NOVEMBER 2004 : SRI LANKA : Memories of a volunteer : a trip to Trincomalee

Trincomalee

Margaret and family had business in Trincomalee, 174 km south-east of Kilinochchi, and offered to take me as well. Although supposedly a four hour trip, the roads were in disrepair and there were several checkpoints along the way, which are always time-consuming. If you were travelling by bus all passengers must leave the bus and papers were checked individually as you (patiently) wait in long queues  but if you travel by car inspectors check your papers as you waited in your vehicles. As we travelled south we saw teams of de-miners methodically scanning fields for land mines, planted during the ‘90s conflict. Before Vavuniya it was teams of Tamil soldiers looking for Singla-planted munitions and after Vavuniya, out of Tamil territory, it was teams of Singla soldiers searching for Tamil-laid mines.

As we travelled along I spied a large stupa, which I recognised from my Asian Studies degree days. We were passing near Anuradhapura when the stupa at Mihintale appeared on the side of the main road. This is of enormous significance for the Sinhalese as it is where Buddhism originated in Sri Lanka in 247 BC.  Malinda, the son of the Indian Buddhist emperor, Ashoka, met the king of Anuradhapura near here while deer hunting and converted him to Buddhism.

As we travelled beside a river we noticed elephants being washed, thoroughly enjoying the experience.

Trincomalee is the gateway to some of the finest beaches in Sri Lanka. It has one of the world’s deepest harbours and is home to a large navalbase. I remember my father reminiscing  that this was one of the ports that his army convoy docked in en route to the Middle East conflict during WW2. It has figured largely in the civil war conflicts being on the border of the enemy forces and a major port. At this time in 2004, curfews had begun with posturing by both sides.

We visited a large orphanage near the port. There are many Tamil orphanages in the North, due to poverty and the loss of parents in the recent conflict, which ended in 2002. Ironically, when we arrived holding little Maya, they thought we were bringing her for their care. This centre had just been taken over by the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation but tragically in only a few weeks from this time the whole area was devastated by the 2004 Boxing Day tsumani, which Trincomalee bore the major brunt. So many of these children, if not all, perished on that day.

Then we drove to a resort on Nilaveli Beach. Quite a contrast to my living conditions of the last few weeks - hot water and spotless!

A delicious meal at the resort restaurant capped a very special and fascinating day.

The next day we were informed that there would be a curfew in Trincomalee. Protesters were arriving to disrupt the planned Martyrs’ Day remembrance ceremonies. The resort owner said that in the 1990s there was fighting all along the beach, in front of the hotel, but they did not close during the years of conflict. We avoided driving through the centre of Trincomalee and took a minor road through jungle until we connected to the northern road back to Kilinochchi.

M

NOVEMBER 2004 : SRI LANKA : Memories of a volunteer : a weekend in Jaffna

One of the students at the college, Boby, invited me to visit family friends in Jaffna. 

“We caught a bus and had to go through two checkpoints. There was evidence of previous civil war comflicts, with land mine warnings and burnt out tanks and buildings along the journey. Sections of Jaffna were closed off as two students had been shot on a sports field at Port Pedro. More signs there is growing tension between the Tamil and Singla communities.”

We are staying with a family who were displaced from their original home in 1995.

The family now live in a rundown shell of a house in suburban Jaffna. They have electricity, a well for water, a squat toilet in the yard.

Despite this, the family welcome other displaced youth to share their home.

The backyard and family goat 

We were given a wonderful meal of chicken curry for all staying in the house. I went to thank the lady of the house and realised it had all been cooked on a single burner in a very rudimentary kitchen.

My hosts had organised a three- wheeler for the day.

First stop - The Great Jaffna Temple, constructed in 1734.

One of the main tourist attractions around Jaffna is the Naga Pooshani Amman Kovil temple on the island of Nainativu, which you travel to by ferry.

Arriving at the port of Nainativu

Naga Pooshani Amman Kovil Temple is visited by both Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims.There are many legends associated with this temple. Families come who are wanting to conceive children as it is dedicated to Shiva’s wife, Meenakshi.

