The Rediff Special/A Ganesh Nadar

'I came because the army targets young boys -- who they believe will finally join the LTTE'

Satishkumar had a shop in Yalpanam for six years before he fled to Vanni. Undeterred, he put up another shop at Vanni. Within a year he had to leave and come to India. His family of five had to pay Rs 50,000 to get here. Unlike the others, he has not lost hope. "We'll go back when peace returns," he says.

Ravikumar, a student of Class XII, is from Yalpanam. He lost his father in the bombardment. He has left his mother and a 10-year-old sister back home as the money wasn't enough for all to leave. I wonder what happened to chivalry when he explains matter of factly, "I came because the army targets young boys -- who they believe will finally join the LTTE."

Udayakumar also fled to Vanni with the others. He got married in Vanni and brought his wife over. He was cheerful as he had relatives in Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu.

Some of the refugees have been here since 1990. Some of them had come earlier and had made their homes in various parts of Tamil Nadu. The government issued an order that all Sri Lankans should register themselves. After they registered they were asked to stay in the camps. But now if any family wishes to live outside the camp, all they have to do is convince the revenue officials and the state police's 'Q' branch that they are affluent enough, could look after themselves and did not need government rations.

Obtaining this permission, of course, requires the greasing of palms so familiar to our environment.

Refugees. who have been here for six to seven years, allege that as affluent Lankan Tamils arrive at the camp, the poor, who came earlier, are being shifted elsewhere. Some go voluntarily while others are beaten up and forcefully shoved into trucks. The refugees preferred this camp because elsewhere they had to live in godowns or derelict theatres with no amenities.

The revenue officials defend the shifting of the refugees. "This is the point where the majority land. We need space to accommodate those who come suddenly. Therefore, though we have a capacity for 10,000 people, we keep it half empty always. We shift a few to other districts so that the burden is shared by all." There are at present 1,280 vacant rooms at the camp.

A Francis is a fisherman from Peshalai. In 1988 he came here with his wife and five children. He got two of his daughters married in India. Then he went back with his wife and daughter to Sri Lanka. In October 1996 he returned alone. "I wanted to see my daughters, one is in this village the other is in Madurai," he says. "I'll go back when they send me."