Sri
Lanka’s civil war has left a significant mark in my life. I still remember the
day I was seized by the LTTE and forced to become a LTTE child soldier.
Although in action and attire I soon became one of them I could never reconcile
with the idea of being a soldier. The days in the war zone are vivid images set
in my mind. I was admitted to the Vavuniya hospital one day for being shot in
the leg.The physical mark of war still remains with me. It was while in this
hospital that I first heard that the war had come to an end. I had never wanted
to fight for an Ezham (Elaam) state and this brought great joy to me. Finally
things could go back to normal and finally I would not have to live in fear of
having to be part of the LTTE.
The
end of the war did not signify the end of all traces of war. It was challenging
to return to the normalcy and routine that I had once craved. During this time
I received the opportunity to take part in the SLU’s Future Leaders’
Conference. With the joy of being able to travel the country with freedom also
came the challenge of language barriers and difficulty in communication.
Nevertheless I was able to meet people from across the nation and soon language
did not stop us forming bonds and friendships that were meaningful. The road
trip in 2012 with twenty other SLU members marked an important period in my
life. I who had once been forced to fight as a terrorist, I who had been
despised by others for no fault of my own was now privileged enough to take
words of wisdom and encouragement about reconciliationto schools across Sri
Lanka. This made a great impact on me and encouraged me to pursue further
education. I study IT in the SLU Reconciliation Centre in Mullaitivu and I hope
to become a teacher one day.
Story By - Nijanthan (Sri Lanka Unites - Dream Team Member)
Translated By - Shruthi Waduge
No comments:
Post a Comment