Alles Garden, Trincomalee

Sunday, July 02, 2006


"I am pregnant. But I have decided to leave this welfare centre and go to India to settle down. My mother is living in abroad. She sent some money. I am going to make use of that money, and accompany my husband. He is a fisherman, but does not go to the sea. We do not have any income to run the family. I should be financially fit, once my child is born. I can stitch dresses and earn an income when I go to India" says Archchanthini Kumarakulasingham (18) of Alles Garden welfare camp in Trincomalee, East of Sri Lanka


There are 109 families (360 persons) currently living in this welfare camp


The refugees of Alles Garden welfare camp complain that, they are refugees of war and peace


Most of the refugees decide to leave discreetly to Mannar and from there to India


"I have been living in this welfare camp for the past eleven years. I wish that, I would have continued my studies and working now.But due to poverty, I had to stop my studies.I am married now.My husband is a fisherman, but he does to go to the sea for fishing. I have also decided to leave this welfare camp and go to India by sea. It costs Rupees ten thousand per person to go from Mannar to India. There are more expenses involved such as transport charges from Trincomalee to Mannar, and food and accommodation. Since I do not have enough money for the expenses, I have decided to sell my jewelleries including my wedding ring and my husband's. It's sad to sell wedding rings, but I have no other choice. I want to take care of the lives of my husband and elder brother. Their lives are more important to me than my jewelleries. They have to live long" says Thevapriya Marsilian (18) of Alles Garden welfare camp in Trincomalee.


They parents are worried that the education of their children is disturbed, as they are on the move


"There is no privacy" the refugees complain


The refugees were displaced from Kuchchaveli, in 1985


Play time for the kids


Most of the males at the Alles Garden welfare camp work as fishermen