Posts filed under 'MinorMatters'
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Man’s inhumanity to man is transforming Mattakkalappu (Batticaloa) into a district of the displaced. People like Keheliya Rambukwella try to downplay the human suffering by downsizing the actual number of displaced persons. Despite these puerile yet callously insensitive efforts there is no denying that a terrible humanitarian tragedy is unfolding in the district. The latest figures indicate that 38% of the Tamil population in B’caloa are now displaced.
The civil administration and Non – Governmental organizations active in the district are struggling to cope with this sudden and massive influx of Internally displaced persons (IDP’s). The rapid spurt in IDP numbers in March came at a time when the civil authorities and INGO”s were struggling to accommodate the people displaced in December 2006 and January 2007. Despite the best efforts of dedicated professionals and volunteers the challenge of catering to the needs of more than 150, 000 helpless people remains formidable and unfulfilled.
A vast crisis like this brings out at times the best in human nature. One such silver lining in the dark cloud of despair is the commendable efforts of Muslim people in Kattankudi (pronounced Kaathaankudi) to provide limited succour to suffering Tamil refugees in neighbouring Manmunai Pattru or Aaraiyampathy AGA division.
[Children of Sainthamaruthu - Picture HumanityAshore]
There have been communal clashes and resultant tensions between Muslims and Tamils in this region during the past. These have been mainly instigated by scheming politicians and armed militant groups. Yet, K’kudi Muslims have at this time of humanitarian deed engaged collectively in alleviating to some extent at least the suffering of their Tamil brethren.
An overwhelming number of Tamil civilians have fled the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled areas into Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) areas in the past few weeks. Many of them have registered themselves as IDP”s at the Manmunai Pattru (Aaraiyampathy) AGA division. This is adjacent to the pre- dominantly Muslim Kattankudi AGA division. With the District administration and functioning NGO”s unable to look after the newly displaced in many respects several civilian organizations are struggling to fill the void. The significant aspect in this is that the K’kudi Muslims are not helping their co -religionists but Tamils who are either Hindu or Christian.
An emergency relief program was initiated by K’kudi residents. The K’ kudi branch of the Federation of Mosques & Muslim Institutions along with the Kattankudy Urbam Council, Kattankudy Traders Association, Kattankudy Jammiyathul Ulama, Risala Media World etc play a crucial part in this effort. The local branches of national organizations like Sri Lanka Jamath-e-Islami, Caring Hands, Human Care Foundation and the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka are also assisting in this mission.
Thousands of cooked meals and lunch packets have been provided to IDP”s in Manumanai North by K’ kudi residents. Plastic plates, mats, mosquito nets for infants, hygiene packs etc have been supplied. Mobile medical clinics have been held at IDP camps. Several urgent needs like mats, infant food, medicine etc have been identified and an appeal has been issued for donations. An donation campaign where every K’ kudi household is being solicited for a minimum donation of 100 rupees is going on. The people of K’ kudi seem determined to continue with a sustained help campaign.
So inspiring has been the K’kudi example that SLM Haniffa who heads the Eastern province Federation of Mosques and Muslim institutions has issued a public appeal that Muslims in other Eastern areas too should emulate their K’kudi brothers and help out with Tamil IDP”s in their respective localities. Batticaloa district MP and cabinet minister Ameer Ali has also issued an appeal on similiar lines. If more Eastern Muslims respond to these appeals it would be a great humanitarian initiative illustrating the noble concept of brotherhood in Islam. It will also be a tremendous fillip to civil society peace building given the fractured state of relations between Muslims and Tamils in the East.
It was only some weeks ago that friction ensued between Tamils of Aaraiyampathy and Muslims of Kattankudi. The issue concerned settling displaced Tamils from Vaakarai in lands within Muslim areas. A matter that could have been settled amicably was exploited by cadres from the breakaway Karuna faction of the tigers who now call themselves the Tamil Makkal Viduthalaip Puligal (TMVP). The TMVP engaged in several acts of provocative violence against innocent Muslim civilians. Muslims were barred from doing business in Aaraiyampathy.
The TMVP is fomenting regionalism among Eastern Tamils to counter the northern hegemony of LTTE leadership . There is also an ingrained anti – Muslim chauvinism among many Tamil leaders of the TMVP. Whipping up anti . Jaffna and anti – Muslim hysteria is also a device to mobilise Eastern Tamils. The TMVP is unable to exploit the “traditional” anti – Sinhala cry as “Col” Karuna is now reduced to being – in the words of chairman Mao – a running dog of “Sinhala” imperialism.
Against this backdrop the humanitarian efforts of K’ kudi Muslims in helping Tamil IDP”s was not welcomed by the TMVP in Aaraiyampathy. In a shameful gesture the TMVP tried to block K’ kudi Muslims from helping Tamil IDP”s. They were prevented from giving meals to some camps. A senior TMVP leaders announced that “TAmils should not eat meals supplied by Muslims”. But the needy IDP”s paid litle notice. The K’ kudi Muslims took the meals to some other IDP camps. Despite the despicable attempt by the TMVP to spoil things ,the K’ kudi Muslims are continuing with their humanitarian efforts.
The conduct of the TMVP that claims to free the Eastern Tamil from Northern oppression has been disgusting during this crisis. The Karuna faction has not rendered any worthwhile assistance through the manpower it possesses. It is a stumbling block to many NGO”s as the outfit demands financial allocations for itself in order to look after the refugees. In many instances the TMVP has placed obstacles to NGO efforts. Moreover the TMVP hovers like vultures to abduct IDP children as child soldiers. The Amnesty International recently drew attention to this in a statement.
While the TMVP continues with its petty, racist politicking the Kattankudi Muslims continue with their good work. I sincerely hope that they and Muslims elsewhere in the East will not be deterred by the Karuna faction. Such demonstrations of inter – faith goodwill and inter – ethnic amity are sorely needed in the beleaguered East.
Recently when Sufi Muslims fled Kattankudi to escape the wrath of Wahabis it was the Aaraiyampathy Tamils who gave them refuge. Earlier when the Ysunami struck people of different races and religions helped each other. Their common suffering forged a bond that was shred to pieces when the state and politicians got involved.
Political leaders and self – styled liberators may say that the people of the Eastern province and in a larger sense the people of this Island cannot live together peacefully. That is not so. The ordinary people want to live together. They want to help each other. The shining example of Kattankudi Muslims is further testimony that our human bondage transcends other artificial barriers.
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March 20th, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
There is a deliberate effort going on to minimise the internally displaced person figures in the Eastern district of Batticaloa. The clumsy attempt to juggle with numbers by the media center for national security is a pointer. Another indicator is the callously insensitive claim by Keheliya Rambukwella that only 52, 000 are displaced in Batticaloa.It was totally incorrect to say the least. It may be that the Government of Sri Lanka is trying to downplay the gravity of the crisis by downsizing IDP numbers. If so it is one more exercise in futility by this government.
The de- facto entity governing Batticaloa today is the Defence ministry. The de- jure civil administrative authority is the District Secretary or Government Agent. The district secretariat’s official figure for displaced in B’ caloa on Friday March 16th evening was 165, 485.. These people were from 43, 808 families. Of these 6, 512 people from 1, 921 families had been re- settled in Vaakarai within the B’caloa district between March 7th to 15th. Another 2, 664 from 835 families were re- settled in Muthur and Eechilampattru in Trincomalee district by March 15th. This left a balance of 156, 309 peole from 41, 052 families by the week’s end.
The various acts of aerial bombardment and artillery shelling last year had led to a slow trickle of displaced persons from regions dominated by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil eelam (LTTE) to areas controlled by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL). This trickle became a flow during December 2006 and January 2007 when thousands of people from the militarily beleaguered Koraliapattru North (Vaakarai) division began fleeing to Govt areas. Among these were tens of thousand IDP”s from Trincomalee district who had sought refuge in Batticaloa North.
The IDP flow became a mini – flood in March when the armed forces launched “Operation Human shield”.The objective was to capture LTTE dominated areas of five AGA divisions. Army commander Sarath Fonseka has pledged that the Eastern province will be eradicated of the tigers by April new year. The latest offensive was seen as an integral part of an initiative to implement this pledge.
["I missed my son Rajendran (44), while leaving Vakarai. He is a mentally retarded person. I am worried about him, and don't know his whereabouts" says Sellaiah Ramupillai (72), who is a farmer from Kathiraveli - Photo HumanityAshore]
Some attempts by the soldiers and special task force personnel to advance on ground did not meet with expected success as the tigers offered stiff resistance. The brunt of the attack however was borne by the civilians. Barrages of artillery shells and MBRL rockets were fired. Intensive aerial bombardment was on. As a result of these atacks thousands of Tamil civilians left their homes and sought shelter and safety in GOSL areas. Though most people have left their homes the armed forces are yet to advance into this territory.
Substantial parts of five AGA or Pradeshiya divisions were under LTTE domination. They were Pattippalai (Kokkaticholai) Manmunai West (Vavunatheevu) , Poratheevupattru (Vellaveli), Eravoorpattru (Chenkalladdi) and Koralaipattru South (Kiran). Around 145, 000 people wee living in these five divisions. Of these about 128, 000 were living in LTTE dominated areas. Around 106, 000 of this number have registered themselves as IDP”s in GOSL controlled areas. Another 22, 000 are either living in their former areas or have not registered themselves as IDP”s. 98, 000 of these IDP”s were displaced in March this year.
The IDP’s living currently in B’caloa can be classified in two categories. One category concerns people from the Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts . The other is about those living in IDP camps or welfare centers and those living with friends or relatives.
21, 306 people from 5, 981 families from Trincomalee district are living in camps. 6, 729 people from 1, 683 families from Trinco are living with friends or relatives. 27, 005 people from 7. 664 families among the IDP”s in B’caloa are originally from Trincomalee district.
Among those from B’caloa district 62, 644 people from 16, 101 families are living in welfare center camps. 75, 806 from 20, 043 families are living with friends and relatives.Thus according to B’caloa dist secretariat figures of March 16th 138, 450 people from 36, 144 families from B’caloa district are registered as IDP”s.
A further classification could be that 81, 535 people from 21, 726 families are staying with friends and relatives while 83, 950 people from 22,088 families are staying at IDP camps. These categories consist of both Trinco and Batti district IDP”s. Proportionately more Trinco IDP’s are in camps while more B’caloa IDP’s are living with relatives and friends. There are 91 Welfare centers or IDP camps in Batticaloa district right now.
The displaced people are living in ten AGA divisions.Eravoorpsttru has the highest number with 40, 948 people from 10,974 families. Next comes Manmunai South and Eruvilpattru (Kaluwaanchikudi) with 35, 883 people from 8, 422 families.Manmunai North (Batticaloa town) ranks third with 33, 230 people from 9, 502 families. Manmunaipattru (Aaraiyampathy) has 24, 012 people from 6, 260 families.Koralaipattru (Vaalaichenai) has 12, 527 people from 3, 527 families. Koralaipattru south (Kiran) has 11, 888 peope from 3, 139 families.Koralaipattru North (Vaakarai) has 4, 278 people from 1, 282 families. Poratheevupattru (Vellavely) has 2, 384 people from 613 families.
[Photo: Yahoo! News]
There are three Muslim majority AGA divisions. Here the number is small. Kattankudi has 26 people from 6 families. Koralaipattru West has only 7 people from 4 family units. Koralaipatru Central has 302 people from 79 famiies. Most of these are Muslim refugees. They are from Muthur and a few villages north of Oddamavady. All of them are registered as IDP”s but staying with friends and relatives.
