A Turning Point in the life of a Human Rights Defender

When the 1994-95 peace process in Sri Lanka also failed, war erupted again on 19th April 1995, and the then President Chandrika Kumarathunga initiated a “War for Peace” campaign. In the same year, another event forced me to change my approach toward the path of non-violence. On the 22nd of September 1995, I received an urgent notice from my officer in charge for the St. John’s Ambulance Service. I told my mum about that notice during a time when heavy shelling and aerial bombing was taking place around us. After a few minutes silence she told me to attend to that invitation.

Neither of us thought that this mission would prove to be a turning point in my life. As a first aider with the St. John Ambulance Brigade that was my first mission in a warzone. There were constant attacks on one side, while I was moving on the other side.  When I reached the meeting point I saw only four other volunteers.  Usually, we would provide our service to nonviolent demonstrations, rallies and festivals. Throughout that period we had 25 to 50 volunteers, but, regrettably, for this particular mission only five of us came forward.

We joined with the Sri Lanka Red Cross (SLRC), Point Pedro Branch. Altogether there,  we were about 15 volunteers. We decided “we must be ready to face ‘anything’, and basically, it is a kind of do or die mission”.  Our teams rotationally deployed in Point Pedro, Nagarkovil and Manthikai hospital.  At about 1.30pm we heard the news that ‘pucara’ aircraft bombed Nagarkovil Maha Vidyalayam (School). Our teams rushed to the spot.

The whole area was resembled a bloodbath, there were dead and wounded bodies strewn around and many screams of distress and cries for help. On the same day in the evening, when I was at Manthikai hospital I got to know that 21 students were killed and 40 wounded. All were in their school uniforms. All of us were deeply disturbed by that tragedy; however, we continued our service for five days without proper meals or sleep.

I was the youngest in our team, and when I met the SLRC for the first time; they asked me "Can you carry a stretcher?" I replied to them through my actions. On the third day of our mission we all gathered at SLRC office in Point Pedro. After three days we were ready to sit for dinner when shells began to fall close to our premises. Our Team leader ordered us to jump into the bunker. We did it immediately, but shelling continued. When we were inside the bunker, we heard screaming from a neighbouring house. Nearly 15 shells fell in our surrounding area; after shelling turned from our area, we came out and rushed to the particular direction, from where the screams were coming. A Mother and daughter were wounded, but not seriously injured, immediately we sent them to Manthikai hospital. For reasons of safety hundreds of people stayed there.

Later we stopped bothering about the shelling; where -ever shells were falling we rushed to that spot to provide first aid for people. We did our best; throughout our mission, we protected hundreds of civilians. We were satisfied about our support for war affected people, but memories of tragedy still exist, even after 15 years.  When I was in Jaffna, I used to take part in an annual remembrance for massacred students.  Now I wonder how I had that much of courage at 15 years of age. We were at that time led by Mr.Thavarajah who in 2007 was shot dead by militias in Jaffna.

Five days after, I returned home, almost like a living corpse, because of tiredness on one hand and the continuous remembrance of tragedy scenes on the other hand. When I returned Amma (mom) was also back from temple (later on I learnt that during the five days of my abscence she spent most of her time at temple for prayers, especially for my safety). I don’t know how to explain that feeling, she hugged me and I saw her tearful eyes. Some of our relatives were not happy about my actions, they said to me ‘you are the life of your Amma, if anything happens she cannot bear it, you should think about it’. After they went I told my Amma about all the incidents which I had seen in those five days.  She was also worried and furious at the war regime. After a few minutes silence she said “We must teach a lesson to them (the war regime). Definitely, one day they will learn it." But I did not ask in which way to teach a lesson, and neither did she mention it.

Within a short period two out of five of my team-mates joined the LTTE. Amma was aware of it as well. My relatives thought I too would do the same. That same evening Amma asked me to go with her to our family temple. Already, sh  had arranged a special prayer for me. After prayers she tied a protective thread around my hand. After a  moment’s silence, we looked at each other’s eyes. That look was heavy with meaning and contained different understandings which we tried to convey to each other  A few minutes later she took a deep breath and then broke her silence. She was telling me that due to government censorship the student massacre news did not reach the outside community. However, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and ICRC statements had partly  brought it to the attention of the world. Further she said, "This kind of information needs to reach outside Sri Lanka." There is certain continuity among peace people of all varieties. The young pick up ideas through families, friends, schools, books or particular experiences. [1]

My mom’s above mentioned concern planted a constructive seed in my mind. That particular moment was the starting point of my current caliber as a journalist, human rights defender and peace activist.

After two of my St. John ambulance teammates took to the gun as a weapon, I chose the pen, but both my friends did not achieve their expected goal. I lost one of my friends. But, I still strongly believe in my path of non-violence.

During the Tsunami period it came to my knowledge that the brother of a Sinhala friend of mine is in the Sri Lankan Army and was deployed in the Nagarkovil Forward Defense Line (FDL). When I told this story to my friends they reminded me that my remaining friend who was with me during the 1995 student massacre was also deployed in the Nagarkovil FDL as a LTTE cadre. I do not know where they are now, but if they are still there, if war erupts I will lose at least one of my friends. I do not worry about whether he is a Sinhala army soldier or a Tamil rebel; I do not want to lose any of them.    This reason is also vital to my dedication to the field of peace building.

During the current presidency, journalists and later peace activists / humanitarian workers became targets. Human rights defenders are targeted or under pressure after the GoSL lost its seat in the UN human Rights Council election in 2008. The life of an activist in Sri Lanka is one of alarming risk.  Between January 2006 to August 2007 44 humanitarian workers were killed in Sri Lanka.[2] At present the number has reached about 50.

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[1] Locke, Elsie (1992) Peace People, pg 134 Hazard Press
[2] http://www.sangam.org/2007/08/Humanitarian_Workers.php?uid=2511

 This article was written in November 2008