On the trail of VICTORY | Sundayobserver.lk

From Mavil Aru to Nanthikadal:

The road to freedom

By Ranil WIJAYAPALA

Memories of those shocking days during which the country fought its relentless battle against the most ruthless terror outfit remains deep in my mind although one year has already passed from the date our valiant troops finished off the nearly three-decade-long conflict in the country.

I am recalling memories of those days marred by violence, first with relief because we were able to put an end to that violent era on May 19, 2009, secondly with a sort of pride in my mind because I was able to witness almost all those bloody incidents that marred the country as well as the brave journey of the troops from Mavil Aru to the grand finale in the banks of the Nanthikadal lagoon.

In the beginning it was unrealistic even to think of an end to the decades-long conflict which had many ups and downs in both the military and peace fronts, the two approaches made by successive governments to resolve the conflict which had become a menace to this country.

Therefore, those great days I spent as a journalist in the battlefront, in the East, North and Vanni from the days of the Mavil Aru battle to the grand finale of the Nanthikadal lagoon, flash back in my mind like a dream.

Although I thought that it would be difficult to recall all those memories, that they would not flow properly, they had been well-placed in my memory like an archive. So they unfolded in a dramatic way, when the nation is about to celebrate the first anniversary of that great day of victory.

The events that led the Government to launch that aggressive military campaign were clear. President Mahinda Rajapaksa had to wait patiently when the LTTE, while engaged in lethargic peace negotiations, continued with its violent campaign against the Security Forces and civilians.

Hundreds of Security Forces personnel and civilians became victims of claymore mine attacks unleashed by the LTTE. But, President Rajapaksa kept the light of hope and peace alive until the LTTE attempted to take the life of the then Army Commander Lt.General Sarath Fonseka through a suicide blast inside the Army Headquarters on April 25, 2006.

The beginning

For the first time, aerial bombing was carried out targeting the LTTE nerve centre in Sampur on the eve of April 25.

I can still remember the way our Trincomalee Correspondent told me that for the first time after the Ceasefire Agreement, they felt some sort of security when they heard aerial bombing in Sampur, carried out in a defensive attack, on the eve of April 25.

People in the area for the first time after a long time thought that their security has not been neglected.

Then the massacre in Kebithigollewa on June 15, 2006 in which the LTTE attacked a CTB bus killing at least 64 Sinhalese prompted more air strikes from the Air Force.

That was not the end. The LTTE continued their violent campaign further. The third highest-ranking officer in the Sri Lanka Army, Major General Paramee Kulatunga was assassinated on June 26,2006 in Pannipitiya.

Mavil Aru

The media had enough bloody matters to report. But, the most crucial reason for the military to unleash its battle against the LTTE came in a small piece of news in a Sinhala newspaper on July 22, 2006 after the LTTE closed the sluice gates of the vital Mavil Aru that feeds the people in the south of Trincomalee on July 21.

It was after the days-long negotiations with the LTTE to resolve the matter and restore the water supply to nearly 15,000 people had failed that President Rajapaksa had to take that fateful decision to launch a military operation to open the sluice gates of Mavil Aru.

The operation began on July 26, 2006 as columns of ground troops launched their operation amidst politically motivated groups staging protests, demanding the opening of the sluice gates.

Like any other media person, I also wanted to be at the scene to witness the situation first hand. But as mediamen we were clueless on making our entry to the scene, since it was only a beginning for us.

Our visit to Serunuwara

My colleague, the then Sunday Observer defence correspondent Ranga Jayasuriya, Indrajith and I started our journey to Kantale on August 1, 2006. Our prime aim was to reach Seruvavila and stay at a temple with the hope of witnessing the opening of the Mavil Aru sluice gates by our troops.

When we were on our way to Kantale on August 1, we heard the news that the Naval Base in Trincomalee and the Jet Liner which was on its way from Kankesanthurai to Trincomalee were under attack.

We never thought that the situation would grow into large-scale fighting in the area the following day. Since we got late to reach Kantale, we opted to stay in Kantale for the night and lodged at Co-op Inn, Kantale which had the minimum facilities.

The following morning we heard the sound of helicopters in the air and the booming sounds of artillery guns from a distance. It was only in the morning that we learnt that several Army detachments including Muttur, Kattaparichchan and Selvanagar in and around Mutur were under attack.

