximately $13) per bag. They have also begun growing fruits and vegetables, including banana trees, corn, and chili plants; and they are hopeful that these new crops will enable them to live a rewarding future.
Reporting by Markandu Sinthujan, MAG Sri Lanka Community Liaison Team Leader.
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MAG thanks the following donors to the Sri Lanka program: Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, US Department of State; AusAID; Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA); and Stichting Vluchteling.
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