March 4, 2008
Newsletter #11

Something worthwhile

It is sometimes difficult to fathom that this beautiful, palm-tree saturated island is a war zone. After my refreshing and reunion-filled holiday to the States, I arrived in Sri Lanka in early January to hear the news that two ministers of the government had been killed and that the government had decided to annul the six-year-old, moribund ceasefire agreement with the Tamil Tigers (LTTE), a separatist group that claims to represent Sri Lanka’s ethnic minority Tamils, and is fighting against the Sinhalese-dominated government to create an independent Tamil state.

The recent incidents, which include multiple bus bombings and civilian deaths, have helped me reflect on Sri Lanka, which celebrated its sixtieth year of independence on February 4.  A day that should have been filled with joy and festivities was instead a day of fear, as two bombs had exploded in different parts of the capital, Colombo, the day before. The government allowed the parades and ceremonies to take place on the fourth, but many roads were blocked off, and most people stayed inside. After 30 years of civil war, this is Sri Lanka these days: increased police checkpoints, increased social tension, the future a big question mark.

Oddly, the routines of daily living aren’t affected by the civil strife. People go to the market, attend perahera parades to celebrate the Buddhist holiday of the full moon, and they focus on their work.

Recently Praja Abhilasha (the Joining Hands network in Sri Lanka) has been conducting regional workshops on globalization, so I had to go to Trincomalee, a Tamil majority community in a high-security zone in northeast Sri Lanka. It was a stronghold of the LTTE until the government “liberated” it in July 2007, creating a town that is overrun with army soldiers and checkpoints.

Raajan, local coordinator for Praja Abhilasha, facilitates a discussion during a workshop in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka.

My two colleagues and I left at 2:00 a.m., hoping to arrive by 9:00 a.m. for the workshop, which we would be holding for one of our fishery organizations. The actual travel time is not seven hours, but as you approach Trincomalee, you have to stop at the many army checkpoints, answer questions about the purpose of your travel, have your vehicle and bags thoroughly checked, and receive permission to travel on to the next checkpoint, where a similar procedure is carried out. It makes for a long journey, but it’s worth it because travel to the region is so limited. It is worth the long, hard journey to see the look on the faces of the people when they see that they have not been forgotten. It is worth it to hear the sound of laughter come from a people who have been through so much, yet carry on with hope for their future. It is worth it to hear the dialogue that goes on between young and old, Sinhalese and Tamil, about a shared concern for their country. It is worth it to gain the understanding and awareness that come from these discussions, which might not have taken place without your presence. I am truly grateful for these experiences.

Trincomalee women enjoy laughter during the workshop on globalization.

Praja Abhilasha is now developing a land rights campaign to focus on communities that have been displaced, due to the tsunami, war, natural disasters, and development projects. We will soon do extensive research on each community that has been affected—what has been completed, what are the policies, and what could and should be completed in the future. After the research has been compiled and analyzed, we will find common threads within the situation of each organization in Praja Abhilasha in order to create a focused campaign with a unified platform of advocacy and mass mobilization. It is difficult to say where this research will lead us, but we are eager for the results and for the progession of the movement in knowledge and action.

Raajan tries his hand at rowing a traditional fishing boat in a reservoir in Polonnaruwa during lunch break of a workshop for an inland fisheries organization.

I continue to see many worthwhile opportunities. This campaign looks beyond religion, beyond ethnicity, and beyond class. It is grounded in a common struggle against inequality and injustice. It is a chance for people who have been divided by war to share the belief that God wants peace and wholeness for all, and that love is at the core of it.

Though nobody knows where this war will take the country, or how long people will continue to suffer, I am reassured by the fact that there are people here who are constantly battling for justice and peace, people who see that a different path must be taken. It may be a slow process and it may be unproductive at times, but at least something worthwhile is occurring within the midst of it all.

Peace,

Chenoa

The 2008 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 90