The break- down of registered IDP figures in B’caloa are not static. It is an evolving and changing situation. Therefore the numbers will fluctuate daily. Yet it is important to note that the actual number is at least double that of the defence ministry figure. It is almost three times the number stated by Keheliya Rambukwella. An estimated 22, 000 displaced have either not registered or living amidst hardship independently. 38 % of B’ caloa’s 422, 000 Tamils are displaced. The land of the singing fish is fast becoming a district of displaced Tamils.
The state machinery is woefully inadequate to cope with the crisis. Even at the time when the March influx began the administration had not catered to the earlier IDP’s from Trinco and Vaakarai properly. More than 50% of those refugees were living in tents. Then the new influx began. With nearly a 100, 000 IDP’s converging on GOSL areas of the littoral within days the administrative machinery just could not handle it. Even the NGO”s functioning amid many constraints are not able to help enough.
The blame rests entirely with the Govt in Colombo. This is a regime which began military offensives under the pretext of liberating people as human shields from the LTTE. The military campaign has been a massive show of firepower and airpower. Civilian habitats have been deliberately targetted with the avowed purpose of driving the people out.What has happened is that the so called “human shields” are not in the areas where they lived but the tigers who allegedly used them as shields remain.
What is going on now is merely a repetition of what went on in Sampoor, Muthur East, Eechilampattru and Koralaipattru North. Only the scale and scope is much greater. Under the flimsy pretext of “removing a LTTE threat” the Tamil people of the East are be9ing driven out of their historic habitat. They are being systematically deprived of their homes in their traditional homeland. The timing coincided with the harvest season. Everything was abandoned. Most dwellings have been destroyed or damaged. There are genocidal elements in the war being waged.
The Govt which claims it is freeing the Tamils from the LTTE’s clutches has shown no concern whatsoever for civilian plight. This is a time when enhanced finances have to be allocated to B’caloa district. Special arrangements should be made. More personnel and equipment. supplies. utensils etc are needed. Nothing has been done. The already staggering district administration simply does not have the resources to address the needs that have arisen in an extra- ordinary situation.
No comprehensive action plan has been drawn by Colombo when it should have fully anticipated massive upheaval. The treatment meted out to Tamil civilians contrasts sharply from how Sinhala civilian IDP”s were treated in Trincomalee. There are blatant double standards. The Tamil people of Batticaloa are regarded as children of a lesser God?
There are no proper facilities at IDP camps. There is no bread and therefore no breakfast. Lunch is invariably late and often undercooked. People line up for food in the blazing sun and it is pathetic to see them take food in plastic bags. Toilet facilities are not enough. Water is not adequately available. Drinking water is doled out once a day. There is little electricity available. Chimney lamps have been given without kerosene. There is not enough medicine, infant food or milk for children.
About 2, 000 people are housed in each school while 450 – 500 people are lodged in tents and sheds. Three to four families share a tent or shed. No special arrangements are available for nursing mothers, pregnat women or infants. Sick and the elderly too suffer. Diarrhoea, Eye disease and skin ailments are rampant. The situation is fertile for an epidemic outbreak. The weather is hot during day while the nights are cold with rain.
This is why many people have opted to live with friends and relatives. There too the situation is not rosy with many having to share meagre facilities. Many camp on compounds. Still they are relatively better off than those in IDP centers.
Most people fled their homes with only what they were wearing. Earlier the soldiers allowed people to return home and fetch things they needed. All re – entry has been banned from March 16th. All entry points in places like Black bridge, Ambilanthurai, Manmunai, Paddiruppu etc have been virtually sealed off. Many people wanted to go home and fetch documents like ID cards, certificates etc. Now they are unable to do so. People fear that their damaged houses will be looted as in the case of Sampooor and Vaakarai. It is alleged that the security personnel were responsible.
The IDP’ are destitute now but it must be remembered that they were not poor people. Most of them lived comfortably if not luxuriously. They have been rendred homeless now but they are not beggars. The emotional trauma undergone is terrible. Yet many officials and Social activists fail to realise this. They tend to regard them as people who have been poor all along. This is not so.
Batticaloa was once flourishing in agriculture. The East was the granary of Sri Lanka. Today war and deprivation has reduced it to poverty. Batticaloa people particularly those from the Paduvaankarai region were a hospitable community. All strangers and guests were made welcome and feasted with food. It is hear – wrenching to see such a simple, homely, hospitable people being reduced to living in refugee camps and lining up for rations and rice.
Related: More than One – Third of Tamils in B’Caloa Dist are Displaced
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March 20th, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
( This article which appeared in “The Morning Leader” of March 14th 2007 is a composite of three separate pieces posted earlier on www.transcurrents.com – www.tamilweek.com.)
A humanitarian tragedy of massive proportions is unfolding in the Batticaloa district of the Eastern Province. Intensive artillery shelling and aerial attacks have resulted in a massive displacement of more than 100,000 Tamil civilians living in areas controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The current conflict is of a military nature but its consequences are cruelly victimising the ordinary , helpless civilians.
What is going on now is a military manouevre that is being played out in accordance with the thoughts of Mao Ze Dong. It was “chairman” Mao who described guerillas as fish swimming in an ocean of people. In classic anti – insuregency strategy the state is now draining the “water of people” out and leave the “guerilla fish” to flounder. This is what was adopted in Sampoor and Vaakarai. It is now being adopted in the areas west of the B’caloa lagoon and in the Karadiyanaaru – Kudumbimalai – Tharavaikulam region.
The current military campaign was hardly unexpected. It was easily predictable. This columnist has been saying this for a long time. An article “The continuing tragedy of Eastern Tamil civilians” written in “The Morning Leader” of January 24th provided an insight of the present crisis.Relevant excerpts are given below –
“Army Commander Sarath Fonseka has pledged that the entire east would be brought under government control by April New Year. Already there is talk of going into the Tharavai-Kudumbimalai region and the Paduvaankarai region. The LTTE complexes in Karadiyanaaru and Kokkatticholai need to be destroyed, according to military circles. A probing mission in Vavunathivu on the western shores of the lagoon were repulsed by the LTTE. Another manoeuvre into Vellavely was also foiled.
It is however a matter of time before the military onslaught begins. What happened in Sampur and Vaharai is likely to be replicated. All entry-exit points will be blocked and food supplies prevented. Constant aerial bombardment and artillery shelling would happen.
The LTTE will be hampered by the fact that return artillery firing across the lagoon would hit Tamil and Muslim civilians this side. About 70,000 civilians living in the LTTE controlled areas would be forced to disperse. The IDPs figure would swell”
Sadly the on going conflict and resultant displacement is taking place as predicted. But the civilian figures are more than double the figure of 70,000 plus mentioned by me. According to figures supplied by military sources the population figures in the five AGA divisions controlled by the LTTE were 76,000. But civilian authorities of the district place it at over 160,000. Of these at least 140,000 had fled the areas into Govt controlled areas by Saturday March 10th. The remainder apparently left on Sunday Mar 11th. Though exact figures are unavailable it seems that the LTTE controlled areas are near totally bereft of Tamil civilians. Total ethnic cleansing!
Batticaloa district is bi- sected to a great extent by the 30 mile long Batticaloa lagoon where the fishes “sang” on moon – lit nights of a by- gone, beautiful era. There is a littoral strip of land between the lagoon and the sea known as “Eluvaankarai” or shore of the rising sun.The hinterland to the west of the lagoon was known as “Paduvaankarai” or shore of the setting sun. While Paduvaankarai is homogenously Tamil Eluvaankarai is heterogenous with adjacent Tamil and Muslim villages dotting the landscape like layers of flour and coconut in a pittu bamboo. Eluvaankarai was under GOSL control but the greater part of Paduvaankarai was under LTTE control.
[Fleeing their homes, Photo Courtesy of Yahoo! News]
Prior to the Vaakarai conflict the LTTE had the greater part of five AGA or Pradeshiya divisions under its control in the Batticaloa district. They were generally known as the Vavunatheevu, Pattipalai, Eravurpattru, Kiran and Vellaveli AGA divisions.The tigers also had areas in the Kanchikudichaaru, Rufuskulam and Saagamam kulam regions of the Amparai district under its control. After the ceasefire of February 23rd 2002 the LTTE established a strong presence in the Government of Sri Lanka controlled areas in the district. Thus the tigers exerted much authority in GOSL areas too.
The revolt led by the LTTE’s erstwhile eastern regional commander Vinayagamoorthy Muraleetharan alias “Col” Karuna changed everything. Karuna faction cadres aided and abetted by sections of the armed forces and guided by military intelligence waged a war of terror against the LTTE. The renegades adopted the same tactics pursued by the mainstream tigers against their enemies. As a result the LTTE withdrew from GOSL areas and holed up in areas under their direct control. The Karuna faction known as Tamil Makkal Viduthalaip Puligal (TMVP) is filling the “vacuum” in GOSL areas now.
The armed forces adopted a particular military strategy in the Sampoor, Muthur East , Eechilampatru and Verugal areas of the Trincomalee district. This was to cut off all supplies, food, medicine, transport etc to a target area for a considerable period of time. A prolonged campaign of aerial bombardment, strafing, artillery shelling and MBRL rocket fire was directed at the target area. There was virtually no concern showed for the civilians and anything that moved was game at times. This systematic terror campaign achieved results as the people began fleeing the areas. Initially the LTTE tried to prevent it but gave in as terrified people exerted desperate pressure.
The successful strategy adopted in Trincomalee South was followed in Batticaloa North. The Koralaipattru North AGA division under LTTE control was drained of people. The tigers hastily evacuated and the armed forces walked in. Now the same strategy is being adopted in other hinterland areas of the district. What is going on amidst the “militaristic”claims and counter – claims of both sides is a gigantic humanitarian tragedy. Sadly no force on earth seems capable of crying halt to this militaristic jingoism. The International Community makes token noises of sympathy and nothing more. The armed forces have carte blanche to continue a war that targets civilians primarily.
The LTTE has divided the areas into “kottams” or zones. At one time it had four “Kottams” under it in Batticaloa – Amparai.The Amparai district areas were known as Udumbankulam Kottam; The Vaakarai – Verugal areas were known as Aandaankulam Kottam; the areas of Tharavaikulam – Kudumbimalai (Thoppigala) extending down to Karadiyanaaru were known as Kudumbimalai Kottam; The Kokkatticholai – Vellaveli areas in Paduvaankarai were known as Maavadimunmaari Kottam.
Currently the Aandaankulam Kottam has been taken over by the military after a prolonged campaign.. The Udumbankulam Kottam was taken by the Special Task Force (STF) in a few days as the tigers simply abandoned their camps. Now the tigers are left with only two Kottams in Batticaloa namely Kudumbimalai and Maavadimunmaari . Comparatively Maavadimunmaari is more densely populated and supplies much food to tiger cadres. But the Kudumbimalai Kottam is militarily stronger. Within this Kottam amongst other things is the military headquarters “Meenaham” in Tharavai and the political headquarters “Thenagham” in Karadiyanaaru.
The targetting of these LTTE areas began last year but an effective cordon sanitaire on the lines of Sampoor and Vaakarai was not implemented. Yet supplies began to be restricted.Shelling and bombing took place sporadically. This itself resulted in some civilians moving out in a slow trickle over a period of several months. The pressure began mounting in earnest after the fall of Vaakarai.
Supplies going in were completely restricted. Steady and selective shelling of places began. A psychological offensive was launched with people being warned that their villages would be shelled. People were asked to move out. . With each burst of artillery fire the panic increased as the people knew what had happened in Sampoor and Vaakarai. The outflow began increasing It would have been much more but for the tigers .
The LTTE feared a repetition of Vaakarai and Sampoor and began restricting the people from moving out. Initially people defied the LTTE and moved out clandestinely by boat and catamaran. Some days later the tigers said the people could sneak out but not to do it openly and that if anyone is seen punishment would be meted out. After a while the tigers stopped strict enforcement and told the people they could go if they wished but warned them they could not return. In the last few days all controls were lifted and the people simply streamed out. The LTTE apparently made a virtue of necessity as terror stricken people would have fled en masse despite the tiger presence.
