Story of Sumathi and Jeevarani

S. Duraisamy Maskeliya Group Correspondent

Letchuman Sumathi and Maduraveeran Jeevarani, the two teenaged girls whose bodies were found on August 15 in a canal in Bauddhaloka Mawatha were from Laxapana Estate, Maskeliya.

Sumathi (14) and Jeevarani (13) had been students of Nallathanni Tamil Vidyalaya, Maskeliya found employment through a job agency in two adjacent houses in Bauddhaloka Mawatha.

Sumathi daughter Letchuman and Vijayaletchumy had studied upto Grade Seven and Jeevarani daughter of Maduraveeran and Sellaie studied upto Grade Three at Nallathanni Tamil Vidyalaya in Maskeliya. The parents of both children are plantation workers.

Mannivannan, an agent, a resident of the same division, took Sumathi on April 23 to be employed in the house No. 410/92 1/1 of W.M. Fazaly and Jeevarani in the house No. 410/92 of U.L.M. Kowsiq at Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7.

Sumathi’s parents and Jeevarani’s mother (since her father is dead) had made two visits to see the children after they had been employed at the respective houses.

On August 14 night, both the girls had informed their parents by telephone that since their employers had locked them up in the house and gone out, they were together. The following day, August 15 morning, W.M. Fazaly and U.L.M. Kowsiq had informed the houses of the children that both the children were missing.

According to Sumathi’s parents, Sumathi’s employer had informed them that Sumathi’s body had been found in a waste water canal at Bauddhaloka Mawatha and that in connection of Sumathi’s death he suspected Jeevarani. Thereafter, the parents had been informed that bodies of both, Sumathi and Jeevarani were found in the canal. Police are investigating the matter.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths reveal that they had no reason for children to commit suicide. Even on August 14, they had informed by telephone that they were well and would come home for Deepavali.

But Sumathi’s father Letchuman and sister Vijayarani and Jeevarani’s mother Sellaie and her sister Subashini said the news of the children committing suicide received on August 15 has aroused their suspicion.

They said poverty has pushed them into sending their children to work.

A general assessment of the situation of estates in this area reveals that many school going children have been sent out on employment.

A sub agent Manivannan (35) of the same estate said he was sending children and women as domestic workers through an agency named Rana Agency in Maskeliya.

Many youth in the area says Rana Agency hoodwinks the boys in the area into house and shop works outside. The following have been found to constitute grounds to consider that the rights of Sumathi and Jeewarani have been violated and action is being taken for legal remedy.

Letchuman Sumathi was 14 years 10 months and Maduraveeran Jeevarani 13 years and five months of age.

Both of them are children and they should have been sent to school compulsorily and not employed. Therefore, by employing them their right to education had been violated and Convention on Rights of Child Article 32 has been violated.

Letchuman Sumathi and Maduraveeran Jeevarani were of an age where they should have been with their parents and taking them as child labourer their right to life, parental love, care and security have been violated and such violations have caused their death by which their fundamental human rights has been violated. Artical - 9 International Convention on Rights of Child stipulates that except for the child’s wellbeing, a child shall not be separated from its parents, though these children had been taken away from their parents to be employed.

Sri Lankan Law relating to education stipulates that education is compulsory for a child upto the age of 14. Article 27(h) of the Sri Lankan Constitution emphasises the right to education and similarly Articles 28 and 29 of International Convention on Rights of Child emphasises the child’s right to education. But in this instance the right to education of the children concerned has been violated.