Entrapped civilians seek salvation in Forces

by Dhaneshi Yatawara in Mullaitivu
 

** Restricted our firing power ** LTTE block them crossing ** Reached safety shores ** LTTE took most food ** Luck to escape unhurt

A soldier caring for a wounded man

Loud sounds of firing started to erupt. `DOWN'!, Soldiers shouted and all the men and women laid flat on the ground. Many were still reaching the shores of the Nanthikadal lagoon clinging on to a tube of a large-size tyre. In the middle of the tube, making a mesh out of nylon rope they carried their infants, little children, sick and the wounded while others, fit enough to withstand the rough waters of the lagoon, were wading across clinging on to a tyre tube, large plastic cans or anything that floats which is strong enough to hold them.

Stories of these innocent Tamil men, women, children and the feeble elders, in their daring efforts to cross over to the cleared areas in Mullaitivu are astounding!

Be brave my darling. I’m here for you

A wounded escapee with the saline bottle in his hand

Reaching the safety shores

Happy to be in safe hands

Waiting to be transported to the transit camp

Crossing the lagoon amidst the LTTE firing with T56 weapons and 12.7 bullets using the paddle gun is a matter of life and death for the escapees. The LTTE block them from crossing the lagoon at its narrowest position. Hence, the people either wade or swim for more than one kilometre clinging on to some floating material to reach the cleared areas seeking the protection of the Sri Lanka Army. Troops cannot repulse the terrorists as the probability of hitting the civilians is high. Taking the risk of death troops who wait under cover receive these unfortunate people and take them to safety.

With the tough responsibility of pushing the LTTE away from the northern bank of the Nanthikadal lagoon mouth, Acting General Officer Commanding 55 Division Brigadier Prasanna de Silva and his valiant officers and soldiers under his command, going that extra mile, have taken every possible step to save the escapees from the marauding Tigers. This did not last for a few hours. People were flowing in from the uncleared areas and land at unpredictable locations in surprising numbers. Some were wounded, while the old, feeble and sick were not physically fit for such a laborious escape. All of them were found to be starving, dehydrated and shivering in cold.

Sudarshani (22) escaped with her two little daughters and husband Selvarasa Pavendran (23) from Mullaiwaikkal and reached the 55 Division on May 13. "We were from Kokkilai in Weli Oya. After being displaced we were living in Puthumathalan with our in-laws.

My parents could not come with us. I do not know what happened to them," Sudarshani cried with tears-filled eyes. Weak and tired with months of suffering and hunger, one year old Sorbidha and three year old Sorbiga, the two daughters were sleeping clinging on to their parents.

"Did you receive the food the Government dispatched to you?" we asked. "No LTTE took most of them. We could only make a little bit of rice porridge to feed our little ones. One kilogram of dhal was selling at Rs. 1000 in Puthumathalan," Sudarshani explained.

Whenever they see us near the beach they chase us. We just tell them that we are fishing or bathing but actually we were looking for a chance to escape," Sudarshani's husband Pavendran said. It was an arduous escape for the Pavendran family which finally reached the 17 battalion Sri Lanka National Guards deployed at Watarappalai where they were directed to the transit Welfare centre at the 574 Brigade which continues the humanitarian work under the command of Colonel Senaka Wijesuriya.

Sentharasa Jeevida (22) escaped without her husband. LTTE killed her husband for refusing to join them. She reached the safety shores with some of her close relatives and was totally lost.

Fighting for Eelam the LTTE made their own brethren displaced. Five year old Mirusina was in fact shivering when she was received by the troops of the 1st battalion of the Sinha regiment on May 13. Her father, Thinaganandan (35) tried to warm her up cuddling her close to his body. "Please Sir, give my little daughter some thing to eat," was the first thing he asked no sooner they landed on the safety shores.

Under the supervision of Lieutenant Colonel Kirthi Bandara of 1 Sinha Regiment troops distributed biscuits and water to the people immediately as they landed. For these escapees soaked in sea water and shivering in cold there was nothing more precious than a few things to eat!

Thinaganandan who worked for day's wage when they were living in Mullaitivu in the past and his wife Thambu Pushpalatha (34) had another son just one-and-half-years-old. Luck was with them to escape unhurt.

"We have restricted our firing power to save the civilians even at the risk of loosing our soldiers," Major General Jagath Dias, General Officer Commanding the 57 Division said during his inspection tour of the welfare centres in Mullaitivu West area. This indicates that the entire Wanni defence line is geared to protect the innocent Tamil civilians taken hostage by the ruthless terrorists. Troops use their resources to care for these people.The process of receiving and caring for the civilians does not stop because the entrapped people are crossing over to the cleared areas throughout day and night seeking safety from the Sri Lanka Army.

At the time the valiant soldiers of the 58 Division captured the Farah III wreckage in the seas off Mullaitivu, over 2,700 people had crossed over to the area held by the troops of all three Divisions in one day and this process still continues even at the time this article went to the press.

This woman lost her little daughter in the sea during their daring escape. No one knows whether she is dead or alive. The mother is carefully looking for her precious child in each group that arrives. The LTTE have killed her husband a few days ago and now she is left all alone.