“The highlight was when we were invited with all the worshippers to lunch in an outbuilding next door. We sat on the floor and were all given a banana leaf. On a large metal plate. We were then served a large portion of rice,dhal, eggplant and green chilli curry. When you had finished you folded the banana leaf and carried it out the back to be fed to stray dogs and crows. Finally you washed your hands in a special silver container near the tank. The process all part of a ritual tradition.”

Then we made our way to the bus station to catch a late bus back to Kilinochchi.

M

NOVEMBER 2004 : SRI LANKA : Memories of a volunteer : Kilinochchi schools and temples

I was interested in visiting a local school. It was a shock to see the state of the government primary school.  It was housed in rudimentary buildings with no electricity or lighting.The classrooms were very dark and overcrowded, 60+ students with a blackboard.

The younger children were in a dark, mud hut. There weren’t enough chairs for every child.

The older students were sitting an end of year exam

A former school - bombed and now derelict from a previous conflict

The English College had made connections with The International School and several students volunteered in classes there.

Lunch provided

A school performance

One of the teachers asked me to check her script for the Christmas play. She had decided that she would perform the Old Testament story of Abraham and the slaying of Isaac. I was amused by her choice.

A beautifully dressed student ready for their National Day performance

A local Hindu temple

Ritual bathing before entering the temple

The friendly priests

A devotee

The population in this area is either Catholic or Hindu. It was so interesting visiting various centres to look at the range of lifestyles in this small town.

M

NOVEMBER 2004 : SRI LANKA : Memories of a volunteer : Meeting the students at the English Language College

The English College sponsored by the local Tamil community was opened in September 2004 to provide opportunities for their young people. The first group consisted of 15 students, ranging in age from 20 - 25. All of the students were from the north, many from the Jaffna area and were housed and provided for at the college, returning home on the weekends.

Margaret was involved in the design of the college compound. She suggested teaching areas with half walls (cooler and more natural light) and thatched roofs, which are traditional and economical.

“We arrive at 9am and I sit in and assist the student teachers in class. We chat a lot as they want and need lots of conversation practice. They work on their preparations for their after school community classes until lunch time. At 2 I give a practical class on classroom strategies and games. At 4 the school children arrive for their small group lessons. After dinner, eaten together, we go through the English Language coursebook, which deals with grammar, idioms, comprehension exercises etc until 7pm.”

Afternoon community classes

The main hall, kitchen and the girls’ dormitories 

Music and dancing to finish the school day

Always fun and laughter

There were drama activities. This play was written and performed for a National Day celebration.

The girls had all learnt traditional Indian dance as children and were so graceful.

At 4 pm local school children arrived for English tutoring. Our students each had a small group to implement the lessons we had been practising.

Two meals a day were delivered to the college for all students and staff.

My impressions

“Food is pretty basic delivered in individually wrapped newspaper parcels. It is mainly a large serving of rice with a small serving of fish or vegetable curry. At other times we’ve had a pancake dosa and sambas - delicious with grated coconut, chilli and some kind of fish.”

Piraveena’s tea recipe

Put a handful of tea leaves in a sieve and pour hot water through it. Put half a cup of sugar in a jug, add dry powdered milk and mix with hot water. Combine with the tea leaves. Then pour mixture into another container back and forth until the mixture is the right colour and temperature.

Boys were responsible for carrying water from the well to kitchen and wet areas for washing

The trusty caretaker

Transport was limited for the journey into Kilinochchi 

Three-wheeler

In my final week I organised a mini bus to collect us all to go to a local restaurant

The following June this remarkable group of students graduated as the first English teachers from the college.

Despite the many years of  hardship due to displacement of the civil war, their subsistence lifestyle and the tragic loss of family, one a small daughter, in the tsunami, they persevered with this opportunity.

As you can imagine, this was a life-changing experience for me, working with such a talented and dedicated group, determined to survive and progress despite their poverty, deprivation and lack opportunities. 

M