The roof of the OfERR office in Chennai is not built as a permanent structure since the refugees have every intention of returning home to fulfill their dream of peace in Ceylon/Sri Lanka.
PWRDF Partner responds to new refugees fleeing violence in Sri Lanka
I can hear the neighbourhood children as they noisily make their way home from the early days of the school year. For some it is the excitement of a first time experience and others are getting reacquainted with friends and the routine that school brings to the end of summer.
But schooling and almost every other aspect of daily living has been disrupted, again, for the people of the north east region of the small island of Sri Lanka — or “Ceylon” as it is still called by some Tamil refugees who fled the violence more than 20 years ago.
In India, PWRDF partners with the Organisation for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation, known as OfERR. Since 1984 OfERR has been an organization of refugees working for the empowerment of refugees, specifically Ceylon Tamil Refugees in India. There are presently more than a hundred thousand Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu and 65,000 of them are sheltered in the 101 refugee camps run by the government spread throughout the state.
India is not a signatory to the UN Convention on Refugees and there are no domestic laws providing rights or protection for refugees in India. The Indian government does provide shelter in camps throughout the country and a small allowance. Although the climate is favorable, OfERR continues to build on good relationships with the government and surrounding communities, especially as the as the crisis in Sri Lanka deepens and the refugee population increases.
From renewable energy and agriculture projects to skills training in land mine removal, through self-help economic groups, women’s programs, student groups, nutrition and health programs — OfERR helps refugees to improve their own quality of life in India and to gain practical skills for resettling again in their own country. Everything that they do and how they do it reflects this vision of returning home. They do not invest in permanent structures. They do not build huge administrative infrastructure. They prefer portable methods and equipment. They organize groups of women and students to strengthen their participation in community decision-making. And they are deeply committed to the ongoing education of their children.
Their priorities are unwavering as they propose to accommodate the 6,000 refugees who are casaulties of the recent violence. In addition to arrangements for cooking and clean water, decent shelter and access to the meager dole that India provides for registered refugees — OfERR proposes to ensure that every child attends school. They will provide coaching for children who have already fallen behind given their traumatic conditions at home. And they will work with families to get their children registered and ready for classes so that their education will continue. In this way, OfERR believes that their children are in the best position to make a contribution to a peaceful resettled community in Ceylon.
PWRDF is proud to accompany this organization who may construct temporary shelters for working and living but who builds solid foundations for community, measured by the strength of their women and the education of their children. May their dream of peace at home be realized.
As of September 11, 2006 PWRDF has contributed $25,000 towards OfERR’s emergency relief effort for recent refugees.