ICT Use in Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development: The story of Sri Lankan Tamil Refugees

Often called the “boat people,” about 70,000 Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka live in the southern state of Tamilnadu, India. The humanitarian crisis that began in 1983 remains acute despite the official cessation of hostilities in Sri Lanka. This has left refugees within India struggling to redefine meanings of “homeland” and “borders” in their lives. The security and economic conditions in Sri Lanka dissuade many refugees from returning. This study seeks to understand the Tamils’ evolving definitions of self and culture, definitions that have been extensively mediated by mobile communication technologies. This paper is an attempt to explain how the refugees perceive borders from cultural, psychological, and physical perspectives. Grounded in ICT literature, as well as the literature of diaspora communications, the lead author conducted 12 in-depth interviews with Mandapam camp residents in Tamilnadu during the summer of 2013. Results indicate that mobile phones have allowed many Tamils to replace the physical proximity that once characterized their close emotional bonds with their friends and family members in Sri Lanka with a virtual network constructed through mobile telephony. While all the refugees, even the young ones, noted that they considered Sri Lanka their true “motherland,” lingering fear of government surveillance coupled with skepticism regarding the peace process impedes their return. For the refugees interviewed, the psychological benefits of maintaining relationships via mobile phones are paramount. However, having mobile phones was also associated with economic advantages (being able to find per-diem work) and social advantages (watching Sri Lankan cricket matches streamed digitally). The results of the study help address one of the questions that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees sees as important to achieving its goals, not just for the Tamils but for all of the world’s 7.6 million refugees: How can ICTs be used for community development among displaced populations? The authors provide suggestions for including mobile telephony in relief efforts for diaspora populations.