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The Dalai Lama
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thursday, April 30, 2020
Shot and shelled – but still succeeding
29 April 2020
A
small war-impacted school in Mullaitivu celebrated as two of its
students, both who were left paralyzed from the waist down by Sri Lankan
military attacks in 2009, achieved top marks in their O-Level exam
results this week.
Battling through more than a decade of disability, the two teenagers who
were injured in separate gun and bomb attacks by the army, collectively
achieved 8 As, B and 6 As, 2Bs in their examinations.
One of the schoolchildren, Vidurshika, spoke to the Tamil Guardian at
her home in Mullaitivu the day after she received her results.
She was just 6-years-old when a Sri Lankan soldier shot her in the back.
.jpg)
“During my time at the Ananda Coomaraswamy camp, I was caught up in the
conflict of a military fire zone which has resulted in
my current state," she said.
Having survived through the massacres at Mullivaikkal, Vidurshika and
her family were detained alongside tens of thousands of other Tamils at
the Menik Farm IDP camp in Vavuniya. On September 26, 2009, Sri Lankan
soldiers opened fire on a line of civilians queuing up at the camp, in
an incident that received widespread media coverage from the BBC, HRW and even then-UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.
Her older brother - who was 8-years-old at the time - was also injured
in the same attack.They received no reparations or assistance from the
government, with her family relying on donations from NGOs or the Tamil
diaspora to get by. The soldiers who delivered her life changing injury
have also never been held to account.
.jpg)
Despite the tribulations she has been through and the challenges she
continues to face, the 17-year-old says that she has ensured her focus
has been on her studies and was proud of her achievements so far.
"I am paralysed from the waist down. However, the next stage in life is
education. If we educate ourselves, we don’t need anything else.”
“Despite the problems we have, education is important. Through education we can achieve our goals,” she added.
Vidurshika credits her achievements down to her parents, her evening reading group, school staff and peers.
“They encouraged me, telling me that education is important and that I
could overcome any obstacles… they gave me faith,” she explained.
.jpg)
Vidurshika shows her desk where she sits and studied for her exams.
Her brother, who was also admitted to hospital alongside Vidurshika at
the time, has also succeeded academically, and is currently a first-year
engineering student at university.
.jpg)
Vidurshika is not alone in her perseverance. Her classmate, Pavadharani,
was also disabled during the Mullivaikkal massacres more than a decade
ago. A shell attack launched by the military landed where her family was
sheltering in 2009. Pavadharani’s father, a popular English teacher,
was killed on the spot and the then 6-year old was left with her legs
paralysed. Despite being confined to a wheelchair since, Pavadharani
also excelled in her examinations this week.
.jpg)
Both girls attend Kalaimagal Vidyalayam school in Mullaitivu, a district
that is still struggling from the impacts of war and continued
militarisation more than a decade since the end of the armed conflict.
Yet, stories like those of Vidurshika and Pavadharani, are still present
and a testament to the deep-rooted resilience of the region.
29 April 2020
A
small war-impacted school in Mullaitivu celebrated as two of its
students, both who were left paralyzed from the waist down by Sri Lankan
military attacks in 2009, achieved top marks in their O-Level exam
results this week.
Battling through more than a decade of disability, the two teenagers who
were injured in separate gun and bomb attacks by the army, collectively
achieved 8 As, B and 6 As, 2Bs in their examinations.
One of the schoolchildren, Vidurshika, spoke to the Tamil Guardian at
her home in Mullaitivu the day after she received her results.
She was just 6-years-old when a Sri Lankan soldier shot her in the back.
“During my time at the Ananda Coomaraswamy camp, I was caught up in the
conflict of a military fire zone which has resulted in
my current state," she said.
Having survived through the massacres at Mullivaikkal, Vidurshika and
her family were detained alongside tens of thousands of other Tamils at
the Menik Farm IDP camp in Vavuniya. On September 26, 2009, Sri Lankan
soldiers opened fire on a line of civilians queuing up at the camp, in
an incident that received widespread media coverage from the BBC, HRW and even then-UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.
Her older brother - who was 8-years-old at the time - was also injured
in the same attack.They received no reparations or assistance from the
government, with her family relying on donations from NGOs or the Tamil
diaspora to get by. The soldiers who delivered her life changing injury
have also never been held to account.
Despite the tribulations she has been through and the challenges she
continues to face, the 17-year-old says that she has ensured her focus
has been on her studies and was proud of her achievements so far.
"I am paralysed from the waist down. However, the next stage in life is
education. If we educate ourselves, we don’t need anything else.”
“Despite the problems we have, education is important. Through education we can achieve our goals,” she added.
Vidurshika credits her achievements down to her parents, her evening reading group, school staff and peers.
“They encouraged me, telling me that education is important and that I
could overcome any obstacles… they gave me faith,” she explained.
Vidurshika shows her desk where she sits and studied for her exams.
Her brother, who was also admitted to hospital alongside Vidurshika at
the time, has also succeeded academically, and is currently a first-year
engineering student at university.
Vidurshika is not alone in her perseverance. Her classmate, Pavadharani,
was also disabled during the Mullivaikkal massacres more than a decade
ago. A shell attack launched by the military landed where her family was
sheltering in 2009. Pavadharani’s father, a popular English teacher,
was killed on the spot and the then 6-year old was left with her legs
paralysed. Despite being confined to a wheelchair since, Pavadharani
also excelled in her examinations this week.
Both girls attend Kalaimagal Vidyalayam school in Mullaitivu, a district
that is still struggling from the impacts of war and continued
militarisation more than a decade since the end of the armed conflict.
Yet, stories like those of Vidurshika and Pavadharani, are still present
and a testament to the deep-rooted resilience of the region.