The LTTE relaxation of controls also coincided with an apparent change of strategy. Unlike Sampoor or Vaakarai where the LTTE fought it out for a very long time the tigers followed the path of least resistance when it came to Amparai. There the LTTE simply vanished and the STF had a cakewalk. But with cadres from Vaakarai and Amparai holing up in Kudumbimalai and Maavadimunmaari kottams the idea seemed to be that of an entrenched last stand. But that plan seems to have changed.
It appears that almost all the senior leaders like Ram, kutti Praba,Jeyathaan. Janarthan, Intelligence chief Keerthi etc have gone to the Wanni. So too have special commander “Col”.Bhanu and his temporary re-placement “Col” Jeyam.As in the case of Trincomalee where “Col” Sornam and political commissar Elilan re-located to the Wanni almost all the top military leaders and also political commissar Dayamohan have gone to the Wanni. Only Dayamohans deputy Seeralan and Special commander Ramesh and commander Nagesh are left with about 300 cadres at present. The tigers have also been sending much of their military assets to the Wanni.
It looks as if the LTTE is preparing to abandon Batticaloa district temporarily. The remaining cadres may offer resistance for a while and then fade away. A low – ket guerilla campaign would continue for a while till there is a change in the ground situation or a radical shift in LTTE military strategy. If the tigers wanted to fight on for a while they would have tried to hold on to the civilian population . The state charges the LTTE of using civilians as human shields but now the tigers are “shieldless”. This simply means that they are not ready for combat. Even in Vaakarai the last lot of civilians were allowed to leave when the tigers themselves began withdrawing.
It is against this backdrop that the current escalation of violence and displacement needs to be viewed. On Thursday March 8th morning a combined operation of the army and STF was launched. The A – 5 or Chenkalladdy – Badulla road was the axis in this new theatre of war. Two columns moved from opposite ends. One column from Chenkalladdy moved via the “Karutha Paalam” towards Koduvaamadhu; The other moved from Pulukunawe – Maha Oya – Siyambalanduwa areas towards Periya pullumalai and Aayithiyamalai. The LTTE offered fierce resistance.The Chenkalladdy column withdrew but the second column advanced into the Pullumalai area.
On Friday March 9th the armed forces advanced again from the Pullumalai area. It was officially announced that a military operation codenamed “Operation Human shield” to liberate the people held as human shields in LTTE areas was on. There was no movement from Chenkalladdy. After intense fighting the armed forces consolidated some gains in the Pullumalai and Periya pullumalai areas. There was a lull in fighting during Saturday March 10th. Violence escalated during the night and the conflict raged throughout Sunday March 11th. But by Sunday evening the armed forces withdrew into Mangala Oya and Pulukunawe.
According to LTTE statements fighting had been intense in the general areas of Paavatkodichenai, Ooraandakulam, 8th milepost, Unnichchai and Pansenai. Two bodies of dead STF men were cremated at Illuppaiyadichenai by the lTTE. Four bodies of STF personnel were handed over at Karadiyanaaru. LTTE’s Seeralan claimed that only one woman cadre was killed. The reality of casualty figures could be much more on both sides.
The military moves however were accompanied by prolonged artillery and MBRL barrages from fourteen camps. The 23- 3 headquarters at Weber Stadium in the heart of Batticaloa town as well as the camps at Kalladdy, Manchanthoduvaai, Vavunatheevu, Valaiiravu. Thimilatheevu, Sathurukondaan,Karutha Paalam,Kommathurai,Mayilambaaveli , Vaalaichenai paper factory, Thampitiya, Pulukunawe and Maha Oya junction A steady barrage was maintained at a stretch for 48 hours till Saturday morning. After a lull during day artillery firing began in the night and went on till Sunday evening. At least 1000 shells per day were fired on Thursday and Friday. About 700 – 800 were fired on Saturday – Sunday.
The artillery – MBRL fire was directed against all five AGA divisions under LTTE control. It is reported that all 124 villages and hamlets in these areas were hit. Houses, huts, places of worship, public buildings etc were hit. Around 50 people were injured and one died. Apart from the shelling K-firs and Mig’s bombed the Tharavai – Kudumbimalai region for four days in a row.
The fall – out from this shelling and bombing has been massive destruction, displacement and despair. According to civil administrative authorities about 162, 000 people were living in LTTE controlled areas. Of these 18, 045 had come out into GOSL areas by Wednesday March 7th. The Internally displaced persons figures for B’caloa district on March 7th were 91, 143. Of these 47, 434 were staying outside welfare camps with relatives and friends. The rest were at 58 IDP camps.
After the first two three days of conflict a massive outflow of IDP’s occurred. 30, 025 persons from 7, 846 families were displaced in the Vavunatheevu AGA division; In Vellaveli AGA div it was 41, 590 people from 10, 226 families; 23, 653 persons from 5362 families were displaced in the Eravurpattru AGA division; 25, 644 people from 6651 families were displaced in the Pattipalai AGA division; The Kiran AGA div figures were 20, 074 people from 4290 families.
This amounts to 138, 995. When added on to the earlier IDP figure of 18, 045 from these areas the number becomes a mind- boggling 157, 040.This meant more than 95% of population were displaced. An unconfirmed report states that the remaining thousands too had left over the week – end. If this is true the five AGA divisions do not have civilians. It must be emphasised that the civil administration figures are much larger than the military figures.
What is important to note however is the fact that neither the civilian nor military or for that matter the NGO’s are prepared or equipped to handle this massive IDP flood. IDP’s from Paduvaankarai are seeking refuge in areas extending from Kallaru to Vaalaichenai on Eluvaankarai. Places of worship, schools, public buildings are overflowing.People are living under trees and on the roads. Families are packed in compounds of friends and relatives.
A major humanitarian tragedy is in the making. Urgent attention is required. As stated in these columns the Tamils are becoming a homeless people. A nation that wanted a homeland of its own is being deprived of its home in what is regarded as its traditional homeland.
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March 14th, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
A humanitarian tragedy of massive proportions is unfolding in the Batticaloa district of the Eastern Province. Intensive artillery shelling and aerial attacks have resulted in a massive displacement of more than 100,000 Tamil civilians living in areas controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The current conflict is of a military nature but its consequences are cruelly victimising the ordinary , helpless civilians.
What is going on now is a military manouevre that is being played out in accordance with the thoughts of Mao Ze Dong. It was “chairman” Mao who described guerillas as fish swimming in an ocean of people. In classic anti – insuregency strategy the state is now draining the “water of people” out and leave the “guerilla fish” to flounder. This is what was adopted in Sampoor and Vaakarai. It is now being adopted in the areas west of the B’caloa lagoon and in the Karadiyanaaru – Kudumbimalai – Tharavaikulam region.
The current military campaign was hardly unexpected. It was easily predictable. This columnist has been saying this for a long time. An article “The continuing tragedy of Eastern Tamil civilians” written in “The Morning Leader” of January 24th provided an insight of the present crisis.Relevant excerpts are given below –
“Army Commander Sarath Fonseka has pledged that the entire east would be brought under government control by April New Year. Already there is talk of going into the Tharavai-Kudumbimalai region and the Paduvaankarai region. The LTTE complexes in Karadiyanaaru and Kokkatticholai need to be destroyed, according to military circles. A probing mission in Vavunathivu on the western shores of the lagoon were repulsed by the LTTE. Another manoeuvre into Vellavely was also foiled.
It is however a matter of time before the military onslaught begins. What happened in Sampur and Vaharai is likely to be replicated. All entry-exit points will be blocked and food supplies prevented. Constant aerial bombardment and artillery shelling would happen.
[Fleeing their homes: Courtesy of Yahoo News]
The LTTE will be hampered by the fact that return artillery firing across the lagoon would hit Tamil and Muslim civilians this side. About 70,000 civilians living in the LTTE controlled areas would be forced to disperse. The IDPs figure would swell”
The on going conflict and resultany displacement is taking place as predicted. But the civilian figures are more than double the figure of 70,000 plus mentioned by me. According to figures supplied by military sources the population figures in the five AGA divisions controlled by the LTTE were 76,000. But civilian authorities of the district place it at over 160,000. Of these at least 140,000 had fled the areas into Govt controlled areas by Saturday March 10th. The remainder apparently left on Sunday Mar 11th. Though exact figures are unavailable it seems that the LTTE controlled areas are near totally bereft of Tamil civilians. Total ethnic cleansing!
The military moves however were accompanied by prolonged artillery and MBRL barrages from fourteen camps. The 23- 3 headquarters at Weber Stadium in the heart of Batticaloa town as well as the camps at Kalladdy, Manchanthoduvaai, Vavunatheevu, Valaiiravu. Thimilatheevu, Sathurukondaan,Karutha Paalam,Kommathurai,Mayilambaaveli , Vaalaichenai paper factory, Thampitiya, Pulukunawe and Maha Oya junction A steady barrage was maintained at a stretch for 48 hours till Saturday morning. After a lull during day artillery firing began in the night and went on till Sunday evening. At least 1000 shells per day were fired on Thursday and Friday. About 700 – 800 were fired on Saturday – Sunday.
The artillery – MBRL fire was directed against all five AGA divisions under LTTE control. It is reported that all 124 villages and hamlets in these areas were hit. Houses, huts, places of worship, public buildings etc were hit. Around 50 people were injured and one died. Apart from the shelling K-firs and Mig’s bombed the Tharavai – Kudumbimalai region for four days in a row.
The fall – out from this shelling and bombing has been massive destruction, displacement and despair. According to civil administrative authorities about 162, 000 people were living in LTTE controlled areas. Of these 18, 045 had come out into GOSL areas by Wednesday March 7th. The Internally displaced persons figures for B’caloa district on March 7th were 91, 143. Of these 47, 434 were staying outside welfare camps with relatives and friends. The rest were at 58 IDP camps.
After the first two three days of conflict a massive outflow of IDP’s occurred. 30, 025 persons from 7, 846 families were displaced in the Vavunatheevu AGA division; In Vellaveli AGA div it was 41, 590 people from 10, 226 families; 23, 653 persons from 5362 families were displaced in the Eravurpattru AGA division; 25, 644 people from 6651 families were displaced in the Pattipalai AGA division; The Kiran AGA div figures were 20, 074 people from 4290 families.
This amounts to 138, 995. When added on to the earlier IDP figure of 18, 045 from these areas the number becomes a mind- boggling 157, 040.This meant more than 95% of population were displaced. An unconfirmed report states that the remaining thousands too had left over the week – end. If this is true the five AGA divisions do not have civilians. It must be emphasised that the civil administration figures are much larger than the military figures.
What is important to note however is the fact that neither the civilian nor military or for that matter the NGO’s are prepared or equipped to handle this massive IDP flood. Most temples, Churches , schools and public buildings are overflowing with the displaced.People are living under trees and on the roads. A major humanitarian tragedy is in the making. Urgent attention is required. As stated in these columns the Tamils are becoming a homeless people. A nation that wanted a homeland of its own is being deprived of its home in what is regarded as its traditional homeland.
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March 13th, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Batticaloa district is bi- sected to a great extent by the 30 mile long Batticaloa lagoon where the fishes “sang” on moon – lit nights of a by- gone, beautiful era. There is a littoral strip of land between the lagoon and the sea known as “Eluvaankarai” or shore of the rising sun.The hinterland to the west of the lagoon was known as “Paduvaankarai” or shore of the setting sun. While Paduvaankarai is homogenously Tamil Eluvaankarai is heterogenous with adjacent Tamil and Muslim villages dotting the landscape like layers of flour and coconut in a pittu bamboo. Eluvaankarai was under GOSL control but the greater part of Paduvaankarai was under LTTE control.
