"Nobody Cares For Us and We have Nowhere To Go"
“To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure. But risk must be taken because the greatest hazard is to risk nothing”-Anonymous
A family of three reside at the Jaffna Railway Station.Selvaratnam Jeyalingam (43) and his wife Jeyarubi Jeyalingam (40) have lost their legs and fingers in 1992 in Vasaavilaan, in Jaffna Peninsula.
“We were at sleep, when a shell landed in our house during a heavy fighting. My husband lost his right leg, and I lost both of my legs and 10 fingers. We were lucky to have survived” says Jeyarubi Jeyalingam tears fills her both eyes and voice cracks.
They got married in 1990, and were leading a normal life. Both husband and wife used to make sweet called “Muscat” and sell for survival. But after they got injured, they have become immobile. Jeyarubi Jeyalingam crawls on the ground and grass to move around. Her husband Selvaratnam Jeyalingam has a wooden clutch to support.
“We got displaced from our place after we got injured, and moved to Oottumadam. We were staying at a house belongs to a Muslim family for many years. Now, the owner has returned from Puttlam as the war has ended in May 2009, and we had to leave as they want to occupy their house. We had no place to go, therefore we found refuge at the Jaffna Railway Station. We neither have income nor help. We are struggling to survive daily”.
They are currently living in the station master’s room at the abandoned and destroyed Jaffna Railway Station with card board boxes of kitchen utensils and used clothes. Kitchen is set up in a corner of the same room.
“People who visit the station give us some money or meals. Daily we depend on some visitors who visit the Railway Station. We are grateful to those who helped us in a big or small way. But it is for a very short period. And, we are worried about our future especially our daughter’s education and future”.
Their only daughter Tharshika Jeyalingam (4) sits quietly between her parents on the ground of the landmark building of Jaffna, which bears the scars of a brutal war. She does not attend school a her parents do not have Rs.7,000/= (approximately US$63)to pay the Montessori. She either plays alone or with her parents in the railway station building. She does not have any toys.
“We are happy that the long running war is over. People begin to return to their places of origin and begin farming or fishing. But future holds no hope for us because we have nobody and nowhere to go. We hope and pray somebody will be able to help us soon”.
They do not know how long they will have to stay here, as they have neither money nor property.
“Staying at the damaged Railway Station building brings back nightmares. But we do not have a better place to live. We are the innocent victims of a cruel war and we have been forgotten” lament handicapped couple.
Main entrance of the Jaffna Railway Station
Jeyarubi Jeyalingam(40) and Selvaratnam Jeyalingam (43)
Jeyarubi Jeyalingam cooks at a corner of the station master's room
Jeyarubi Jeyalingam(40),Selvaratnam Jeyalingam (43) and their only daughter Tharshika Jeyalingam (4)
At the main entrance of the Railway station
Many people are looking forward to the cherishing Yazh Devi journey
Another view of the Jaffna railway station
Dilapidated building of the station
Another deserted look of the railway station
Inquiries counter at the Jaffna railway Station
Names are written by the visitors
Entrance for the 3rd class passengers
Pillars of the building along the rail track
Many make it a point to visit the historical railway station
Yazh Devi used to run from Colombo to Jaffna two decades ago
Building bears the scars of war
Kids at the Jaffna Railway Station after school
A section of the station
Sign for the Canteen of Jaffna Railway Station
Names written on the step of the Railway Station
A family of three reside at the Jaffna Railway Station.Selvaratnam Jeyalingam (43) and his wife Jeyarubi Jeyalingam (40) have lost their legs and fingers in 1992 in Vasaavilaan, in Jaffna Peninsula.
“We were at sleep, when a shell landed in our house during a heavy fighting. My husband lost his right leg, and I lost both of my legs and 10 fingers. We were lucky to have survived” says Jeyarubi Jeyalingam tears fills her both eyes and voice cracks.
They got married in 1990, and were leading a normal life. Both husband and wife used to make sweet called “Muscat” and sell for survival. But after they got injured, they have become immobile. Jeyarubi Jeyalingam crawls on the ground and grass to move around. Her husband Selvaratnam Jeyalingam has a wooden clutch to support.
“We got displaced from our place after we got injured, and moved to Oottumadam. We were staying at a house belongs to a Muslim family for many years. Now, the owner has returned from Puttlam as the war has ended in May 2009, and we had to leave as they want to occupy their house. We had no place to go, therefore we found refuge at the Jaffna Railway Station. We neither have income nor help. We are struggling to survive daily”.
They are currently living in the station master’s room at the abandoned and destroyed Jaffna Railway Station with card board boxes of kitchen utensils and used clothes. Kitchen is set up in a corner of the same room.
“People who visit the station give us some money or meals. Daily we depend on some visitors who visit the Railway Station. We are grateful to those who helped us in a big or small way. But it is for a very short period. And, we are worried about our future especially our daughter’s education and future”.
Their only daughter Tharshika Jeyalingam (4) sits quietly between her parents on the ground of the landmark building of Jaffna, which bears the scars of a brutal war. She does not attend school a her parents do not have Rs.7,000/= (approximately US$63)to pay the Montessori. She either plays alone or with her parents in the railway station building. She does not have any toys.
“We are happy that the long running war is over. People begin to return to their places of origin and begin farming or fishing. But future holds no hope for us because we have nobody and nowhere to go. We hope and pray somebody will be able to help us soon”.
They do not know how long they will have to stay here, as they have neither money nor property.
“Staying at the damaged Railway Station building brings back nightmares. But we do not have a better place to live. We are the innocent victims of a cruel war and we have been forgotten” lament handicapped couple.
Main entrance of the Jaffna Railway Station
Jeyarubi Jeyalingam(40) and Selvaratnam Jeyalingam (43)
Jeyarubi Jeyalingam cooks at a corner of the station master's room
Jeyarubi Jeyalingam(40),Selvaratnam Jeyalingam (43) and their only daughter Tharshika Jeyalingam (4)
At the main entrance of the Railway station
Many people are looking forward to the cherishing Yazh Devi journey
Another view of the Jaffna railway station
Dilapidated building of the station
Another deserted look of the railway station
Inquiries counter at the Jaffna railway Station
Names are written by the visitors
Entrance for the 3rd class passengers
Pillars of the building along the rail track
Many make it a point to visit the historical railway station
Yazh Devi used to run from Colombo to Jaffna two decades ago
Building bears the scars of war
Kids at the Jaffna Railway Station after school
A section of the station
Sign for the Canteen of Jaffna Railway Station
Names written on the step of the Railway Station
posted by DushiYanthini at 9:01 PM
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