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| Sunday, 6 October 2002 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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After eight years in captivity... : The reunion of our long-lost soldiers by Deepal Warnakulasuriya
It was an emotional sight. A tear jerker that had many blinking away tears of both joy and wonder. To see their loved ones after eight long years of captivity. Eight years of sorrow and separation and not knowing whether they would be ever freed. Tears were the order of the day, as faces aglow with unspoken happiness gazed at wives, mothers, sisters and children. The formalities of the official Prisoners of War swap was on course at Omanthai-North of Vavuniya where the last security forces checkpoint is located. And seven men who perhaps sacrificed the better part of their productive life, as prisoners of the LTTE were finally free. They might have had a lot of things to say. But, the words remained unspoken as they met and embraced their loved ones. Commodore Ajith Kumara Boyagoda, perhaps the most popular prisoner of war kneeled in front of his mother, and later hugged his wife. Tears glistened in his eyes. Six other Army personnel too rushed to their loved ones in an emotion packed poignant scene, that no film can enact.
At the height of the war, "freedom" was a fantasy to the seven forces personnel who in more depressing moments would have believed they'd never live with their families again. Even at the moment of release, reality seemed too good to be true. And it was not just the soldiers, who found the day memorable. In a day, that took the peace process one step closer, also tasting freedom after a long time, were LTTE members, held in government custody. Commodore Boyagoda sought after by both the international and local media for a few words, thanked President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaranatunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe for initiating the peace process and continuing it successfully. Commodore Boyagoda did not want to relive September 19, 1994, the fateful day when the Tigers attacked the 330-tonne gun boat 'Sagarawardena' in the high seas of Thalpadu in Mannar. "We left Colombo on September 16, 1994. It was midnight when we were attacked," he recalled briefly, before adding, "Everything is over. We are free now. The best thing is finding a concrete solution to the conflict by ourselves."
"Life was very difficult during the first two years as detainees of the LTTE" said U.S.R.Jayakumara, one of the pows, who said that although they were not subjected to any physical harassment, they suffered from mental anguish and bad quality of food. He also said that captives had gone on a hunger strike, before the quality of the meals was improved. Jayakumara and five other army soldiers were captured by the LTTE at the Pooneryn camp after an attack on November 10, 1993. Jayakumara said they were held in several locations in the jungle. Both Boyagoda and Jayakumara claimed there were no more prisoners in LTTE custody. "Returning home after many years of separation from the loved ones, is a great blessing," said Sisira Priyankara, adding that being with their parents was the only hope they cherished," and that family members were given two opportunities to see them. S.H. Gunawardena looking back at the days of captivity, described it as an extraordinary period of time in their lives. "We were pensive. We had nothing to look forward to. But today, everything has changed and I am with my family again. It is wonderful," he said, taking a few minutes to pay tribute to their dead comrade, D.K. Hemapala who died in LTTE captivity, after a heart attack in 1998. "The LTTE never ill-treated us at any time and gradually they became our friends," said Nimal Shantha, claiming that during the later stages, they even played cricket and badminton together. Shantha said he did not view the conflict as something between .LTTE and Sri Lankan forces personnel. "I think they ask only a better way of living," he said. According to the happy men, the LTTE had allowed them to write letters to their families. This fact was confirmed by Boyagoda's wife Chandani who however said that the letters were censored by someone. Navindra Jayalath said that he had lost all hopes of returning to Colombo or going to his village in Homagama. "I was dreaming everyday I was travelling in a bus to Homagama," he said. When asked about the LTTE settlements and its Leadership, P.Gaminie and Nimal Dissanayake said they had been kept in make-shift huts and were not allowed to walk around. "Most of the time, we were permitted only to associate with the lower ranking members and we know only a little about them. But, they treated us as friends," they said. They also said they believed the LTTE when the latter's claims there are no more PoWs under them. In contrast to the seven government soldiers, Jesumy Fernando alias 'Kennedy' considered as the head of a guerrilla team that attacked the Pallaly Camp on August 2, 1994 and held captive by the government said his release was no cause for happiness since there were hundreds of LTTEers under government arrest. This sentiment was echoed by a majority of the LTTE cadres at Omanthai, who felt that, apart from Kennedy's release, there wasn't muchcause for rejoicing. |
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