I was born in a coastal village in sri lanka and grew up close to the sea. I understand that my son's future is here in switzerland, but what about my future ? I try to avoid thinking that I live in a temporary place. My dream would be to go back to Jaffna in Sri Lanka.
—Sasitha I Cook I Sri Lanka - Switzerland
Sasitha
We arrived in Switzerland in 2012 and we applied for asylum. Our application was first rejected and finally accepted after several appeals. It took 27 months to finally obtain a residence permit and refugee status thanks to the NGO Elisa-Asile and the work of Ms Jasmine Caye who represented us.
I lived in this shelter (Foyer des Tattes) for many years.
Life as a refugee is not a happy life but here I can live in safety.
Every year, during the month of May, the Tamil community commemorates the deaths and damages done by the Sri Lankan army. During the last days of the commemoration, and especially on May 18, the Tamil people eat the “Kanji” (a meal of rice and water), in memory of the suffering of the people who were starved in the combat zones in 2009, besieged by the Sri Lankan army. These events are organized with the aim of passing on these events to future generations.
Now for me, the happy moments are in summer, growing my little garden on my balcony and swimming in the pools.
My name is Sasitha. I come from Eelam (old name for Sri Lanka). I opened this journal today, May 18th 2023. On the same day in 2009, the Sri Lankan government carried out the massacre of thousands of Tamil people in the north of Sri Lanka with the help of part of the international community.
In 2009, after my husband died in combat, I left northern Sri Lanka with my son who was 6 years old.
I understand that my son's future is here, but what about my future ? I try to avoid thinking that I live in a temporary place, however my dream would be to go back to Jaffna in Sri Lanka.
