HERSTORIES

It is 4 years since my son disappeared. The war was between the LTTE and the Government; but we couldn’t protect our sons who were not part of it. When my son went missing it was as if I was living half a life.

On this estate about 15 young men disappeared. All the parents got together to look for our sons. We went to the Red Cross, to Human Rights Commission and to the Police. I went to Colombo several times. I was taken to the prison to see whether he was there, but he wasn’t.The disappearances stopped the day the war ended.

We have lived here for 25 years. My son worked on the rubber plantations. He would bring us money at the end of the week and spend on my medicines. We are resigned to a future without our son and living from hand to mouth, making most of the little we have.

Our daughter went to the Middle East and we haven’t heard from her for a long time. Her husband also disappeared. So we look after their two children. We make about 500 Rupees a day making spoons.

I would like to tell those parents who did not lose their children, that they must have done something good. We must have done something bad for this to happen to us.

We are happy that the war ended; but there is no ending to our sadness because our son disappeared. I would like to tell our leaders that if they had done what was right, this would never have happened.