Stepping into danger

We were clueless about the ground situation and continued on our journey towards Mutur. We were moving fast towards Serunuwara. At one point, a Police officer and home guard stopped our vehicle and queried as to where we were heading. We said we were going towards the Seruvavila temple.

"Mahattayala, Marennada yanne? Issaraha pare koti gahanava. Minissu serama gama ataerala yanava" (Are you heading towards your death? Tigers are attacking us. Villagers are fleeing), the Police Constable said.

Then only did we realise that we were heading towards danger. The LTTE had cut off the road half a kilometre ahead of us at Ali Oluva junction closer to Mahindapura. "Tigers are still hiding under the bridge", the Police officer said.

We were stopped closer to the Seru Nuwara police station. That area too had come under mortar attacks by that time. Only after we saw people fleeing the area did we realise the real danger of the situation.

Then we had a brief stop over at the Kallar camp from where the Army had started its move towards the Mavil Aru sluice gates. There, we heard that big battles have erupted in Kattaparichchan and Mutur, but that troops had taken the upper hand in the battle.

So, we had to put an abrupt end to our journey and returned to Kantale along with some pregnant women and sick people who were fleeing their village towards Kantale in fear of terror attacks.

Though we stayed in Kantale the next day too, we did not hear the good news of the opening of the Mavil Aru sluice gates as troops had to focus their attention on Mutur and Kattaparichchan. We returned to Colombo on August 3.

But, that visit to Serunuwara and Kantale gave us a clear picture of the situation. However, it was only after troops liberated the Mavil Aru sluice gates, Mutur and Kattaparichchan which were infiltrated by the Tigers, that we understood the real motive behind the terror attack on Mahindapura, Kattaparichchan, Selvanagar and Mutur.

The capture of those Army detachments would have put the Trincomalee harbour under seige. Further, the LTTE would have been able to clear a jungle route from the Batticaloa district to Trincomalee, thus connecting their 'terrains' in the Northern and Eastern regions through jungle patches.

It was their initial attack on the Security Forces defence lines, in accomplishing their master plan to overrun Jaffna.

Fighting on the Northern front

A few days after the attack in Trincomalee south, the bloodiest fighting erupted on the Northern front on August 11, 2006. Muhamalai, Kilali and Nagar Kovil came under simultaneous attacks of the LTTE. Fighting continued for more than three days, but the LTTE was the loser in the end.

If they were successful in their effort, the story today would have been completely different. We were fortunate enough not to hear that bad news that day.

Visits to battlefront

It was our excursions to the conflict zone that helped improve our knowledge of the battlefield. After our disappointing visit to Serunuwara on August 1, it was in early September 2006 that we made our second trip to the conflict zone, this time after coordination with the ground commanders through the Army Media unit.

With the approval of the Sri Lanka Army, we were able to visit the Mavil Aru sluice gates which were opened on August 8, 2006 after ground troops cleared the Mutur area of terror threats.

Lt. Colonel Sarath Wijesinghe (now Brigadier), Commander of the 222 Brigade Kantale took us to the Mavil Aru sluice gates, taking cover behind polythene screens made by the troops manning the area. The 8 Gemunu Watch battalion was in charge of Mavil Aru.

It was at great risk that they took us there as Tiger snipers were always on alert for any movement; their mortar guns were ready to direct fire at any time.

The very same day we visited the Mavil Aru sluice gates, Special Forces troops along with Infantry troops took control of Sampur, the bastion of the LTTE which they had said would be a death-trap to the troops if the military make any effort to infiltrate it.

But ground troops led by Special Forces troops proved that it was only a ruse by the LTTE as they took Sampur in a surprise move.

We tried our best to go to Sampur soon after it was captured, but were denied access. Colonel Wijesinghe followed us silently, fearing that we would sneak into unauthorised areas.

Meeting the heroes

It was during this visit that we met Major Senaka Wijesuriya (now Colonel) who was in charge of the Mutur area.

He became a friend whom we met in the battlefront throughout the military operations until the grand finale in Nanthikadal.

Later, a media team was taken on a brief visit to Sampur simultaneously with the return of displaced civilians to Mutur.

We continued our excursions to the battlefront in our bid to get the real picture of the situation. It was the Vakarai battle that continued for months that became the hot topic among the public at the end of 2006.

