Comments on: The Main Concern Among IDPs http://indi.ca/2009/06/the-main-concern-among-idps/ I'm a Sri Lankan American Canadian graduate trying to make something of myself in Colombo Thu, 24 May 2012 19:04:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: indi http://indi.ca/2009/06/the-main-concern-among-idps/comment-page-1/#comment-233700 indi Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:17:31 +0000 http://indi.ca/?p=1583#comment-233700 No they can't leave the camps. Even if they have family they still can't leave till everything is cleared. I spoke to one man (who spoke better Sinhala than I) who said he just wanted to get to Ratmalana, where his ID said he was born. They were reading the names of family members who'd come to visit, but people certainly weren't allowed to leave. Plus you simply cannot get through the Medavachchiya checkpoint or travel more than a few kilometers. To get to Colombo or anywhere you need an exit pass (which you collect on the way up) or a shitload of paperwork and approvals from this that and the other. So no, they're not free to leave. This is not news. No they can’t leave the camps. Even if they have family they still can’t leave till everything is cleared. I spoke to one man (who spoke better Sinhala than I) who said he just wanted to get to Ratmalana, where his ID said he was born.

They were reading the names of family members who’d come to visit, but people certainly weren’t allowed to leave. Plus you simply cannot get through the Medavachchiya checkpoint or travel more than a few kilometers. To get to Colombo or anywhere you need an exit pass (which you collect on the way up) or a shitload of paperwork and approvals from this that and the other.

So no, they’re not free to leave. This is not news.

]]> By: Archangel http://indi.ca/2009/06/the-main-concern-among-idps/comment-page-1/#comment-233666 Archangel Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:47:13 +0000 http://indi.ca/?p=1583#comment-233666 If there is a terrorist suspect there, by all means, let us torch the bastard. Or if he's not a hardcore, freedom-hating, blood thirsty, human bomb, let us put him in a rehabilitation camp. I'm saying this because that is the approach taken so far. Suspects have in fact been transferred to less hospitable camps. Let's not underestimate the ability of this Government to weed out terrorists. There are rehabilitation camps set up for male suspects and separate ones for women and children. Women and children. These are your terrorists. And they are being dealt with in the way we know best, so speculating the government's agenda here is unnecessary. I'm more interested in what the liberal thinking in Colombo is. As this post suggests, these IDPs are essentially victims of circumstances. The leftovers you get after a messy meal. We all feel sorry for them. Because we are good people. No one claims that each of these 300,000 civilians are in fact terrorists in disguise. That is absurd. We wouldn't rush to their aid if we really thought that. So, why justify their internment? So I ask the author again, Did you find out if these IDPs can leave the camps if they wanted to? Suppose they have families outside the camp who are willing to take them in- are they then allowed to leave? TYFR If there is a terrorist suspect there, by all means, let us torch the bastard. Or if he’s not a hardcore, freedom-hating, blood thirsty, human bomb, let us put him in a rehabilitation camp.

I’m saying this because that is the approach taken so far. Suspects have in fact been transferred to less hospitable camps. Let’s not underestimate the ability of this Government to weed out terrorists. There are rehabilitation camps set up for male suspects and separate ones for women and children. Women and children. These are your terrorists. And they are being dealt with in the way we know best, so speculating the government’s agenda here is unnecessary.

I’m more interested in what the liberal thinking in Colombo is.

As this post suggests, these IDPs are essentially victims of circumstances. The leftovers you get after a messy meal. We all feel sorry for them. Because we are good people. No one claims that each of these 300,000 civilians are in fact terrorists in disguise. That is absurd. We wouldn’t rush to their aid if we really thought that. So, why justify their internment?

So I ask the author again,

Did you find out if these IDPs can leave the camps if they wanted to? Suppose they have families outside the camp who are willing to take them in- are they then allowed to leave?

TYFR

]]> By: aadhavan http://indi.ca/2009/06/the-main-concern-among-idps/comment-page-1/#comment-233663 aadhavan Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:16:54 +0000 http://indi.ca/?p=1583#comment-233663 Wait, Sophist, do you support the illegal detention(even on the face of it, because not a single one of them has even been served with a detention order) of 300,000 civilians including women and children? No point hypothesising what the government's argument is. Just tell us what you think. Wait, Sophist, do you support the illegal detention(even on the face of it, because not a single one of them has even been served with a detention order) of 300,000 civilians including women and children? No point hypothesising what the government’s argument is. Just tell us what you think.

]]> By: Sophist http://indi.ca/2009/06/the-main-concern-among-idps/comment-page-1/#comment-233660 Sophist Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:14:37 +0000 http://indi.ca/?p=1583#comment-233660 Archangel I think your approach to the issue you raise is far too simplistic and black/white. Clearly there are many shades of grey in those camps, and a screening process is a must. I don't think it's by their place of origin, but by their place of ending up - I think the GOSL's, not mine, simplistic answer to your final question would be, yes. And as much as you disagree with that I would urge you to detach and analyse their reasons for saying so. Archangel I think your approach to the issue you raise is far too simplistic and black/white. Clearly there are many shades of grey in those camps, and a screening process is a must.

I don’t think it’s by their place of origin, but by their place of ending up – I think the GOSL’s, not mine, simplistic answer to your final question would be, yes.

And as much as you disagree with that I would urge you to detach and analyse their reasons for saying so.

]]> By: Archangel http://indi.ca/2009/06/the-main-concern-among-idps/comment-page-1/#comment-233658 Archangel Tue, 09 Jun 2009 06:35:28 +0000 http://indi.ca/?p=1583#comment-233658 So did you find out if any of these IDPs can leave the camps if they want to? Suppose they have families outside the camp who are willing to take them in- are they allowed to leave? Or is everyone a terrorist suspect by virtue of their place of origin? TYFR So did you find out if any of these IDPs can leave the camps if they want to? Suppose they have families outside the camp who are willing to take them in- are they allowed to leave?

Or is everyone a terrorist suspect by virtue of their place of origin?

TYFR

]]> By: pathi http://indi.ca/2009/06/the-main-concern-among-idps/comment-page-1/#comment-233640 pathi Sun, 07 Jun 2009 23:22:16 +0000 http://indi.ca/?p=1583#comment-233640 government settled more that 180,000 IDPs in EAST and they will do the same here. the only things is that there are still LTTE in the camps, as u said and proper action should be taken to change their minds. i am sure we sri lankans can redevelop NORTH. government settled more that 180,000 IDPs in EAST and they will do the same here. the only things is that there are still LTTE in the camps, as u said and proper action should be taken to change their minds. i am sure we sri lankans can redevelop NORTH.

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