The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Tiruchi News : Refugees on their own land

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 29, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

Refugees on their own land

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI, DEC. 28 . Reduced to the state of refugees, sheer desperation has brought a joint family of 38 members belonging to the coastal village of Akkaraipettai in Nagapattinam district to Tiruchi.

After a miraculous escape from watery grave on the fateful Sunday morning, they trekked over 20 km on foot from their village to reach Sikkal, from where they pooled in all their resources for conveyance to Tiruvarur and from there to Tiruchi.

Left with no other go, they sought refuge at Kottapattu Sri Lankan refugee camp here on Monday night.

Two women among them - Kayalvizhi (19) and Archana (22) - held in their hands infants, who were less than month-old.

On learning their plight, the district administration shifted them to the Government Orphanage at Mathur, run by the Social Welfare Department.

The locals were quick to join hands with the administration to fulfil the basic requirements of the family.

The Collector, V. Pandian, accompanied by senior revenue department officials visited the orphanage today to express moral support to the victims, and distribute relief materials.

They escaped from the sea's fury by a whisker but not before losing two of their earning members, Kandasami (35) and Karunanidhi (40), to the tumultuous seismic waves, which, according to an eyewitness, Vennila (24), rose up to more than the height of an electric lamp post.

On seeing the surge of waves, they climbed up a few concrete buildings in the village, and witnessed the walls of seawater virtually washing away their village leaving no trace behind.

Drained of emotions, but with choking voices, they were in a daze.

They do not know what the future holds for them as well as the multitudes of people of their ilk.

They find no words to console the children, who, they recount, are yet in the grips of the nightmare.

Elders among them broke into sobs recounting the shouts of despair by the children all through the night.

Yet, while expressing their plight, the elders were speaking in terms of the totality of the sufferings of their entire ilk.

They are bewildered that the sea, which they deem their almighty, could do injustice to them.

They do not know for how long they will be taken care of.

Nor can they imagine getting back their livelihood in their village, which is now shorn of dwellings and fishing equipment.

For now, they are reconciled to the state of refugees on their own land.

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