Forced to live in a relief camp,
Raju ponders his future with courage
and hope |
|
At first glance, nothing about him seems out-of-the-ordinary.
In fact, you would think he could well be the boy next door, closely inspecting the condition of his mango and engrossed in his own little amusements.
But what if I told you that this boy’s life has been anything but ordinary?
That he has been driven out of his home and forced to seek shelter in unfamiliar territory?
That his cries for food are sometimes met by quiet, sympathetic stares?
That his schooling has been cruelly disrupted by the on-going conflict?
That the terror he has seen in the eyes of those near and dear, haunts him every night? He is a victim of a conflict that he plays no part in. He is being left alone by those who promised to be his ‘sole representative’.
Little Ragu is among many children who have been internally displaced in Sri Lanka as a result of the Mutthur attack by the LTTE. According to the United Nations, “It is the singular characteristic of armed conflict in our time that children suffer most.” He hopes to get back to school, play and study. He wishes for a better future in better surroundings. |
Violations Committed
by the GOSL - 351