Prior to the Vaakarai conflict the LTTE had the greater part of five AGA or Pradeshiya divisions under its control in the Batticaloa district. They were generally known as the Vavunatheevu, Pattipalai, Eravurpattru, Kiran and Vellaveli AGA divisions.The tigers also had areas in the Kanchikudichaaru, Rufuskulam and Saagamam kulam regions of the Amparai district under its control. After the ceasefire of February 23rd 2002 the LTTE established a strong presence in the Government of Sri Lanka controlled areas in the district. Thus the tigers exerted much authority in GOSL areas too.
The revolt led by the LTTE’s erstwhile eastern regional commander Vinayagamoorthy Muraleetharan alias “Col” Karuna changed everything. Karuna faction cadres aided and abetted by sections of the armed forces and guided by military intelligence waged a war of terror against the LTTE. The renegades adopted the same tactics pursued by the mainstream tigers against their enemies. As a result the LTTE withdrew from GOSL areas and holed up in areas under their direct control. The Karuna faction known as Tamil Makkal Viduthalaip Puligal (TMVP) is filling the “vacuum” in GOSL areas now.
The armed forces adopted a particular military strategy in the Sampoor, Muthur East , Eechilampatru and Verugal areas of the Trincomalee district. This was to cut off all supplies, food, medicine, transport etc to a target area for a considerable period of time. A prolonged campaign of aerial bombardment, strafing, artillery shelling and MBRL rocket fire was directed at the target area. There was virtually no concern showed for the civilians and anything that moved was game at times. This systematic terror campaign achieved results as the people began fleeing the areas. Initially the LTTE tried to prevent it but gave in as terrified people exerted desperate pressure.
The successful strategy adopted in Trincomalee South was followed in Batticaloa North. The Koralaipattru North AGA division under LTTE control was drained of people. The tigers hastily evacuated and the armed forces walked in. Now the same strategy is being adopted in other hinterland areas of the district. What is going on amidst the “militaristic”claims and counter – claims of both sides is a gigantic humanitarian tragedy. Sadly no force on earth seems capable of crying halt to this militaristic jingoism. The International Community makes token noises of sympathy and nothing more. The armed forces have carte blanche to continue a war that targets civilians primarily.
The LTTE has divided the areas into “kottams” or zones. At one time it had four “Kottams” under it in Batticaloa – Amparai.The Amparai district areas were known as Udumbankulam Kottam; The Vaakarai – Verugal areas were known as Aandaankulam Kottam; the areas of Tharavaikulam – Kudumbimalai (Thoppigala) extending down to Karadiyanaaru were known as Kudumbimalai Kottam; The Kokkatticholai – Vellaveli areas in Paduvaankarai were known as Maavadimunmaari Kottam.
Currently the Aandaankulam Kottam has been taken over by the military after a prolonged campaign.. The Udumbankulam Kottam was taken by the Special Task Force (STF) in a few days as the tigers simply abandoned their camps. Now the tigers are left with only two Kottams in Batticaloa namely Kudumbimalai and Maavadimunmaari . Comparatively Maavadimunmaari is more densely populated and supplies much food to tiger cadres. But the Kudumbimalai Kottam is militarily stronger. Within this Kottam amongst other things is the military headquarters “Meenaham” in Tharavai and the political headquarters “Thenagham” in Karadiyanaaru.
The targetting of these LTTE areas began last year but an effective cordon sanitaire on the lines of Sampoor and Vaakarai was not implemented. Yet supplies began to be restricted.Shelling and bombing took place sporadically. This itself resulted in some civilians moving out in a slow trickle over a period of several months. The pressure began mounting in earnest after the fall of Vaakarai.
Supplies going in were completely restricted. Steady and selective shelling of places began. A psychological offensive was launched with people being warned that their villages would be shelled. People were asked to move out. . With each burst of artillery fire the panic increased as the people knew what had happened in Sampoor and Vaakarai. The outflow began increasing It would have been much more but for the tigers .
The LTTE feared a repetition of Vaakarai and Sampoor and began restricting the people from moving out. Initially people defied the LTTE and moved out clandestinely by boat and catamaran. Some days later the tigers said the people could sneak out but not to do it openly and that if anyone is seen punishment would be meted out. After a while the tigers stopped strict enforcement and told the people they could go if they wished but warned them they could not return. In the last few days all controls were lifted and the people simply streamed out. The LTTE apparently made a virtue of necessity as terror stricken people would have fled en masse despite the tiger presence.
The LTTE relaxation of controls also coincided with an apparent change of strategy. Unlike Sampoor or Vaakarai where the LTTE fought it out for a very long time the tigers followed the path of least resistance when it came to Amparai. There the LTTE simply vanished and the STF had a cakewalk. But with cadres from Vaakarai and Amparai holing up in Kudumbimalai and Maavadimunmaari kottams the idea seemed to be that of an entrenched last stand. But that plan seems to have changed.
It appears that almost all the senior leaders like Ram, kutti Praba,Jeyathaan. Janarthan, Intelligence chief Keerthi etc have gone to the Wanni. So too have special commander “Col”.Bhanu and his temporary re-placement “Col” Jeyam.As in the case of Trincomalee where “Col” Sornam and political commissar Elilan re-located to the Wanni almost all the top military leaders and also political commissar Dayamohan have gone to the Wanni. Only Dayamohans deputy Seeralan and Special commander Ramesh and commander Nagesh are left with about 300 cadres at present. The tigers have also been sending much of their military assets to the Wanni.
It looks as if the LTTE is preparing to abandon Batticaloa district temporarily. The remaining cadres may offer resistance for a while and then fade away. A low – ket guerilla campaign would continue for a while till there is a change in the ground situation or a radical shift in LTTE military strategy. If the tigers wanted to fight on for a while they would have tried to hold on to the civilian population . The state charges the LTTE of using civilians as human shields but now the tigers are “shieldless”. This simply means that they are not ready for combat. Even in Vaakarai the last lot of civilians were allowed to leave when the tigers themselves began withdrawing.It is against this backdrop that the current escalation of violence and displacement needs to be viewed.
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March 13th, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
On Thursday March 8th morning a combined operation of the army and STF was launched. The A – 5 or Chenkalladdy – Badulla road was the axis in this new theatre of war. Two columns moved from opposite ends. One column from Chenkalladdy moved via the “Karutha Paalam” towards Koduvaamadhu; The other moved from Pulukunawe – Maha Oya – Siyambalanduwa areas towards Periya pullumalai and Aayithiyamalai. The LTTE offered fierce resistance.The Chenkalladdy column withdrew but the second column advanced into the Pullumalai area.
On Friday March 9th the armed forces advanced again from the Pullumalai area. It was officially announced that a military operation codenamed “Operation Human shield” to liberate the people held as human shields in LTTE areas was on. There was no movement from Chenkalladdy. After intense fighting the armed forces consolidated some gains in the Pullumalai and Periya pullumalai areas. There was a lull in fighting during Saturday March 10th. Violence escalated during the night and the conflict raged throughout Sunday March 11th. But by Sunday evening the armed forces withdrew into Mangala Oya and Pulukunawe.
According to LTTE statements fighting had been intense in the general areas of Paavatkodichenai, Ooraandakulam, 8th milepost, Unnichchai and Pansenai. Two bodies of dead STF men were cremated at Illuppaiyadichenai by the lTTE. Four bodies of STF personnel were handed over at Karadiyanaaru. LTTE’s Seeralan claimed that only one woman cadre was killed. The reality of casualty figures could be much more on both sides.
Even before the current phase of fighting the targetting of these LTTE areas had begun last year but an effective cordon sanitaire on the lines of Sampoor and Vaakarai was not implemented. Yet supplies began to be restricted.Shelling and bombing took place sporadically. This itself resulted in some civilians moving out in a slow trickle over a period of several months. The pressure began mounting in earnest after the fall of Vaakarai.
Supplies going in were completely restricted. Steady and selective shelling of places began. A psychological offensive was launched with people being warned that their villages would be shelled. People were asked to move out. . With each burst of artillery fire the panic increased as the people knew what had happened in Sampoor and Vaakarai. The outflow began increasing It would have been much more but for the tigers .
The LTTE feared a repetition of Vaakarai and Sampoor and began restricting the people from moving out. Initially people defied the LTTE and moved out clandestinely by boat and catamaran. Some days later the tigers said the people could sneak out but not to do it openly and that if anyone is seen punishment would be meted out. After a while the tigers stopped strict enforcement and told the people they could go if they wished but warned them they could not return. In the last few days all controls were lifted and the people simply streamed out. The LTTE apparently made a virtue of necessity as terror stricken people would have fled en masse despite the tiger presence
It looks as if the LTTE is preparing to abandon Batticaloa district temporarily. The remaining cadres may offer resistance for a while and then fade away. A low – ket guerilla campaign would continue for a while till there is a change in the ground situation or a radical shift in LTTE military strategy. If the tigers wanted to fight on for a while they would have tried to hold on to the civilian population . The state charges the LTTE of using civilians as human shields but now the tigers are “shieldless”. This simply means that they are not ready for combat. Even in Vaakarai the last lot of civilians were allowed to leave when the tigers themselves began withdrawing.
The military moves however were accompanied by prolonged artillery and MBRL barrages from fourteen camps. The 23- 3 headquarters at Weber Stadium in the heart of Batticaloa town as well as the camps at Kalladdy, Manchanthoduvaai, Vavunatheevu, Valaiiravu. Thimilatheevu, Sathurukondaan,Karutha Paalam,Kommathurai,Mayilambaaveli , Vaalaichenai paper factory, Thampitiya, Pulukunawe and Maha Oya junction A steady barrage was maintained at a stretch for 48 hours till Saturday morning. After a lull during day artillery firing began in the night and went on till Sunday evening. At least 1000 shells per day were fired on Thursday and Friday. About 700 – 800 were fired on Saturday – Sunday.
The artillery – MBRL fire was directed against all five AGA divisions under LTTE control. It is reported that all 124 villages and hamlets in these areas were hit. Houses, huts, places of worship, public buildings etc were hit. Around 50 people were injured and one died. Apart from the shelling K-firs and Mig’s bombed the Tharavai – Kudumbimalai region for four days in a row.
The fall – out from this shelling and bombing has been massive destruction, displacement and despair. According to civil administrative authorities about 162, 000 people were living in LTTE controlled areas. Of these 18, 045 had come out into GOSL areas by Wednesday March 7th. The Internally displaced persons figures for B’caloa district on March 7th were 91, 143. Of these 47, 434 were staying outside welfare camps with relatives and friends. The rest were at 58 IDP camps.
After the first two, three days of conflict a massive outflow of IDP’s occurred. 30, 025 persons from 7, 846 families were displaced in the Vavunatheevu AGA division; In Vellaveli AGA div it was 41, 590 people from 10, 226 families; 23, 653 persons from 5362 families were displaced in the Eravurpattru AGA division; 25, 644 people from 6651 families were displaced in the Pattipalai AGA division; The Kiran AGA div figures were 20, 074 people from 4290 families.
This amounts to 138, 995. When added on to the earlier IDP figure of 18, 045 from these areas the number becomes a mind- boggling 157, 040.This meant more than 95% of population were displaced. An unconfirmed report states that the remaining thousands too had left over the week – end. If this is true the five AGA divisions do not have civilians. It must be emphasised that the civil administration figures are much larger than the military figures.
What is important to note however is the fact that neither the civilian nor military or for that matter the NGO’s are prepared or equipped to handle this massive IDP flood. People are living under trees and on the roads. A major humanitarian tragedy is in the making. Urgent attention is required. As stated in these columns the Tamils are becoming a homeless people. A nation that wanted a homeland of its own is being deprived of its home in what is regarded as its traditional homeland.
