May update
Blessings and Greetings from the land of tea and curry!
Lately I have had the privilege of practicing being consistent with my communication and dialogue with those who faithfully stand behind and support me. I am very thankful for all that you have done it assisting the Lord’s work in Sri Lanka and enabling me to continue through your prayers, encouragement, financial support and interest in what is happening on this little island in South Asia.
The last couple of weeks there have been limited updates about what I have been doing and the situation in general. In this case, no communication is a good sign as things have leveled out but have not really improved. Initial reports are always shocking and grab our attention but that soon fades and become distant memories allowing us to forget and return to our personal lives. However, the other alternative possesses a similar looming problem. Regular updates and reporting on violence can become tiresome and mundane resulting in a loss of compassion and concern for those suffering and being inflicted. Unfortunately the situation in Sri Lanka helps perpetuate both of these common occurrences. So how do I accurately address and communicate this problem and the needs that it presents?
I do not write this as a disclaimer but as a way to articulate what is happening in Sri Lanka. Violence and attacks do continue but under the banner of a cease-fire. In many ways things are calm yet volatile; there is peace but there is war. People say this is a contradictory statement and that it is not possible, but in the land of Sri Lanka oxymorons are realities. BBC wrote a great article that addresses this issue. Living in the midst of this situation I face this issue almost daily and realize that life must go on and continue. The Lord is faithful, He is my protector and I praise Him for the safety that He has given me up to this point and for not allowing me to be fearful in light of the circumstances. I live in the midst of this reality but also in the midst of my own conundrum; where I must remain neutral while life continues forward and presses on but in the midst of hardship and struggles from the political/ethnic violence. In the midst of this I seek to live a life of Christ’s love, compassion and service.
So please pray for me, that I might grow in my intimacy and love for Christ and have the opportunity to share this through discipleship. Recently, I have been given the opportunity to build friendships and connections in a couple of local churches with young men. This has been a blessing and provision from the Lord as it has given me accountability and friendships during a time when I am becoming isolated. Yes, in a matter of days I will be the only remaining ACTION team member in Sri Lanka. Meredith Dean [children’s department] went home on the 19th of this month and Katie Toop [Water and Sanitation engineer] will be leaving on the 6th of June. Both have done excellence work out here and it has been my pleasure to serve them in Sri Lanka. They will be missed.
In the meantime, I have been kept very busy. A variety of different tasks, projects and commitments have required all of my attention and focus. A large part of this has been sending off and debriefing Katie and Meredith. The rest is consumed with starting a psychosocial children’s program, planning pastor conferences for my parents when they come in July, preparing to host my girlfriend Sara Maultsby and her mother for two months and then of course, my responsibilities to project and personnel management in the Northeastern District of Trincomalee. In Trinco, which has been a focal point of the conflict, we currently working on an intensive water project and there is need for recruitment and hiring of additional staff for the children’s, livelihood and possibly housing projects. This is compounded by the fact that there is no active District Coordinator and Team leader. The head office has asked me and pushing me to assume this position but it has been my desire from the very beginning to see a local Sri Lankan fulfill this role. This continues to be my perspective. This is one area that I would really appreciate your prayer for; that we can find a local Christian man to become the District Coordinator, who will be able to take charge and will allow me to work and assist him in the development of projects and staff.
One final prayer request is for my financial situation. The last couple months have seen a significant drop in my monthly support. This has been a concern as I will continue to be here in Sri Lanka for another seven months but the Lord has faithfully provided for me in every way in the past. This has come through the faithfulness of my supporters, family and friends. Thank you. I trust the Lord that He will continue to provide for all my needs during the remaining seven months that I am here. However, I also embrace the challenge of doing what it takes in the meantime to budget and work with the situation the Lord has given to me. Part of this is my responsibility to ask and openly explain my actual ministry needs. At the moment, I am on a budget for $1500 a month; including $700 for all personal living expenses and $800 for ministry expenses. I have monthly pledges accounting for $650 a month and with the balance of some previous one-time gifts it allows me some additional funds for ministry expenses for the next couple months. Working with a tight budget gives me a great opportunity to learn personal financial skills and a Christ centered approach to this issue and I look forward to this challenge.
