I am praying to God to see my son again before I breathe my last breath – Balendran Jeyakumary

I had three sons and a daughter. My husband and two eldest sons died in the war. By 2009, my younger son was at home after finishing O/Ls. Younger son left home searching for a job as household expenses were very high. My son did not come home until today. I searched for my son everywhere by walking along the streets. Some people said that they saw my son. After that, we showed a picture of our son and asked everyone about him. A Catholic priest I met said that he saw my son being taken away by the army. Some others said that my son is in the Ambepussa military camp. But because he was taken away by the army, we didn’t have much hope that my son would come back.

But in the LLRC report, a picture of children in a government rehabilitation camp was published. I saw my son among those children. I felt as happy as if I had been born again. At that time, a list of names of those who were taken to rehabilitation from the 4th zone of Vavuniya was published. Among those names was my son’s name Balendran Mahendran. So I started looking for my son again. I told everyone responsible. I gave letters to key government officials informing them of my issue. I protested in the scorching sun with placards and demanded justice for my son. Meanwhile, I asked from the Ambepussa camp, the police, the army and everywhere. All of them said that it is useless to search and asked me to give up.

Finally, in 2014, I was put in jail under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) on a false allegation of keeping L.T.T.E. members at home, and my daughter was placed on probation. A year later I was released on bail. But we still have no freedom from the police or the army. As I was questioned by the CID, I am sure that my son is still there. What does the government gain from locking up our children?

I am praying to God to see my son again before I breathe my last breath.

Balendran Jeyakumary 
Kilinochchi