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March 13th, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Many Tamil people living in Northern areas controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are faced with the problem of increased tiger conscription. Intensified forcible recruitment since June last year has resulted in an estimated 10, 000 persons being inducted into the LTTE over the past eight months.
A significant feature of this recruitment drive is that the bulk of those conscripted are over the age of seventeen. This is in striking contrast to earlier practice where thousands of children were forcibly recruited.
Technically what is going on now in the tiger – dominated north is not a child conscription campaign. It is a campaign of abductions and forcible recruitment of the over seventeens. Even those under 18 are deemed children but the LTTE for some reason has lowered it to 17 in its areas. Those aged 17 are not sent to the frontline till they turn 18 claim the LTTE. They are used as helpers in camps till they become 18. Whatever the LTTE may say the universally accepted legal position is that all those under 18 years of age are “children”.
Though International standards decree that all persons recruited under the age of eighteen are child soldiers the LTTE takes up the age of 17 as its standard in recruiting cadres. The LTTE has devised its own Child protection act (CPA) in the areas it administers. The CPA came into force from Jan 1st this year.
Though the LTTE has been avoiding conscription of those under 17 years there have been cases where minors were taken as hostages to pressurise older family members into joining up.
The intensification and acceleration of the LTTE campaign to forcibly recruit those between 17 and 35 into their ranks directly has caused much resentment amid the Tamil people. They have no way to resist or protest. Some have gone into hiding. Others have found ways to leave or escape from those areas. Those detected of trying to escape have been punished. The LTTE has also infiltrated the Govt controlled areas of Mannar , Vavuniya and even Jaffna districts and abducted people. The full force of tiger conscriptions is faced by the people of Kilinochchi and Mullaitheevu districts.
The LTTE which boasts of a parallel administration has set up its monitoring apparatus in the areas it controls. There are two or more LTTE operatives functioning as “grama sevakhas” in each village. They are in possession of all family details in every household in their areas of authority. LTTE operatives armed with such particulars visit each home and “press gang” the reluctant young men and women into joining them. If unsuccessful at day – time the tigers return at night. Nocturnal raids are a regular feature now.
One way of avoiding conscription was to marry since married persons were not forcibly recruited. So many people in tiger controlled areas began marrying early. With the present recruitment drive being launched in June last year the rate of marriages shot up among young people. The LTTE has now declared that all marriages after August 2006 are null and void.
Regardless of marital status the new grooms and brides are being conscripted. The LTTE has also gone to the extent of declaring a moratorium on marriages till a particular age is reached. Males cannot marry till they are 40 and females till 35. This is only a temporary measure assures the LTTE.
A recent incident of suicide illustrates vividly the depths of despair which ordinary civilians are currently undergoing. On January 22nd this year a school master from Uruthirapuram married an employee at the Mallavi hospital. Both were in their mid – twenties.
Two days later on the 24th LTTE operatives came to the newly married couple and insisted that the groom give up “marital bliss” and join up with them. The “wedding” was not valid they pointed out. The distressed couple pleaded with the tigers and obtained a few days “grace” to complete wedding rituals .
The tigers agreed and went away. The groom and bride “escaped” and hid themselves elsewhere. The tigers returned and were infuriated at this defiance. They abducted the grooms sister and the bride’s brother and took them away. The groom was asked to present himself within a week. Otherwise the siblings would not return , warned the LTTE.
The groom was extremely agitated and worried. After pondering the situation for days in a frustrated and confused mental state the man committed suicide by hanging on February 5th. He died exactly two weeks after his marriage.
This woeful tale is being talked about widely in the LTTE areas and elsewhere now. Many people are highly critical of the LTTE for this act which encapsules the predicament faced by ordinary Tamils under the jackboots of the LTTE.
In a bid to counter this resentment the LTTE is now putting a counter spin by spreading the rumour that the man was diagnosed with terminal cancer and therefore had taken his own life .
Some of the persons taken by the tigers have managed to escape and go into hiding. The LTTE has sent letters to the families saying the “escapees” must surrender themselves before a particular date. Otherwise family members will have to face consequences the tigers warn.
In another incident on Feb 9th in Vattakachchi an elder sister was taken in place of a younger sister who went into hiding. The protesting parents were kicked and pushed aside.
The incident however is now causing a major headache to the LTTE as the abducted woman’s maternal uncle presently residing in Canada has protested openly about the incident. Gajan Kanagarajah of Mississauga in the Ontario Province of Canada has written an open letter on Feb 17th. In that letter he has pleaded for international assistance to secure the safe release of his 27 year old niece Pathmaseeli .
The full text of the letter is reproduced here -
Gajan Kanagarajah
5299 Landsborough Avenue,
Mississauga ON
L5R 3X1
T.Ph: 416 939 2064
17 February 2007
To Whom It May Concern:
I am a citizen of Canada and presently living in Canada for the last fourteen (14) years. I was born in Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka. I have four (4) brothers and five (5) sisters. I have two sisters still living in Kilinochchi, Vanni district, Sri Lanka.
I am writing this letter seeking your help to secure the release of my niece PATHMASEELI KANAGARAJAH who was forcibly taken by the LTTE on 9 February 2007 from her home in Kilinochchi.
I state that one of my two sisters still living in Kilinochchi is Sooriyavathana Kanagarajah and she has five children; four (4) daughters and one son. The eldest daughter is married and lives in Toronto and all other children (three daughters and the son) are still in Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka. One other daughter is also married and lives separately in Kilinochchi. The rest of the children, two daughters and the son live with my sister and her husband. They live at Vinayagar Lane, Vaddakachchi, Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka.
I state that recently the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) took a census in Kilinochchi district and took note of all the children living in all households.
I have first hand information that one of the daughters of my sister, Pathmaseeli Kanagarajah, born on 10 December 1980, had been forcibly removed from her home by the LTTE on 9 February 2007. This had taken place around afternoon hours.
On 9 February 2007, some LTTE men came to my sister’s house and demanded the release of my sister’s youngest daughter Thenuga Kanagarajah, 23yrs, to be taken by them and to be given military training. However, as they had information that conscription was going on that day along Vinayagar Lane, the prospective conscript Thenuga went into hiding before the LTTE entered their home. Pathamaseeli did not fear the LTTE on that day as she was under the belief that the LTTE would take only the youngest in the family.
I state that when the LTTE entered home and found that Thenuga was missing they went into searching all over the house, including the adjoining house that belongs to my other sister. The LTTE members got very angry and demanded Pathmaseeli to join them. When she declined, she was pulled and dragged to the LTTE vehicle. My sister and her husband interfered and tried to save her. But they were kicked violently and pushed aside. Pathmaseeli cried loudly and shouted at her parents seeking help but to no avail.
I state that my niece Pathmaseeli never intended to join the LTTE or any other militant movement. I state that she was taken against her will and she is being detained forcibly by the LTTE now.
I am making this statement voluntarily and under no compulsion, threat or fear. I need your help in seeking the release of my niece Pathmaseeli and I demand that she is released by the LTTE immediately.
Yours truly,
[Gajan Kanagarajah]
Kanagarajah is now sending copies of this letter to organizations such as the Amnesty International. Human Rights watch, Red Cross, UNHCR and also to the various diplomatic missions stationed in Colombo. He has also sent the letter to representatives of the Canadian Government at various levels. Copies of the letter have also been sent to various media institutions.
This is perhaps the first time that a Tamil person of Sri Lankan origin has dared to come out openly against the LTTE by seeking international help to get a close relative released from tiger custody. The exercise is more a desperate appeal to the collective conscience of the world rather than an act of defiance against the LTTE.
Kanagarajah’s action is a brave and courageous one given the fact that his sisters and their families are residing in the Wanni still. Will the world hear these anguished cries or maintain a deafening silence?
Continuous forcible recruitment is alienating the Tamil people from the LTTE. The tigers with their military mindset fail to recognize this and are ruthlessly intensifying their conscription drive to meet self – imposed deadlines.
After promulgating a child protection act the LTTE is concentrating on over seventeens as targets of recruitment. Conscripted adults do not fall under the category of child soldiers. But such “conscriptions” are abductions and therefore criminal offences as well as ceasefire violations.
The LTTE’s conduct in matters concerning Children too are not satisfactory.
UN special envoy Allan Rock who met LTTE political commissar Suppiah Paramu Thamilselvan last November pointed out that the LTTE’s Child Protection Act t ” does not respect international law and norms applicable to the protection of children in armed conflict, because it establishes 17 as the minimum age for recruitment.”
“It is therefore in contravention of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, which Sri Lanka has signed and ratified, and which establishes 18 as the minimum age for recruitment. ” stressed Rock to Thamilselvan.
Allan Rock also submitted his report on Children and armed conflict in Sri Lanka to the UN security Council working group on Feb 9th. Rock called upon the LTTE to adhere to the following in that report .
(i) immediately stop all recruitment of children, defined as all persons below the age of 18.
(ii) fulfill its commitment to me to release all children in its ranks and work with UNICEF towards the return of those children to their families;
(iii) train and discipline its commanders so that they are well aware that the recruitment and deployment of children will not be tolerated; and
(iv) allow access to all LTTE camps by UNICEF and other international protection agencies to determine whether child recruits are present.”
Allan Rock also recommended that the Working Group propose to the Security Council that it should
(i) consider targeted measures against LTTE to address its continuing failure or refusal to stop recruiting and deploying children; those measures might include travel bans, asset freezes and an arms embargo;
(ii) call upon Member States to assist in the application of those measures;
_______________________________________________
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February 20th, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
The on going conflict between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has led to the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians. Though people of all communities have suffered the consequences of war – in different degrees – it is the North – Eastern Tamil civilian who has borne the brunt of it. The dastardly murder of a Hindu priest is a sad illustration of the pathetic plight that ordinary Tamil civilians are placed in as both sides pursue their dirty war.
Sixty – one year old Selliah Kurukkal Parameshwarak kurukkal was the chief poosary or priest at the Siddhi Vinayagar temple at Santhiweli in Eravur division of Batticaloa district. The temple is dedicated to Pillaiyaar or Lord Ganesha the elephant faced eldest child of Lord Shiva and consort Parvathy.
Parameshwarakkurukkal was the father of three children. Sreeranjani was the name of his young wife.
The Kurukkal’s residence was close to the army camp in Santhiveli.Many soldiers and even officers worshipped at the Pillaiyaar temple. They made vows and dashed coconuts to the “Gana Deiyo”. In such a situation it is inevitable that a cordial relationship would come to prevail between the priest and local security personnel. This amicable situation received a sudden jolt on February 3rd.
It was on that Saturday that President Mahinda Rajapakse made an unannounced “surprise” visit to Vaakarai the newly “conquered” piece of real estate in the Eastern Province. Govt propaganda had been blaring forth for many days about the people of Vaakarai being liberated from the clutches of the LTTE by our valiant security forces.It was but natural for the supreme commander of the armed forces to visit Vaakarai and see for himself the liberated people shout lustily “free at last!”
There was a hitch. Just as there were no people in Sampoor when that place was liberated from the tigers there were no people in Vaakarai too when it was freed. Tens of thousands had fled the region due to bombing, shelling ,denial of shelter and deprivation of food and medicine etc. The remaining people were also forcibly re- located on the pretext of clearing the area of landmines. So when President Rajapakse was expected to land in Vaakarai there would have been no people to greet him.
But the authorities had a brainwave. A “crowd” of about 300 people was hastily cobbled together. The question of whether these people really wanted to greet and meet a “President” for whom they did not vote for never arose. They had no choice when the local security forces wanted them to be at Vaakarai. “Their’s not to reason why; their’s but to do or die”. So the people went or rather allowed themselves to be taken.