Again, I reiterate my request to you all. It would be a honor and privilege for me to pray, support or assist you in what the Lord is doing in all of your lives. Don’t hesitate to contact me regarding anything or just to send a greeting. As I live and develop in my job, life, and responsibilities I realize the importance of support from others especially in prayer. This is why I extend my offer. May the Lord bless and keep you and make His face shine upon you all!
In Christ,
Benjamin Reed
ACTION Project Worker
ADT Trincomalee Consultant and Advisor
Mobile: 0779116629
32 Ebenezer Place
Dehiwala 10350
Colombo, Sri Lanka
sri lanka crisis update
Here is the latest:
Sri Lanka crisis report
Explaining the security situation in Sri Lanka is complicated. To most people it doesn’t make complete sense and I don’t always get it. There is a conception that there is a raging war with bullets flying and bombs dropping. This is/was true in one sense but at the same time there is has been no significant aggression pursued by either side. I believe it is best described as a continual system of perpetuating cycles. I have been here since last April, there has been a continual flux in the security situation, especially in Trincomalee and the Northeast. There will be days, weeks, and months of peace where there is no violence or incidents and everything is normal, only for it to flare up again without much of a warning. Trincomalee has been through this cycle many times in the last year and will probably continue in this sequence until a long term solution is found to the root problem.
The major concern over the violence in April was that it was the first time I saw the mob effect and large numbers of innocents affected by the political/ethical violence. I will admit that last month saw probably some of the worst violence the country has seen in the last couple years but then again, like the cycle, the situation is returning to normal. The last week there have been no real incidents and there seems to be a peace returning to the town. Things are getting back to business and most international organizations, spare a very select few, and are back in Trinco working. The landscape will be temporary scared for the moment, there are houses and businesses that are missing and at the moment there are still refugees seeking shelter in schools and churches but that number is diminishing.
Personally I don’t think that this is the last to the political/violence or that we have seen the worst of it but for the moment the situation is progressing towards peace. Please continue to pray for the situation in the country and that the Lord will work in the hearts of the leaders of this country to strive for restoration, especially the Church.
The issue with the visa looks surprisingly positive. Last week I spent a solid two days working on getting all the paper work together and talking with government officials asking them to fix my problem. Upon entry into the country the immigration officer made a mistake which was a problem when I went to get my permanent visa. The Lord did a miracle and I was able to get the government to correct their mistake and provide me with the proper me with correct approval. The office of immigration accepted my permanent visa and is in the process of reviewing it. I was told to come back this Wednesday to pick up my passport. Then I will only know if I have received my permanent visa.
In regards to the rest of my life and work in Sri Lanka these next couple months will be extremely busy. I have a trip to Trincomalee planned for Monday-Tuesday to distribute clothing, mats, and relief items to the refugees in the Trincomalee district. I get to see if my visa application was accepted on Wednesday, a wedding of an associate on Thursday, my coworker Katie comes in on Friday, and then Saturday-Sunday I have debriefing for Katie and Meredith. Somewhere in there I have to write three reports and prepare for the debriefing. It should be fun. Those are all the prayer requests, and then that in the midst of all of this I might remember where my time should truly be devoted too, my Lord and Savior.
I appreciate everyone’s support and prayers it’s been a tremendous encouragement to me. Please don’t hesitate to contact me or give me feedback on any questions or concerns that you might have. I would love to know how I can support and pray for those of you back home so please feel free to contact me anytime via email or via my blogspot or xanga. God bless and hope to provide you with another update shortly. As soon as I find out about my visa!! J
In Christ,
Benjamin Reed
ACTION project worker/ ADT Consultant
24 Ebenezer Approach Dehiwala
Colombo Sri Lanka
0779116629 mobile
trinco press release
This might shed more light on what took place in Trincomalee during the bloody month of April. Submitted is a press release which was denied by all local news sources approached in Sri Lanka, so where better to place it than on the internet for all to read...
