“Her Stories”Compiled by “Viluthu”, Sri Lanka

2013. 3, Torrington Place, Colombo. 3

Memories of Motherso Lost their ChildrenoLost their HusbandsoLost their families

“Her Stories”, Compiled by “Viluthu”

• Out of 270 stories collected 60 were exhibited o the basis of equal representation of North and South.

• Documentation used methods of• “Trees of Life”• Memory Mapping.• Videography• And Photo essays.

This country belongs to all our communities. We need to build that sense of shared ownership. For this we need to dispel the suspicion and mistrust that’s grown between us. We must give people their right to live: They should also have their rights to their language, to their land, to education and to work. That’s the only way we can have a secure and happy future for all of us.

“Her Stories”, Compiled by “Viluthu”, 2013

I have worked in refugee camps that housed both Tamils and Sinhalese. I noticed that there was anger against Tamil people amongst the Sinhalese. When I feel angry about the LTTE, I start thinking about why it was formed. I recognize that the LTTE was struggling to gain rights for the Tamil people. No one was willing to hand them their rights on a platter. But I wish they had fought their war without hurting innocent people. Neither my mother nor my father had the slightest hatred towards Tamil people. They are clear that Tamil people are not to blame for my brother’s death. “Her Stories”, Compiled by “Viluthu”, 2013

We are happy that the war ended; but there is no ending to our sadness because our son disappeared. I would like to tell our leaders that if they had done what was right, this would never have happened. “Her Stories”, Compiled by “Viluthu”, 2013

On this estate about 15 young men disappeared. All the parents got together to look for our sons. We went to the Red Cross, to Human Rights Commission and to the Police. I went to Colombo several times. I was taken to the prison to see whether he was there, but he wasn’t. The disappearances stopped the day the war ended.

“Her Stories”, Compiled by “Viluthu” , 2013

It is 4 years since my son disappeared. The war was between the LTTE and the Government; but we couldn’t protect our sons who were not part of it. When my son went missing it was as if I was living half a life.

“Her Stories”, Compiled by “Viluthu”, 2013

I was born in 1960, got married in 1980 and thereafter my five children were born. We came here one year ago. The children could not go to school. My husband also fell ill and died. My second son has no leg and his arm is twisted as well. When that happened the Army took him to hospital. My son does some fishing with his brother -

“Her Stories”, Compiled by “Viluthu”, 2013