It was also necessary for some religious rites to be observed in keeping with President Rajapakse’s image as a man of religion. Parameshwarakkurukkal of Santhively Siddhivinayagar kovil was approached by “friendly” officers. As in the case of any Tamil civilian living in army occupied areas the priest too had no choice. He could not refuse and risk incurring the wrath of the security forces. The consequences of refusal would have been terrible. In a land where death is rampant the life of the priest could have been snuffed out as easily as the camphor flame during worship rituals.
Parameshwarakkurukkal went along with others to Vaakarai. Rajapakse landed via helicopter and inspected the new conquest. The Pillaiyaar Kovil priest conducted a special pooja invoking blessings on the President. He received “dhakshina” according to custom.Parameshwarakkurukkal was also suddenly “requested” to garland the President and place the “pottu” or thilak on his forehead. This the poor priest did. Could he have dared to refuse in that situation where the slightest wish of the conqueror amounted to a command? Could a humble hindu priest defy the high and mighty and get away with it?
It was a grand photo opportunity. The “angavashtra” clad priest placing the pottu on the “Sataka” wearing President. Many pictures were taken as the cameras flashed. The President’s well – oiled propaganda machine made sure that the historic “scene”was publicised. The powerful president left Vaakarai by air while the powerless priest returned to his temple at Santhiweli by road.
It was after he returned home and talked about what had happened with his wife and other relatives, neighbours, friends and devotees that the gravity of his predicament began to sink in. Even as his act of garlanding and placing holy ash, sandal and vermillion on Rajapakse’s forehead became known to the people at large through the media the priest began to worry more. He became increasingly fearful for his life. These fears were exacerbated by the concern shown by people around him for having fallen foul of the LTTE.
The temple priest is in his own right a “professional” though this is not acknowledged in our semi – feudalistic society. Just as the doctor who has taken the hippocratic oath is required to treat any patient regardless of his or her race, religion, caste ‘ creed or political belief a simple priest too has to adhere to anyone seeking divine blessings. Priests do visit homes and foundation sites to perform specific rituals. In that context Parameshwarakkurukkal was well within his rights to have gone to Vaakarai and performed pooja for the President.
Besides what could the poor man have done in the situation he was in?. He could not have refused the security forces. He had been told that he would only have to perform pooja rites. The “order” disguised as “request” to garland the President was suddenly thrust on him. He had been taken aback but could not refuse. He was in a sense a captive of circumstances. The security forces had callously exploited the poor man and exposed him to danger by making him garland Rajapakse.
The simple act of a priest garlanding the President was politically “wrong” as far as the tigers were concerned. Vaakarai had been wrested from LTTE control after a brutal campaign that flagrantly violated international humanitarian law and war conventions . Now the “conqueror” was inspecting his conquest. Culturally, garlanding amounted to hailing the “victor”. From an LTTE perspective the action was like an endorsement of Rajapakse’s conquest. It was highly symbolic. It was like an “in your face” challenge from an LTTE point of view. Any Tamil collaborating in this “symbolic ritual” was seen as a traitor deserving the supreme penalty.
A brief excursion down memory lane would help place this puzzling phenomenon in perspective.
The armed forces took Jaffna in 1995. On December 5th a flag hoisting ceremony was conducted where the sword – bearing lion flag was raised at the Duraiappah stadium. Along with the national flag the district flag of Jaffna was also raised. That flag had the “nandhi” or crouched bull as its emblem. The “Nandhi” was the flag of the Pallava dynasty. In later years it became the flag of the Jaffna kingdom too. The Nandhi was “rolled up” only after Portuguese conquest. When the Jaffna Youth Congress protested against British colonialism the Nandhi flag was defiantly hoisted in place of the Union Jack during the 1930’s.
The Nandhi flag was also hoisted along with the Lion flag on Dec 5th as a gesture of inclusion. It was an attempt to reach out to Jaffna Tamil people and prevent them from feeling subjugated. Unfortunately the positive symbolism of hoisting the Nandhi flag was totally negated when Ratwatte and Kumaratunga played to the Sinhala gallery later. The Uncle who fancied himself to be a re- incarnated Senbagap Perumaal alias Sapumal Kumaraya took a parchment in a casket and handed it over to his niece saying “Yapapatuna” was taken.
The man who hoisted the “Nandhi” flag was a retired Govt employee named Ramalingam. His flag – raising act received wide publicity. The LTTE had been apparently vanquished. The Tamil people of Jaffna were accepting the changed situation and cooperating with reality was the image projected. Yet within a week two tiger assassins went to Ramalingam’s residence and shot him dead. The flag – raising from an LTTE perspective was a betrayal and amounted to treason. It was a symbolic act requiring symbolic reaction. The symbolism of hoisting was countered by the symbolism of death as punishment.
It is against this backdrop that Parameshwarakkurukkal’s innoccuous act of garlanding Rajapakse had to be viewed. Most people of Batticaloa that one spoke to viewed the act from a tiger prism. It was seen as wrong from a tiger perspective. From that standpoint the priest had blundered. It was widely accepted that the kurukkal had no choice in the matter. The armed forces had placed the priest in danger by making him garland Rajapakse. This act would be frowned upon by the tigers. The symbolism of garlanding would be countered by the symbolism of death it was feared .
Sadly this viewpoint was seemingly the consensus of opinion. It is one more instance of how LTTE sponsored violence has distorted and brutalised values of Tamil society. The LTTE’s way of doing things has permeated the collective consciousness of the Tamil people. Few dare to question whether the LTTE has any right to kill a person who hoists a district flag or garland a President. Few dare to question whether there was any wrong committed by garlanding which warrants death as punishment. If the LTTE perceives it as wrong then all Tamil people have to abide by that perception. To go against the LTTE is at best folly and at worst treason.
Gradually the feeling that Parameshwarakkurukkal had committed an “offence” in the eyes of the LTTE and was going to be punished for it began spreading among the community. The poor kurukkal and family members were terrified. The priest’s wife was to recount later the psychological state of her husband to the BBC Tamil Service “Thamilosai”. “For the last four days he was agitated and afraid of what would happen to him. On Tuesday (6th) night he woke up suddenly and sobbed loudly for a long , long time saying that he was going to be killed and lamenting about the fate of his wife and children after his demise”, she said in Tamil.
It was around 8. 15 pm on Wednesday, February 7th that three youths arrived at Parameshwarakkurukkal’s house. They asked the priest to come with them to the temple premises to discuss a matter. The Kurukkal’s wife said “it is night now. Why dont you come in and talk?”. The youths then said “come to the rear” and then went to the back of the house. The worried wife did not know who the youths were. Batticaloa today is the hunting ground of so many predators masquerading as liberators.
She too went to the rear compound with her husband. She stood at a distance while the youths started talking with the priest. The conversation was very cordial and there were no threats or heated words. After about ten minutes she relaxed. The youths then asked her to bring them some plain tea. Sreeranjani went inside the house and started boiling water. Barely five minutes had passed when she heard shots and screams of her husband.
Parameshwarakkurukkal’s body was found at a spot away from the place he was last seen talking to the youths. There were signs of his having been forcibly dragged a short distance. Relatives and neighbours gathered around as the wife sobbed “Ellaam Maalai Pottathaale thaan nadanthathu” (All this happened because he placed the garland). Later she was to repeat the same thing to the BBC too. This then was the “verdict” The assassins were not to be blamed for the killing but the victim was the cause of his own murder.
As news spread about the priest’s killing the Govt propaganda machinery got into action. The regime which exposed the priest to unnecessary harm for propaganda purposes now began exploiting his ghastly murder. The murder of a hindu priest was condemned. A “hartal” was conducted with the backing of the armed forces in Batticaloa north areas on Friday Feb 9th. Most Hindu temples were instructed to ring the temple bells continuously from 10. 00 am for fifteen minutes.
There was resentment among people on a mass scale over the killing. The people instinctively knew who committed the murder and why it was done. But the general feeling was that the priest should not have been killed. It was obvious that he was a helpless and unwilling person who could not defy the armed forces. The garlanding was unexpected and an act of compulsion. This had to be understood. The Catholic Bishops of Batticaloa, Mannar and Jaffna also articulated these viewpoints by condemning the killing and stating that priests should not be killed for carrying out their “professional” duties.
Realising that strong undercurrents of revulsion were rising among people the LTTE too began denying responsibility “mildly”. LTTE Defence affairs spokesperson Rasiah Illanthiraiyan told a news agency that the LTTE does not do things like this. Deputy Political commissar for Batticaloa Seeraalan told sections of the Tamil media that they were not responsible. An official LTTE denial is yet to be made.
Pro – tiger media have also been floating a theory that the armed forces and para – militaries killed the priest for two reasons. One was that he was grumbling about being taken forcibly to garland Rajapakse. The other was to make the tigers scapegoats and tarnish their name.
Meanwhile a second incident occurred on Thursday Feb 8th which did not receive enough media attention. 33 year old Mayilvaganam Ravichandran was a fisherman from Santhiveli. He was living in the neighbourhood of the murdered priest. Ravichandran was abducted around 8. 30 pm on Thursday from his house by unknown persons. He was found shot dead a few hours later in Eravoor.
It is widely believed that the three assassins who killed Parameshwarakkururukkal were hiding inside Ravichandran’s house before seeking out the priest. They had then gone to Ravichandran’s house and taken their parked motor cycles and sped away.
In that context there are two theories about the killing. One is that the tigers did not want to be identified as the priest’s killers because of growing public revulsion. So they bumped off the man who could have identified them clearly to the authorities. The other theory is that Ravichandran was killed by a state sponsored killer squad or paramilitary assassin outfit. This was retaliation for “housing” the priest’s killers.
It appears that the second theory is more plausible. If the tigers wanted to kill him there was no need to have abducted him. They could have killed him at his house itself. Secondly the state propaganda machinery has virtually ignored this killing instead of capitalising on it as in the case of Parameshwarakkurukkal. This relative “silence” is an indictment. But these are only conjectures and there is no absolute certainty about the identity of the assassins responsible for the killings.
Meanwhile the Media centre is going to town with its “breast – beating” over the Priest’s killing . There is no denying that the murder has to be condemned strongly but Government propagandists are blatantly hypocritical when they “mourn” Parameshwarakkurukkal’s murder and protest over a “priest” being killed.
It was only on January 13th this year that an evangelical Christian pastor Rev. Nallathamby Gnanaseelan was shot dead in broad daylight in Jaffna. His alleged offence was not “heeding” a whistle to stop by security personnel at a checkpost in a junction. After shooting Gnanaseelan the soldiers walked up to the injured pastor and shot him dead in cold blood. Later a grenade was “planted” and a “story” was told that the priest was about to fling the grenade at soldiers and was killed in self – defence. The media centre which sheds copious tears for the Hindu priest denigrated the Christian pastor as a tiger assassin.
The brutal murders of both priests indicate the pathetic predicament faced by the Tamil civilian in the North – East. Rev. Gnanaseelan was murdered in cold blood for failing to hear the whistle and stop at the check post. Parameshwarakkurukkal was cruelly killed for garlanding Rajapakse at the behest of the armed forces. Are these reasons to justify killing?
As stated in these columns before Tamil civilians in the North – East are like arecanuts caught in a nut cracker while contending forces clash .This is the existential reality and even priests are not exempt from this.
[Photos:TamilNet, Sandeshaya]
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February 13th, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Appapillai Amirthalingam while protesting against the unjust treatment meted out to Tamils by those in power would often repeat, “The Tamil people cannot be treated continuously in this manner!” What would the ex-opposition leader – murdered by the Tigers – say at what is happening now? The ruthless Rajapakse regime is deliberately and continuously treating the Tamil people with calculated cruelty in a manner that has never been done before.