PRESS RELEASE
CALL FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION ON
TRINCOMALEE SITUATION
A fact-finding team of civil society representatives traveled to Trincomalee on 16th and 17th of April 2006 in the wake of reports of civil unrest in the District.
The findings of this mission have left us gravely concerned by the events that have unfolded in Trincomalee over the past week; events which have left over 20 civilians dead, over 30 shops and 100 homes destroyed by fire and over 3000 persons displaced and seeking refuge in schools and places of worship.
On 12th April, a bomb exploded in the vegetable market in Trincomalee town, leaving five persons, including one child, dead. Within 15 minutes of the explosion, a gang of armed Sinhala persons began a rampage through the business area of the town, setting Tamil shops on fire, and looting goods. According to bystanders, though the gang never consisted of more than 100 at any given time, there was no reasonable attempt made by the security forces to prevent the violence.
Several people have been reported killed in and around the market on the 12th during the course of the rioting. Some bodies were thrown into the flames of the burning shops. 19 deaths, including of 7 women, have been reported so far; however the figure is rising daily. The burning of bodies has resulted in delays in identification, and has destroyed traces of mutilation and sexual assault prior to the death.
Over 30 shops were burned in all, the majority belonging to Tamils and 2 to Muslims. It appeared that several large shops were specifically targeted – among them were Hari Electricals, the Dollar Agency, the Dialog Company and the Sunlight (Lever Brothers) Agency. The mob also attacked the Hatton National Bank.
Other incidents of violence, including arson and murder took place outside the town. The body of a young Sinhala man, identified as Nissanka, was found in Mahindapura on the 14th April. He had been missing since the 13th. Subsequently the Sinhala villagers of Mahindapura went on a rampage in the neighbouring Tamil village Nadesapura and set fire to over 40 homes. The office of the Trincomalee District Youth Development Organization (AHAM) was attacked and several vehicles belonging to the organization were set on fire; the Hindu temple in the village was also attacked. Similar incidents have taken place in Thuwarangkadu, resulting in the displacement of almost 1000 persons, and in Andankulam, where several houses were burnt down. The houses in Andankulam were new, built under a post-tsunami reconstruction scheme.
The violence, as well as the fear and insecurity experienced by the civilians, has led to a fairly substantial displacement. As of the 20th April, the District Secretariat, Trincomalee, had this figure at 2673 persons (723 families). This does not take into account the large numbers who are residing with family and friends, and those who are simply leaving their homes at night-time for more secure locations. The response to the displacement, even from NGOs, has been slow, hampered by the prevailing tensions and lack of personnel. In some areas government assistance was received only on the 18th April, despite the fact that people were displaced on the 14th April.
The speed with which the violence erupted after the explosion seems to indicate an element of pre-planning that is extremely disturbing. Two observers referred to the situation as being reminiscent of the anti-Tamil riots of July 1983. The rioting lasted for over two hours, during the daytime. During this entire period the armed forces and the Police did almost nothing to prevent the violence from taking place. There are several very credible eye witness accounts to the manner in which the security forces stood by and allowed the burning and killing to take place.
Although there is a multi-ethnic Citizens’ Committee led by religious leaders of all communities in Trincomalee town, as well as Peace Committees initiated by the Police at the level of every Grama Sevaka Division, they have been ineffective in the face of the recent incidents of violence. There is a very high degree of mistrust and animosity between the Sinhala and Tamil communities in particular. Groups remain polarized on the basis of ethnicity and there is no structure that has the capacity to bring them together in a positive and constructive manner. Even well-established social activists expressed their fear of taking the initiative to assist those affected by the violence; some of them were already receiving threatening telephone calls.
