The third group of civilians who had been able to escape the LTTE tyranny in Wanni via land routes arrived at Omanthai today. A total of 81 civilians arrived in two groups. He said the first group comprising of 43 males and 28 females of 15 families arrived around 7.45 this morning while the other comprising 6 males and 4 females arrived two hours later. The majority of the refugees were youth while there were few children too, he said. There were residents of Kanakarayankulam, Sinnadampan, Puthukulam and Nainamdu areas.
The refugees had told that they could free themselves from the terrorists clutches because of the security forces operations against the LTTE. The terrorists' ability to manhandle the civilians at gunpoint is fast dwindling that people will soon escape the Wanni open prison in large numbers. One of the youth had revealed that people in Wanni have placed a very high hope over the success of the security forces that they would be soon be free from the LTTE.
"Tidings have reached that LTTE is fast loosing, all of us want a life without LTTE, they (LTTE) brought us nothing by the destruction, Security Forces' success is our only hope", the youth had said. The civilians were shocked to hear that some of the Tamil Politicians in India and Tamils living in Western Countries are trying to save the LTTE. "Why do they want to continue this war? Are they enjoying on our sufferings? If they want an Eelam let them have it in their countries! We Sri Lankan Tamils are not their pawns" were some of their sudden expressions when they were told about the issue.