New Delhi - The Indian government must put pressure on Sri Lanka, to find a "political solution" to the Tamil question. This is the reaction of Jesuit Father Jebamalai Raja, coordinator of Ecumenical Christian Forum for Human Rights, to the victory of President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the 26 January elections. Speaking to AsiaNews he also highlights the role of New Delhi, which must "monitor the implementation" of a future agreement.
Fr. Raja said that India "must push Rajapaksa to work to bring peace, justice and the end of the feeling of isolation and abandonment" that reigns among the Tamils of Sri Lanka. On the eve of elections, the refugees who have found refuge in India had little confidence in a possible change. Rajapaksa, in fact, can count on the solid support of the majority Sinhalese, while the Tamil expressed their preference for the opposition candidate, General Sarath Fonseka, who lost - with some shadows of doubt cast over the vote - the polls.
The Jesuit explained that "more than 140 thousand displaced people have returned home, most of them to Jaffna, Mannar and Vavuniya. However, many still live in makeshift shelters such as churches and schools". The most serious situation of hardship affects "war amputees, widows, children and families of former rebels, for whom it will take time before they can return to a normal life. Employment and infrastructure is lacking, continues the religious, in particular "boats and fishing nets" added to which there are restrictions imposed by the military. "They depend on humanitarian aid - said Father Raja - during the war years more than 1,000 schools were closed and even now nearly 400 have yet to reopen their doors".
A Tamil refugee, who since 1991 has lived in Madurai (Tamil Nadu) adds: "an atmosphere of desolation reigns among Tamil refugees here in Tamil Nadu. The election results have disappointed them and they fear new repression, because it is obvious that Rajapaksa favors only the majority Sinhalese. "
The newly elected president is held responsible for mass murder of defenceless civilians, caused by the bombing with artillery and mortars, and has contributed to "fuelling distrust, division and suspicion" between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils. This is why the refugee asks the international community to insist that independent media can have access to Sri Lanka, a nation where the abuses continue in the general silence. "The world must not forget - he concludes - the suffering of our people ... until then we can only wait and see".
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