HERSTORIES

My own village is Kokkuthuduvai. I was married to a Muslim man. He left me over a misunderstanding about 12 years ago. I have two boys and one girl. My 14-year-old boy was shot and killed in our presence by the IPKF.

We were displaced thirty years ago and now we are settled in Mullaitivu. While we kept going from place to place we lost all our possessions. We were sent in different groups to various places, so all the relatives got scattered. My daughter’s child was killed, so was my brother’s child. We lost so many relatives. Finally, we were brought and placed in a fenced area. Almost all of us were ill.

We don’t have a house yet. Only the tin sheets for the roofing were given. I want a house to live in. For the past 10 years, I am living alone. My children and my brother are helping me. They look after me in spite of their own problems.

I want to start a small business. My children can’t help me because they have many children and are very poor. I don’t have much faith in the Government. I would like other groups to help me. I don’t want much, just enough to be able to exist.

I have nothing against anyone, whether Sinhalese, Tamil or Muslim. I have a lot of faith in all the religions. All the gods are the same to me. I pray that my family and I can live in peace. What else would I want?