The uprooted Tamils who are beginning to resettle in the recently released 818 acres of lands in Champoor complain that there is still no assurance that they would not be chased away once again from their lands and properties. This is the fourth time they are told that they could commence their resettlement. Despite the prevailing uncertainty, they have started to clear the lands and put up temporary huts. Still the occupying Sri Lanka Navy controls the lands with access to potable water, resettling civilians told TamilNet on Thursday. “The SL Navy intends to sustain the militarisation while we expect the global community to exert pressure to sustain our livelihoods,” a resettling Tamil civilian said.
“Every time you are asked to resettle, we go and clear the lands on our own without any assistance. The female-headed families have to hire workers to clean their lands. We want to resettle in our own lands and we have enough moral strength to do whatever it is necessary to resettle. But, we simply lack resources. Any help to strengthen us to establish our huts – without waiting till the elections are over – would mean a lot to us,” an uprooted Eezham Tamil told TamilNet.
Another uprooted Tamil from Champoor said: “We have to walk for 1.5 km to 3 km to find potable water. “There is no supply of dry rations. We live under the trees where snakes are abundant. We lack proper tools to clear the lands. What we urgently need are potable water and toilets. After that we also expect assistance to put up our huts. We are able to trace the boundaries, but need help to put up the fences around them.”
