Ambassadors of cricket:

Bat replaces guns

by Shanika SRIYANANDA

Rajakumar knew how to take a correct target to kill. The teenager has become tough and rough after his two months training in a camp where he was brainwashed to become a 'hero' for the LTTE's murderous cause.

On May 16, just two days before the Security Forces completely defeated the LTTE and when the iron gates of LTTE's hell were opened to rescue Tamils last year, Rajakumar mingling with the people escaped the LTTE and surrendered to the Army.

After his declaration that he was conscripted by the LTTE, the boy was first sheltered in the Poonthottam rehabilitation centre and then brought to Colombo to study at Hindu College to catch up on his education.

While enthusiastically doing his studies to become a computer expert he has now discovered his untapped skills in sports.

At a five-day training session at a major playground in Colombo, this child victim of war has turned into a good batsman.

Instead of a striped Tiger uniform, he wears a blue track kit, worn by National cricketers. The gun is replaced by a bat and the grenade by a ball.

The 17-year-old knows he fought a meaningless battle to divide the country as they have been given the feeling of equality by providing food, clothes and facilities that a teenager of a prominent Colombo school enjoys.

The country's most popular sport, cricket, has brought changes not only in Rajakumar's life.

Twenty three other girls and boys who were misled and forcibly dropped in deadly forward defence lines are now reforming their lives.

Back at their school - the Hindu College - and Rehabilitation Centre at Poonthottam, Vavuniya, they will be teaching their friends how cricket can be played to bring peace and unity.

'Cricket for Change', the UK based charity, has changed their lives. The three basics in cricket - Dedication, Determination and Discipline - have made them realize the significance of unity, rather than division.

Now Rajakumar and his friends - Rani, Amala, Thalayan, Srikanthan and others are 'Ambassadors of Cricket', who will teach and coach their friends in resettled villages how to play cricket.

"We knew nothing about cricket. But we heard about Sinhalese playing cricket. I like Sanath Jayasuriya", Rajakumar said.

They were banned from playing any sports after they were conscripted by the LTTE. "We play in a playground in Colombo ...it is a dream for us", Romani (18) said.

Anoy Sellings, the Chief Executive of the 'Cricket for Change' who leads his five young cricket coaches to teach cricket, said "that they had only five days to introduce cricket to these children and found difficulties in explaining to them in English and they were shy to come forward to learn.

"They know nothing about cricket and first we gave them the freedom to play and have fun through just playing and later through workshops", he said adding all children worked really hard to learn the ABCs of cricket.

"They are a talented bunch of players. They all learnt very fast. We are very happy that we trained these child victims who were in the battle front to play cricket", Sellings said.

He said that working with ex-child soldiers was a novel and good experience for them. Each cricketer was given a heavy bag full of new sports gear.

Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe said Sri Lanka is the first country in the world that uses cricket to promote peace and unity to rehabilitate children of war.

He said that the main objective of introducing 'Street20 Cricket' among these child victims was to promote reconciliation in their communities. " President Mahinda Rajapaksa is fully committed to create a brighter future for children, especially the helpless victims of LTTE terrorism.

The Government had rescued these children and their parents from LTTE terrorism last year. After ending a 30-year war, the Government has designed plans to rehabilitate misled children and youth to realise their full potential for developing the country", he said.

Brig. Ranasinghe said that there were talented children among these children and the Government hoped to promote cricket among other children and youth in their villages to promote unity.

Street20 cricket was jointly organised by Sri Lanka Cricket, UNICEF, ICC, Ministry of Law Reforms and Bureau of Commissioner General of Rehabilitation to promote cricket among all disadvantaged children in the North and East.

The Commissioner General said that the parents of these children should not have fears about their future as the Government had already ensured a brighter future for these children, who have only witnessed war and terror.

Nearly 500 underaged children, who were conscripted by the LTTE during the last stages of the battle that ended in May last year, are undergoing rehabilitation.

Half of them are studying at the Hindu College Colombo and others are following vocational training at the Poonthottam Rehabilitation centre, Vavuniya.

UNICEF Resident Representative Philipp Duamella said that the concept showed the power of sports and magic of cricket to promote peace.

" These children need to acquire new skills to learn team work and partnership. I am really convinced that these children will make a better place for children to live", he said.

He said that they would be the agents of change who would influence peace in their own communities in future.

Gauri and Malish confidently addressed the large gathering. The two teenagers thanked the soldiers for rescuing them from the LTTE and for moulding them to be good human beings.

"Brigadier Sir , we thank you for guiding us like a father. We also thank the Army for saving our lives and the Police for protecting us now", they said.

Malish said that they would not be good cricketers to represent the country but would be good coaches to teach our friends at home.

"When there is half glass of water, people will say the glass is half empty. But, we must be positive to see that the glass is half full", said Malish.

These innocent children, who almost had a brush with death are now experiencing 'change'. It is slowly emerging through their new thinking and proper guidance.

Gauri has started to grow her hair, which was cut immediately after the LTTE snatched her. Two black ribbons that tied her hair had given a feminine look to the black beauty with a charming smile. She is enjoying her lost childhood, which was just a dream a year ago.

"I was so scared when I heard cross fire, I really thought I would die", tears glistened in her eyes.

It is hard to imagine that Gauri was employed by the LTTE to become a deadly (weapon) to kill soldiers or to fight in a fierce battlefront.

The innocent girl is bubbling with big dreams today. First to go home to live with her parents, to continue her studies to become a teacher and then to be an 'Ambassador for Cricket' to bring peace among her community to have a future free of blood and bombs.

(Names have been changed to protect the identities of the children)

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[Tamils will not let LTTE rise again]

Lechchumahan Sattaweli (63) and his wife Angamma are overjoyed to see their daughter playing cricket. They, who never thought that they would meet her alive and thanked the Government for saving their lives.

"We never thought that our children will come to Colombo. We thought she was already dead. But we are lucky to live together", Sattaweli said.

Residents of Udaya Nagar, Kilinochchi, the Sattaweli family with three sons and a daughter faced many difficulties in their 'journey to freedom'. In their words it's a nightmare to live there and a miracle that they are alive.

Malathi was dragged by LTTE 'policemen' while she was returning home with her friend. She was given 25-days training at a camp where the LTTE trained only the children to be soldiers. All children who were conscripted cried but to no avail. Their agony had never gone beyond the camp doors. Finally the helpless children were motivated to die and did not have a breathing space to think of a life to survive.

"They dragged our children like demons. The LTTE did not allow us to work. We had to pay high taxes and prices of food items were very high. They did not want our children to study and we lived in a hell", Angamma said.

The family, who sought refuge at the Ananda Kumaraswami Welfare centre after fleeing the LTTE, has now resettled in their own village. They are living with fresh hopes to see their daughter come home after rehabilitation.

"Tamils will not leave room or support the LTTE to emerge. We suffered for long and all Tamils hate and curse them. We are now living peacefully and pray for a better future for our children", Settaweli, who helped his daughter to carry the cricket bag said.

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