Doctor who witnessed LTTE horror turns politician

by Ananth Palakidnar

Dr. V. Shanmugaraja who was a Government medical practitioner for nearly 10 years in Mullaitivu had witnessed the worst situation in the Wanni when the region was under the grip of the LTTE. He was even taken in for questioning soon after the Security Forces completed the operations against the LTTE last year. Later he was cleared of any involvement with the outfit. With rehabilitation and reconstruction activities taking centre stage in the war-torn Wanni district, Dr. Shanmugaraja is one of the candidates of the EROS party to represent the Wanni district. He says playing a supportive role in making peace more meaningful and effective is his intention. Therefore, he decided to enter the fray for the forthcoming Parliamentary polls.

Q: What made you contest the forthcoming parliamentary polls?

A: I am a doctor by profession. I served most of my career in the Wanni area since I passed out from the Jaffna Medical Faculty. Like other professionals I could have migrated to seek greener pastures during the conflict. However, I was determined to serve my people in Mullaitivu, where I grew up and became a doctor.

Hence, I did not wish to leave my people and decided to serve them when they were undergoing severe hardships. I had seen the worst part of the conflict, being a medical practitioner in the Wanni for nearly a decade. With the end of the war, as a person who had witnessed my people’s sufferings I have decided to serve them by rebuilding their shattered lives, by being a legislator from my district. Serving people who had suffered immensely when the conflict was in progress is my sole intention.

Q: Why did you decide to contest on the Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students (EROS) ticket?

A: Soon after the conflict EROS looked into the grievances of the people. I also had an opportunity of observing their humanitarian activities. Politically, they are sound and mature. I do not wish to engage in any meaningless political activity. The foremost thing our people need is total peace.

They had suffered terribly for more three decades. Instead of misleading them we need new political thinking where our people could lead a peaceful life with dignity. As EROS is a progressive party I decided to contest on the EROS ticket.

Q: How would you describe your days as a medical practitioner when the Wanni region was under the grip of the LTTE?

A: It was terrible. I had to move from one hospital to another taking the equipment and furniture to safer areas. There was no electricity at the time. Amidst the shelling and bombings we had to serve the patients who came to us with serious injuries.

I attended to over thousand confinements with limited facilities. I am happy that not a single case went wrong.

Unlike today we did not have even proper transportation facilities. There was a shortage of medicine. As there was no electricity we carried out the surgeries with great difficulty.

I even performed surgeries in bunkers with kerosene lamps. The situation under the grip of the LTTE was disastrous.

Q: What is your impression of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which had been known as the proxies of the LTTE?

A: People in the North and the East now want to live peacefully with dignity. There are political issues to be addressed. But the TNA’s approach to those issues won’t bring about any amicable settlement. The immediate needs of the people in the Wanni district are rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Thousands of Wanni civilians were displaced. Almost everybody in the Wanni was displaced when the conflict was at its peak. The Government has taken the initiative to resettle Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Several infrastructure facilities are being rebuilt in the areas which were badly affected.

Therefore, as a person who had seen death and destruction,I believe that I could dedicate myself more towards rebuilding the lives of people in the Wanni district.

Q: How is President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s leadership?

A: He has a vision for the entire country. The strategies he has worked out to rebuild the war-torn areas are praiseworthy. A huge humanitarian operation is in place to reconstruct the lives of those affected by the conflict.

The hands of President Rajapaksa must be strengthened to develop the devastated areas. Instead of hanging on to petty political issues people must join hands in the Government’s efforts.

Q: How do you see resettlement, reconstruction and rehabilitation activities being carried out in the Wanni?

A: It is impressive. Within one year, a great deal of reconstruction activities have taken place in the Wanni. Internally Displaced Persons are being gradually resettled in their original places. Demining activities are also in progress. Civil administration has been restored after almost two decades with the reopening of police stations and Court houses. However, much to be done to revive the living conditions of the farmers in the Wanni.

I belong to a family of farmers. My father and other family members are also farmers. There are reservoirs and canals which were used for irrigation. But they have been neglected for several years without proper maintenance.

The Mullaitivu district with its beaches has enormous potential for the tourism industry to flourish. The fishing industry should also be revived in the region. There were several educational institutions in the Wanni region. I am a product of Vithyanantha College, Mullaitivu. Schools and colleges in the Wanni must be rebuilt and a good education should be ensured for children in the Wanni.

Q: Could you explain the atrocities committed by the LTTE when they were losing their grip on the region?

A: It was horrible. The people of the Wanni expected an amicable settlement from the peace process that was launched in 2002. But the LTTE did not live up to the expectations of the Tamils who wanted a durable solution to their grievances.

When the peace process ended abruptly, we realised that the LTTE was heading towards disaster. They did not have any respect for civilians.They conscripted civilians, irrespective of age and gender.

Those who tried to flee from the LTTE held areas were either maimed or killed.The outfit was totally ruthless.Even the middle level were not for war and expressed their desire for peace. But they were helpless. Everything was dictated at gunpoint. It was nothing but total anarchy.

Q: How do you feel about the post-conflict atmosphere in the Wanni?

A: The Security Forces are fully committed to rehabilitation and reconstruction in the Wanni. Those who carried weapons to face LTTE threats are now engaged in rehabilitation and reconstruction work.

The Army Medical Corps is rendering a good service for people. They even provide vehicles and attend to the basic hospital needs.

The soldiers, apart from engaging in the demining operations, are now involved in rebuilding houses and have dedicated themselves in stabilising infrastructure facilities.

Q: What is your message to misguided Tamil expatriates?

A: I could only tell them, that they should first realise the ground realities. Peace which remained a pipe dream for people is now a reality. But we have a long way to go to stabilise the socio-economic-political lives of our people.

The expatriate Tamils should play a responsible role in rebuilding the lives of the Tamils devastated by the conflict which prevailed for three decades.

A mega task lay ahead in addressing the humanitarian problems. Thousands of war widows and orphans have to be provided a decent life. A large number of civilians is disabled.

The expatriates together with the international community must play a meaningful and effective role in removing the scars of war instead of crying foul.