This callous disregard and flagrant violation of the Tamil people’s basic rights shows no sign of easing or ceasing. Each military ‘victory’ notched up by the security forces sees the ferocious military juggernaut continuing with renewed vigour, leaving behind a bloody trail of death, destruction, displacement and despair. Tamils in general undergo suffering and agony but Eastern province Tamils bear the brunt in particular.
Newly arrived internally displaced ethnic Tamils prepare themselves to be registered with camp officials after spending their first night in the open ground at a camp for IDPs (internally displaced persons) in Kiran – AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe
[Photo: Via Yahoo! News]
Both the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE are heaping burden after burden on the Tamil people in their unequal struggle for military superiority. The government says the Tamil people are an integral component of this country but treat them in practice as hostile aliens of an enemy land.
The LTTE says it is fighting to liberate the Tamil people but shows little concern for the ‘humanity’ of the Tamil people. Military objectives and strategies are given importance and not humanitarian concerns. The Tamil people are like arecanuts caught in a nutcracker.
Eastern Province Tamils are extremely vulnerable. Many of them are in a position similar to what Tamils living in what is known today as the Manal Aaru or Weli Oya region were in more than two decades ago. In a bid to break ‘Tamil’ territorial contiguity between the Northern and Eastern Provinces, a certain zone was marked out to be made separate and ‘Sinhalised.’ Parts of Vavuniya, Mullaitivu and Trincomalee Districts along with the Padaviya (formerly Padavikkulam) portion of Anuradhapura District were merged into one entity for politico-military purposes. It was linked to the Anuradhapura Secretariat for administrative purposes.
The Tamil people living in 28 traditional Tamil villages and hamlets and 40 agricultural settlements were driven out through sheer military brutality. Flourishing villages like Thennamaravaady were razed to the ground. Coastal places like Kokkilai and Kokkuthoduvaai were annexed.
Villages like Kurunthumalai and Mankindimalai were made part of a military complex and renamed Janakapura and Kalyanipura. Sinhala people were brought in from the south and settled. Many were trained and armed and made auxiliary forces. The creation of the Weli Oya region is the perfect example of state-sponsored ethnic cleansing in Sri Lanka.
Today the target is the Eastern Province. Though north eastern contiguity was ruptured, the rising tide of ethno-fascist supremacy is not satisfied. ‘Kilakku’ must be made ‘Nagenahira.’ What is happening now in the east is saddening and troubling to this writer. I have been regularly predicting and warning of the sinister designs behind the ‘Sinhalisation’ moves several times. I have written of the endless agony of eastern civilians and appealed to the international community to do something. Nothing has been done apart from token sounds. Meanwhile the situation deteriorates daily.
I am not an Eastern Tamil but the province and its friendly, hospitable people and the innocence of the villagers have a special place in my heart. My maternal uncle was a Methodist clergyman who served for more than 16 years in Kallaru, Batticaloa and Trincomalee. As children we would visit at least once or twice a year during school holidays. As a child I would often accompany my uncle as he visited various parishes under his stewardship.
The late ‘Vidwan’ F.X.C. Nadarajah was the man who wrote about the history of Batticaloa in his Mattakalappu Maanmiyam. The late ‘Pulavarmani’ Periyathambipillai was perhaps the greatest poet of Batticaloa. ‘Pandithar’ V.C. Kandiah wrote vividly about Batticaloa in his Mattakalappu Thamilagam.
They were all friends of my grandfather J.S. Arlvarpillai, who was himself a poet and writer. I would sit enthralled and listen to these men talk and ask them questions about Batticaloa. They would very kindly oblige. My romance with Batticaloa began then.
Later as a journalist with Virakesari it was my good fortune to be stationed in Batticaloa as correspondent in 1977. I was only 23 years then and all the Virakesari area correspondents would invite me to their homes. The Virakesari Manager Muthulingam and Chief Agent Nagarajah would take me in the van to the different places. I travelled the length and breadth of Batticaloa then and met many different people and learnt of many legends and customs. One that I vividly remember is the tradition of eating rice in four servings with fried items, vegetables, curry and curd respectively.
I also conversed with knowledgeable people in Batticaloa and gathered knowledge. The Batticaloa library though small had many books on the region and its history thanks to the efforts of its dynamic librarian, Ratne. The late Sam Thambimuthu and wife Kala were very fond of me. Sam took me in his vehicle to all border areas. It was then that I realised how fragile the Tamil position in the east was. I visited Batticaloa on assignment after the cyclone of 1978 and again one year later to report on rehabilitation progress.
Trincomalee, though part of the province, is somewhat different to Batticaloa-Ampara. Apart from the visits to my uncle, I have also gone there in later life with friends. Some of these were a Tamil small-time jeweller from Koonitheevu and a Muslim schoolmaster from Muttur.
The times were not as troubled as they are now but the tensions were visible. There was rising resentment at the Sinhala dominated state’s efforts to alter the demographic balance in the district and by extension the province.
This article was supposed to be about the current eastern situation. But whenever I write about the present I cannot help thinking of the happy past and worrying about the gloomy future in store for the eastern Tamils in particular and Tamils of Sri Lanka in general.
I have on many occasions written about the ‘conspiracy’ by the panchamahabalavegaya (five great forces) aiming to depopulate Trincomalee of Tamils and ‘Sinhalise’ it. Earlier it was an ‘unofficial’ effort by some politicians, administrative officials, security personnel, Buddhist clergy and businessmen.
But now it is ‘official’ policy. The aim is not only Trincomalee but also large parts of the province. Ideas expressed by the lunatic fringe in Sinhala politics have attained centre stage respectability and acceptance. The shortsighted militarism of the LTTE has given the state an ‘opportunity’ to unleash brute force according to design.
Tamils in Trincomalee are being systematically terrorised. Fisherfolk are restricted greatly. Businessmen are targeted. Tamil youths are being bumped off almost everyday. The April 2006 anti-Tamil violence has frightened Tamils considerably. About 15,000 have fled to India. Many others consisting mainly of the elite and middle-classes are moving out of Trincomalee. The Tamils concentrated in the town are fearful of state sponsored ‘ethnic cleansing.’
The Trincomalee port nationalisation along with navy expansion has seen Tamil lands appropriated. Various colonisation schemes have seen the creeping ‘Sinhalisation’ increase momentum.
[Photo: Via Yahoo! News]
Kappalthural has virtually ceased to exist. Mudalikkulam became Morawewa and Mahavilaankulam became Mahadivulwewa and so on. While Tamils are mainly in the town, all access roads are becoming Sinhala. Even within the town there is the ‘market’ problem.
It is only a matter of time before large parts of the town will be declared a ’security zone’ and Tamils evicted. Trincomalee has not had a Tamil GA for more than 50 years. The present GA is a retired army general handpicked for ‘Project Sinhala’ in Trincomalee.
The Mutttur east region including Sampur was targeted on the basis that it was strategically important and that a potential danger to the harbour had to be removed. Today Sampur is in government hands but the displaced Tamils have not been brought back. This is in striking contrast to the displaced Muslims of Muttur and displaced Sinhalese of Serunuwara.
Their return has been expedited but the Sampur Tamils were chased to Vaharai and now from there too.
The military drive on the pretext of silencing LTTE artillery has now reached Eechilampatru and Ilangaithurai Muhathu-vaaram. It has now been ‘rediscovered’ that Ilangaithurai is the site of Lankapatuna Samudragiri Vihara. It is where the Kalinga prince Dantha and princess Hemamaali are supposed to have landed in 310 AD with the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha. It appears that the place will never be allowed to return to ‘Tamil’ normalcy.
The Vaharai region is now being gradually taken over by the military. The Verugal river too is now under military control. Thus the territory that was under LTTE control from Sampur down to Panichchankerni is now under army domination. This area had a coastal strip that was ‘Tamil’ and therefore of great help to the LTTE. Dominating this coastal strip would enable the government to deprive in theory all coastal access to the LTTE in Trincomalee and Batticaloa Districts. The best way to do that in the eyes of the Rajapakse regime is to keep the area permanently depopulated of Tamils.
The Tamils of Muttur east, Sampur and Eechilampatru were driven to Vaharai through repeated air strikes and artillery shelling. All distribution of food and medicine and essential items were prevented from going into the region. Then the same methods were employed against the Koralaipattru north or Vaharai region. All supplies were stopped. Constant shelling and bombing occurred. Unable to suffer continuously the poor civilians fled the region amidst great danger and hardship.
One would have expected the remaining 10,000 plus civilians to be allowed to remain in Vaharai after the LTTE vacated the region and security forces moved in. But they have all been brought to other government areas of Batticaloa. There are over 80,000 IDPs in the district. This includes Tamils from Trincomalee. The administrative apparatus is unable to cope with the crisis. If not for INGO and NGO assistance, a major tragedy would have occurred.
The BBC Tamil service Thamilosai interviewed some IDPs recently. Their tales were heart – wrenching. They had only one request – “resettle us back in our homes as soon as possible.”
As in the case of Sampur, promises are being made that they would be resettled as soon as the security situation is under control and landmines removed. The landmine issue is a false claim. That is no reason to prevent civilians returning to their original homes. The truth is that the security considerations of the state are given paramount importance.
Worse still is the continuing bombing and shelling in other places. Two Tamil pockets in Trincomalee north – Kadawaanaikulam and Kumburupitty – were bombed and shelled from the Jayapura and Morawewa camps. Tamil areas such as Kiliveddi in Trincomalee south are likely to be targeted in due course. It must not be forgotten that of the original 15,000 farmers doing agriculture with water from Mawilaru, 7,000 Tamils and 2,000 Muslims had either gone or been chased away. Only 6,000 Sinhala farmers were tilling fields when the LTTE shut the sluice gates.
Army Commander Sarath Fonseka has pledged that the entire east would be brought under government control by April New Year. Already there is talk of going into the Tharavai-Kudumbimalai region and the Paduvaankarai region. The LTTE complexes in Karadiyanaaru and Kokkatticholai need to be destroyed, according to military circles. A probing mission in Vavunathivu on the western shores of the lagoon were repulsed by the LTTE. Another manoeuvre into Vellavely was also foiled.
It is however a matter of time before the military onslaught begins. What happened in Sampur and Vaharai is likely to be replicated. All entry-exit points will be blocked and food supplies prevented. Constant aerial bombardment and artillery shelling would happen.
The LTTE will be hampered by the fact that return artillery firing across the lagoon would hit Tamil and Muslim civilians this side. About 70,000 civilians living in the LTTE controlled areas would be forced to disperse. The IDPs figure would swell.
There is also another danger. Some of us remember the ‘West Bank Annexation’ type scheme enacted by the likes of Herman Gooneratne, Ravi Jayewardena, N.G.P. Panditharatne and Dimbulagala Thero to colonise the lands under Maduru Oya scheme. Others remember the Gal Oya scheme and how most Tamil colonies were appropriated by Sinhala settlers after Tamils were chased away through violence. Now it would be possible to drive Tamils away from the remaining colonies under Gal Oya and also take over Vadamunai lands. All in the name of security!
All norms of international humanitarian law have been grossly violated by the Rajapakse regime in its relentless push to ‘conquer’ the east and depopulate regions of Tamils. With the international community ‘blind, deaf and dumb’ to what is happening, the juggernaut which crushed the civilian Tamils of Sampur and Vaharai will now turn westwards. Ironically the LTTE has made a strategic withdrawal with most military assets and cadres intact after exposing innocent civilians to terrible hardship.
One is thankful that some INGOs are providing buckets, mats and panadol to the IDPs. They are also providing tents and cooking utensils.
But this is not what the people need desperately. What they require is a speedy return to their original habitat and expedited resettlement. Will the international community, which failed to prevent displacement, at least pressure the Rajapakse regime in this? Also, will it get Colombo to halt its avowed intention of causing more and more displacement through systematic targeting of civilians?
