The Boat People by Sharon Bala
Our columnist Baljit reviews this poignant story on the plight of refugees, a plight that continues even when they have reached the shores of their safe havens.
A rusty boat with five hundred Sri Lankan Tamils arrives at the coast of British Columbia. They have survived a perilous journey, impoverished and desperately seeking refuge. Within minutes comes the political rhetoric – there are terrorists among them affiliated with the LTTE, and they are a threat to all Canadian citizens.
The refugees are placed in detention centers, children are separated from their parents. They go through a never-ending legal process to determine their right to stay and forever face the possibility of deportation.
At the center of this story is Mahindan, who has escaped from Sri Lanka with his five-year-old son; running through jungles and across rivers to various safe spots, oftentimes caught between the army and militant groups. Along the way, family members perished from disease and violence, but he kept running; doing anything necessary to keep his son safe.
Grace is a newly appointed adjudicator; her political friend has placed her in this position to be tough and uphold national security. At the same time, Grace is coping with the revelation of some family history- the injustice inflicted upon her Japanese grandparents and parents during the Second World War. Her ancestors bore the yoke of shame and chose to keep this chapter of their lives hidden. Grace faces the enormity of her decisions over the refugees.
“Don’t you ever worry about letting the wrong person in?” she’d asked Mitchell once. To which he’d replied: I worry about sending the wrong person back.”
Priya is a second-generation Sri Lankan lawyer, with ambitions in corporate law. She has been roped in to represent the refugees and is initially reluctant. As the cases progress and she connects with the individuals concerned, her perspective changes. A chance conversation with her Uncle reveals his inner conflict and sense of guilt for deeds done during his youth.
‘I shut my eyes and waited until I heard them leave.’
While Mahindan spends months in detention, Sellian is placed with a foster family where he learns English, goes to school, plays sports, and inches into a new life. Weekly visits with his father are precious gifts; the weight of their situation weighs heavily on his little shoulders.
‘Is it about the future, Sellian asked. He grew still. The word future was totemic, heavy with importance. A word he knew in both languages.’
This writer gives a voice to people caught in a system that questions their history, their hardship, and their motives. The frustration and anguish are palpable. It is a sensitive and thought-provoking debut novel.
Article By:
Baljit Nagreh
Baljit Nagreh is a GP who dabbles in baking, cooking, gardening, swimming, and volunteer work BUT indulges in reading at every opportunity. The books she reads take her to new places and across different times and often fuel interesting discussions. She is a mother of two young men and lives in suburban Selangor, Malaysia with her husband.