Given that Trincomalee has always been a flashpoint for ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, it is imperative that civil society organizations in the south concentrate on strengthening existing networks and building new ones, to give a truly plural character to the moderate and peace-loving voices of Trincomalee’s peoples and to ensure that a slide back into barbaric ethnic tensions does not arise.
On the basis of its findings, we wish to highlight the following areas of concern and appeal to the government, political parties, non-governmental organizations and all members of civil society:
q Immediate steps must be taken to ensure that all emergency and humanitarian assistance necessary is extended to those displaced by the violence; rebuilding of houses should be a priority;
q A delegation of senior members of all leading political parties should undertake a visit to Trincomalee to meet with all sections of the population as a confidence-building measure;
q The government should devise some means of accepting accountability for the inability of the security forces to prevent the violence; a collective apology from the state and from southern political parties to the people of Trincomalee would go a long way towards re-building bridges of communication and trust;
q An independent investigation into the violence following the bomb explosion on 12th April should be undertaken by a team comprising representatives of government and non-government bodies; the investigation should aim at recording the various testimonies regarding the incidents and at making recommendations to the government regarding justice and redress for the victims;
q These measures should take into account the culture of impunity that has prevailed in Sri Lanka, taking on board the experiences of previous commissions, and ensure that concrete steps are taken and implemented by the government to end impunity;
q Civil society organizations should create a ‘rapid response’ network that will make regular and systematic visits to their partners and colleagues in Trincomalee in order to monitor the situation;
q Payment of compensation should be transparent, unbiased and acceptable to all affected parties;
q Institutions such as the District office of the National Human Rights Commission should be reinforced with material and human resources to enable it to act more effectively in a time of crisis such as this;
q The Citizens’ Committee should be strengthened so that it can act independently and with the recognition of the authorities;
We note that the LTTE have been engaged in acts of armed attacks against the security forces resulting in further heightening tension and fear within the community and the Trincomalee area.
We appeal to the LTTE to:
q Halt these acts of violence and commit to the pursuit of its objectives through non-violent and democratic means;
q Ensure that there are no obstacles in providing emergency and humanitarian assistance to those displaced by the violence and facilitate in creating a safe environment for the implementation of aid work by agencies and individuals;
It is imperative that all political actors are aware of the dangers involved in not taking control of the situation and ensuring that the potential for heightened violence in Trincomalee is curbed. The creation of an environment in which people can return to their homes and their livelihoods should be given priority. In the current climate of insecurity, attempts by some politically motivated groups to incite ethnic and religious hatred should be dealt with immediately and all citizens need to be more vigilant about these manipulations. The fragility of the peace process at this moment calls for a concerted initiative to safeguard the CFA and strengthen the voices for peace in Sri Lanka.
Sunila Abeysekera, Udaya Kalupathirana: INFORM
Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Rohan Edrisinha, Devanesan Nesiah, Bhavani Fonseka, Mirak Raheem: CENTRE FOR POLICY ALTERNATIVES
Ramani Muttetuwegama: LAW AND SOCIETY TRUST
P.D. Gunatilaka: DEVASARANA DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
Buddhika Weerasinghe: FREE MEDIA MOVEMENT
Ambika Satkunanathan, Soundarie David, Charan Rainford, Nimanthi Rajasingham, Sonali Moonesinghe, P. Thambirajah, S. Varatharajan, INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR ETHNIC STUDIES
Nimalka Fernando, INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT AGAINST RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
Kumudini Samuel, Sepali Kottegoda WOMEN AND MEDIA COLLECTIVE
Jayadeva Uyangoda, SOCIAL SCIENTISTS’ ASSOCIATION
Rukshana Nanayakkara, TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL, SRI LANKA
Anita Nesiah
Manouri Muttetuwegama
Darini Rajsaingham
Tharumini Wijekoon
Samatha, Jawaharlal Nehru University
Roshan Mendis, LEADS, Sri Lanka
21st April 2006
