Expelled Muslims Fear Being Forgotten After 20 Years

In a joint appeal, 29 Muslim civil society groups and religious institutions lamented over the lack of urgency and recognition shown to the 100,000 expelled Northern Muslims’ right to  return to their original homes in the north.

“Despite the end of the war in May 2009, and ongoing efforts to resettle Internally Displaced Persons, the expelled Northern Muslim community is still waiting for the announcement of a programme that will facilitate their dignified return to their places of origin, free of further trauma,” the appeal said.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the expulsion of the entire population of Muslims from the Northern Province by the LTTE. “It will hopefully also be the year of return for the Northern Muslims to rebuild their lives, livelihoods and a shared future with all communities of the north.”

The organisations complained that when resettlement of the IDPs commenced in the north, it only focused on the recently displaced Tamil IDPs. “While recognising and supporting the urgency for the resettlement of Wanni Tamil IDPs, Northern Muslims are worried that there is hardly any acknowledgment of their existence and needs, and they are left out of any planning of the entire resettlement process,” the appeal noted.

The Muslim IDPs have had to use their own resources and negotiate at an individual level to secure permission to return. While there are many challenges to resettlement, including de-mining, rebuilding infrastructure and providing basic assistance, the delay in resettling the Northern Muslims has raised fears that they will be excluded from the current resettlement process; which could result in their losing assistance both at a family and community level, increased conflicts between those currently settled and Northern Muslims trying to claim their original properties.

“Reintegrating the returning Northern Muslims with the Tamil community should be the priority; unfortunately so far little progress has been made,” the appeal said.

The Muslim organisations, meanwhile, have put forward several demands to the newly reelected President Mahinda Rajapaksa including to:
Immediately implement parallel resettlement of Northern Muslim IDPs with the resettlement of the Wanni IDPs.

Give the choice to all Northern Muslims whether to return or opt for local integration in areas where they are currently living.

Opening of Mannar – Puttalam road to facilitate Muslim IDPs’ return.

Equally prioritise Muslim villages and expedite the landmine clearance.

Ensure equity in terms of returnee assistance, rehabilitation and development resources to areas which were inhabited prior to the conflict.

Expelled Muslims who have lost their land and public resources due to resettlements that happened after their eviction in 1990 need to be duly compensated.

In the event of villages and lands of the Muslims being declared High Security Zones, alternative land and infrastructure should be rebuilt and handed over to the people.

Devise means of settling land disputes arising from land transactions and land allocations done by LTTE and government, in the absence of Northern Muslims in their areas of residence, giving full recognition to the land rights of the Northern Muslims.
Amend the Prescription Ordinance in the north and east, where large scale displacement had taken place and the inability of the displaced to reclaim the land during the last 19 years.

The 29 organisations concluded their appeal emphasizing that currently Muslims are returning to the north without much assistance from anyone, simply in the hope that they can restart their lives from scratch and co-exist once again with their Tamil brothers and sisters. Thus they urged the authorities who are involved in northern resettlement, rebuilding and development to fulfill the above requirement to reintegrate the expelled Muslims as part of the northern communities after 20 years.

The appeal was jointly signed by: Citizen Committee for Forcibly Evicted Northern Muslims, Community Trust Fund Puttalam, CTF Women’s Forum Vavuniya and Mannar, ORDER – Sri Lanka (Organization for Relief, Development, Education and Equal Rights), Mannar Women for Human Rights and Democracy,  Musali Civil Societies for Rights, Media Forum for Musali, Muslim Council of Sri Lanka, National Muslim Assembly,  Mullaithivu Welfare Society, Al Ameen Islamic Cultural Development Association, Asian Muslim Action Network, Asian Resource Foundation, Women Bureau Periyamadu- Mannar, Peace Networking Committee Puttalam, Organization for Peace and Education Development (OPDE), Child Vision Puttalam, APDC- Puttalam, Social Aid Puttalam, Social Improvement Foundation- Alankuda Puttalam,  Al-Kafala and Unity Lanka International, Federation of Mullaithivu Mosques, Fathuwa Committee Puttalam, Jaffna Mosque Committee, Mohideen Jummah Mosque Mannar, Mannar District Mosques Federation, Mullaithivu Masjith Trustee Board, Mullaithivu District Jammiyathul Ulama, Killinochchi District Trustee Board, Periyamadhu Mosque Federation, Veppankulam and Vidathalthivu Mohideen Jumma Mosque, Periya Karisal Mohideen Jumma Mosque and the Periyamadu Ilmiya Arabic College Committee.