The endless agony and suffering of eastern Tamils must cease. Those simple, friendly, naive farmers and fisherfolk must be allowed to go home. The Tamils are being turned into a nation of homeless people. The people who wanted a homeland of their own are being deprived of their homes. In a twist of fate, the Karuna faction which claims to fight northern hegemony is collaborating with racist fanatics to undermine eastern Tamils. What is now happening in the east will soon be followed in the north too.
What is now happening in the East is a monumental crime against humanity with genocidal attributes. Innocent civilians are being decimated for politico – military objectives. Meanwhile Mahinda Rajapakse will continue taking “Malthattus” to viharas, observe “Sil” and listen to “sethpirith” being chanted .May the blessings of the Triple Gem be upon him. “Pin Siddha Vechaava”.
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January 23rd, 2007
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj
The Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL), Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Tiger faction known as the Tamil Makkal Viduthalaip Puligal (TMVP) have all been charged by the United Nations of various acts of omission and commission regarding the recruitment and deployment of child soldiers in north-eastern Sri Lanka.
Former Canadian cabinet minister and ex-ambassador to the UN, Allan Rock has in a press conference held in Colombo sharply criticised all three parties to the conflict in this respect.
The criticism of the government is not about recruiting under-aged children to the armed forces. It is related to aiding and abetting the Karuna faction of the LTTE known as TMVP of conscripting minors. The LTTE is condemned for not honouring its earlier pledges and continuing with recruitment of minors.
Special advisor
Allan Rock was appointed recently as special adviser on Sri Lanka to Radhika Coomaraswamy, the special representative of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the role of children in armed conflict. Rock undertook a 10 day field trip to Sri Lanka from November 6 to 14.
Rock visited Sri Lanka on an invitation from President Mahinda Rajapakse. He also met representatives of the LTTE and TMVP. Allan Rock conducted a press conference at the end where a statement was issued and questions answered.
The shocking disclosure from the media’s point of view was the accusations leveled against the Karuna faction’s (TMVP) recruitment of children and the state’s complicity in that.
Earlier the question of child soldiers in Sri Lanka was perceived as pertaining to the LTTE alone. Though it was widely known that the TMVP was conscripting under-aged children with the active support of the armed forces the fact that a respected UN official had articulated these charges for the first time had a bombshell impact on the local and foreign media.
Selective reporting
While sections of the local and foreign media have given prominence to the charges against the GOSL and its allied TMVP, the state controlled media has emphasised the condemnation of the LTTE by Allan Rock and blacked out the other charges.
Likewise the pro-Tiger media too while highlighting the accusations against the GOSL and TMVP has conveniently ignored Rock’s criticism of the LTTE.
At the Colombo press conference Allan Rock was required to answer queries raised by the media. The questions and answers along with selective reportage are likely to convey different impressions of Allan Rock’s revelations. However the statement released by the UN on Ambassador Allan Rock’s findings shows that he has been quite fair and forthright in criticising all three parties to the conflict.
The statement is excerpted here in full as it outlines Rock’s field trip and pinpoints the findings against the GOSL, LTTE and TMVP respectively:
Statement from the Special Advisor on Children and Armed Conflict
“Allan Rock, the Special Advisor to the United Nations Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict on Sri Lanka, has concluded his 10 day mission to the country Colombo, 13 November.
During those 10 days, the mission visited Colombo, Ampara, Batticaloa, Kilinochchi and Jaffna districts. The mission enjoyed the full cooperation of the Sri Lankan government and met with all parties concerned with the ongoing conflict. In his meeting today with President Rajapakse, the Special Advisor expressed his appreciation for the extensive efforts made by the Government of Sri Lanka to facilitate his visit and access to all areas.
The purpose of Mr. Rock’s visit was to ascertain first-hand the situation on the ground, mainly in the north and east, with a particular focus on compliance with the Action Plan for Children Affected by Conflict.
The Action Plan was endorsed by the Government and the LTTE following their commitment during peace talks in 2002 and 2003 to work with UNICEF and the Government to end the recruitment of children and to release under-age recruits in their ranks.
The mission’s initial findings reveal that the LTTE has not complied with its commitments under the Action Plan to stop child recruitment and release all the children within their ranks. Under-age recruitment continues and the LTTE have yet to release several hundred children as verified by UNICEF.
The mission also found that the so-called Karuna faction continues to abduct children in government-controlled areas of the east, particularly Batticaloa District. Since May of this year, 135 cases of under-age recruitment by abduction have been reported to UNICEF, with evidence that this trend is accelerating.
The mission also discovered a disturbing development involving the Karuna abductions. It found strong and credible evidence that certain elements of the government security forces are supporting and sometimes participating in the abductions and forced recruitment of children by the Karuna faction.
The mission met with the parents of many of the abducted children in Batticaloa District. As a result, it learned of eye-witness evidence that links the Karuna faction abductions to certain government elements. Based on the evidence as a whole, the mission concluded that some government security forces are actively participating in these criminal acts.
Apart from the issues of child recruitment and abductions, the mission also observed the deteriorating humanitarian situation in certain areas of the north and east. During his visits to Vaharai and Jaffna, Mr. Rock saw first hand the fear, isolation and critical unmet needs of IDP children there.
The Special Advisor met with the leadership of the Muslim Community in Batticaloa and elsewhere, and learned of their feelings of isolation and vulnerability. The mission concluded that special efforts should be made to acknowledge the rights and needs of the Muslim Community.
With respect to attacks on civilian areas, the mission called on all parties to respect their obligations under International Humanitarian Law.
In the case of LTTE, the mission reminded it of its obligation to ensure that military assets are not placed in areas where civilians, especially children, can be at risk. It also called on the LTTE not to engage in the use of civilians as human shields.
With respect to the Government, the mission reminded it that it has a responsibility to ensure that no civilians are targeted in military operations.
On these various issues, Mr. Rock sought and received several assurances and commitments by the parties involved.
The LTTE gave him assurances that they would work with UNICEF, commencing immediately, to accelerate the release from their ranks of all children, with the objective of completing that process by January 1, 2007. They also committed to better training for their military commanders in relation to recruitment, and a process of discipline for those who do not comply.
The Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), on behalf of its military wing Karuna, undertook to publish formal policy statements forbidding under-age recruitment, and to release any children who may now be in its ranks. The TMVP agreed to work with UNICEF in an effort to trace the whereabouts and arrange the release of those abducted children whose families have complained to UNICEF.
Mr. Rock also received assurances from President Rajapakse concerning the allegations that elements of the Sri Lankan security forces have been complicit with the Karuna faction in its child recruitment, and that they participated in or facilitated child abductions. The President made clear to Mr.Rock that he will order an immediate and thorough investigation to determine whether such things have occurred and, should the evidence support that conclusion, he will take action to hold accountable those who are responsible.
The Special Advisor welcomes all such assurances and will seek concrete evidence of compliance by all parties before the submission of his formal written report to the Security Council in January next year.”
“It is increasingly clear that children are at risk from all sides,” said Rock. “It is crucial that ways be found to monitor and protect their rights and interests. Wherever I traveled, I saw with my own eyes that systems meant to safeguard children’s rights are either deteriorating or absent. It is apparent that there is an urgent need for an independent monitoring capacity to ensure that children affected by the conflict are protected,” stated Rock.
Assurances
All three parties namely the GOSL, LTTE and TMVP have given assurances to Allan Rock that they would attend to the issues raised and rectify matters. While welcoming such assurances Allan Rock has explicitly stated that he would seek compliance by all parties before he finalises his report. The Special Adviser to the SGSR will compile a vivid report and submit it to the UN Security Council in January next year.
The ‘faulted’ parties have an opportunity therefore to adopt correctional measures in the next few weeks and re-furbish their images. If they think that they could fudge matters as they have done in the past they could be sadly mistaken. The UN Security Council is taking an active and keen interest in issues such as these and has gone in for sanctions. The focus is more on ‘ensuring application’ rather than ‘elaborating standards.’
Congo and Sudan have felt the impact of these new directions. Monitoring and reporting mechanisms are underway in Burundi, Somalia, Ivory Coast, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
Strategy
Sri Lankan national Radhika Coomaraswamy was designated UN Special Representative on Children in armed conflict to the UN Secretary-General in February this year. Coomaraswamy assumed duties in June. In September she addressed the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. In that speech Coomaraswamy outlined the strategy and goals of the UN in addressing this issue.
Four relevant paragraphs from Radhika Coomaraswamy’s address are excerpted below:
“In the last years my office has advocated a re-direction of the international community’s energies from the elaboration of standards to ensuring their application on the ground. One of our great successes has been to engage the Security Council in a serious consideration of these issues.
“The Security Council itself has moved from general statements on protection of war affected children to the endorsement of the Secretary-General’s monitoring and reporting action plan. This involves the adoption of the monitoring and reporting mechanisms in Burundi, Somalia, Sudan, DRC, and Cote D’Ivoire, Sri Lanka, Nepal in order to provide the council sufficient timely, objective, accurate and reliable information to call violating parties to task and to take appropriate action, including sanctions, against repeat violators.
“Of course, this work is done in close partnership with the United Nations country teams in these countries. Security Council Resolution 1612 (2005) also creates a dedicated Security Council Working Group on children and armed conflict, consisting of all its members, to review monitoring reports, consider other relevant information presented to it, and recommend concrete and targeted measures against violators as well as bring monitoring information to the attention of other destinations for action.
“Under the chairmanship of France, the Security Council working group has held five formal meetings since November 2005; terms of reference of the group have been developed, a yearly work plan developed and two in depth monitoring reports deliberated.
“In June this year my office contributed to the report of the Secretary General on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo with regard to children and armed conflict. Based on the work of the monitoring and reporting mechanism set up under Security Council Resolution 1612, it outlined the violations by several actors including the security forces of the state.
“As a consequence of this report the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict adopted certain conclusions and recommendations including writing to the government of the DRC to ensure that it takes effective action against impunity, urging MONUC to be more proactive in arresting Laurent Nkunda, a gross violator of the rights of children, and in requesting the sanctions committee to take necessary action against the MRC. This was a historic occasion, Mr. President, in that the Security Council has now taken concrete targeted measures against those who continue to violate the rights of children with impunity.
“In August this year my office, in close consultation with the UN Country Team and partners, contributed to the report of the Secretary General on children and armed conflict in Sudan. It highlighted incidents and patterns of violations by state and non state actors including the Janjaweed militias, the Sudan armed forces, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, Sudan Liberation Army and the Popular Defense Forces. We now await the conclusions and recommendations of the Security Council Working Group on the situation in the Sudan.
“Mr. President, the establishment of the Security Council working group signals, in a very visceral way, the council’s full intention to deepen its engagement on what is, at its very heart, a human rights protection issue with obvious peace and security elements. Furthermore, the creation of the Security Council working group ensures that the protection of children in armed conflict is no longer left to a once-yearly glance during the open debate, but a sustained attention to the issue throughout the year.”
Writing on the wall
If the UN Security Council does pursue these issues with vigour and interest as advocated by Coomaraswamy the writing could be on the wall for countries violating rights of children in armed conflict.
While the LTTE and TMVP will be penalised for conscription the GOSL could be in greater trouble. For one thing an elected, democratic sovereign government has to adhere to higher standards. Also apart from the child soldiers issue there are other aspects too like education, nutrition, health etc. of children in armed conflict. The Rajapakse regime is woefully lacking in these respects.
Unless the Rajapakse regime gets away from its militaristic approach to issues and mends its ways, the GOSL could face strictures like Congo in the future.
Allan Rock’s forthcoming report could determine the future course of events in this respect. Sri Lanka is truly between (no pun intended) a rock and a hard place!
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November 14th, 2006
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