LTTE cadres stranded in Toppigala

From Keerthi Wanasinghe in Chenkaladi

LTTE cadres stranded in Toppigala are facing a severe shortage, of food, medicine and arms, said Paramasiwam Suresh Kumar, a member belonging to the group headed by the LTTE's Northern intelligence leader Kirithi, who surrendered to the Sri Lanka Army.

Over ten LTTE cadres along with, Paramasiwam Suresh and Sodinadan Jeganish escaped. The two had surrendered to the Army on March 15 and are now under custody in the Chenkaladi Army Camp. The ten LTTE cadres, according to the surrendees, had run away in fear of shelling.

"I am a leader of a group of the security unit headed by the Northern LTTE's intelligence bureau chief Kirithi. There were ten members and we were given weapon training in the Vanni and brought to North. I have been with the LTTE since last year", he said.

He said that there was no food and water for the LTTE cadres in Toppigala. "We were given biscuits after four days. If biscuits were not available we stormed the villages and got the stocks from the boutiques. We also killed goats and cows in the villages", he said.

Paramasiwam Suresh also said that the LTTE leadership had all the facilities but cadres of lower ranks lacking basic facilities were deployed for fighting. "The leaders, who are living in jungles, are leading luxurious lives under tight security. They took us forcibly and were given weapons training and we were asked us to fight for the country", he said.

The LTTE cadres who surrendered said that they were now happy and living without any fear adding that the Army treated them well.

Sodinadan Jeganish (16), a member of the LTTE's Communication unit said that he was taken away from his parents while they were crying and given three-months military training at Kadiranaru. He was recruited to the LTTE's Communication unit and he worked there until he escaped.

"The LTTE is ideal for leaders. We, the children, hate the LTTE but there are no options as we cannot escape to go back home. They used us to attack the Army. Because of this others also hate the LTTE. We are deprived of going home to see our kith and kin", he said. Meanwhile, Col. Priyantha Napagoda, 232 Brigate Commander said that the Army would take steps to rehabilitate these LTTE cadres soon.