A pathetic situation

Civilians escaping in their thousands became the latest story and it was with greater humane feeling that we observed the way they were fleeing towards the military. Fortunately, it was a rainy day which enabled us to hide the tears rolling down our cheeks at the sight of month old babies wrapped in rags were carried for safety amidst the heavy downpour.

Rukmal Gamage our photographer was there with me to witness that heart-rending scene.

Brigadier Daya Ratnayake (now Major General) who was in charge of the 23 Division in Welikanda, with the approval of the Ministry of Defence, helped us witness and report the situation from the ground itself.

He gave us a clear picture about the fighting in the jungles.

Visit to Vakarai

In January 2006, we were again in Welikanda, this time to witness the great victory in Vakarai. Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa permitted us access to Vakarai soon after it was captured and we, along with Saman Kumara Ramawickrema and Asoka, were the first media team to visit the area.

Even the temporary bridge across Panichchankerni was not ready and our vehicle was transported in a ferry across the river. It was during this visit that Brigadier Daya Ratnayake introduced us to Colonel (now Major General) Prasanna de Silva saying, "This is the man who is behind the victory in Vakarai". Till then, we were not aware that he was the officer who commanded the Vakarai battle as the Special Forces Brigade Commander.

We met him once again in the Northern front and also in the final battle in Mullaitivu as he became the 55 and 59 Division Commander during the final battle.

We were undergoing a tricky period in early 2007. People were not aware of what exactly was happening in the warfront. Moreover, rumours spread by politically-motivated groups to belittle the military victories created a sort of a barrier for the people to believe in those victories.

While confronting the political front, the Government also launched an aggressive campaign to counter the false propaganda of the LTTE. It was due to the intervention of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa that websites such as defence.lk and national security.lk were launched and extensive coverage on the warfront was carried out by the State media to achieve this target.

The weekly defence column written by me in the Daily News and later in the Sunday Observer also came to the fore directly due to a decision taken by the Defence Secretary to give prominence to security-related news. It was former Daily News Editor Bandula Jayasekera and the Sunday Observer Editor Dinesh Weerawansa who encouraged me to pen these columns.

Top of Baron's Cap

However, the victory of the Security Forces in Thoppigala was the turning point for the people to switch their minds completely towards military victories.

The liberation of the Chenkaladi - Maha Oya road on April 11, 2007 and the liberation of the West of Batticaloa came as great achievements.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa gave us clearance to visit the battlefront. We were able to reach the front lines in the Thoppigala battle as a result. Major Thillekeratne (now Colonel), the Commanding Officer of the 8 Gemunu Watch battalion, took us to the battlefront first.

Ramawickrema and Harsha from Rupavahini and Rukmal and myself from ANCL were among the first to visit the battlefront. It was a great experience for us. I can still remember the way the LTTE fired mortar rounds on that location, just a few minutes after we left the location called Samanalayandi Poothandi.

The most horrendous and arduous journey we had during our excursions to the battlefront was our visit to Thoppigala or Baron's Cap. It was just two days after it was captured that we were on the top of 'Baron's Cap'.

The way we climbed that rocky mountain in the centre of the jungle in the scorching sun and the time we had with the Commando team who were on top of that rock, sharing their last drop of water with us, are still warm memories.

We are grateful to Colonel (now Major General) Chagi Gallage who commanded the battle in Thoppigala and then, then Commander of the 2 Commando Regiment Lt. Colonel Uditha Bandara for arranging that memorable visit to Baron's Cap.

After this historic victory in the East the people of this country realised that these military victories are not political gimmicks by the Government. They extended their fullest cooperation to the Government in its efforts to defeat the LTTE militarily.

Vanni liberation operation begins

By this time the Security Forces has laid down its strategy to take control of the Vanni too.

The launch of the 57 Division, initially under the command of Brigadier Sumith Manawadu in March 2007, was the first step towards liberating Vanni. The failure of certain operations in the Northern front in late 2006 prompted the military to open up the Vanni front to divide the LTTE thrust.

In mid- 2007, Brigadier Jagath Dias took over the command of 57 Division. The Division Headquarters were established in Kalmadu.

It was in September 2007 that Task Force-I under the command of Brigadier Chagie Gallage was formed to open up another military front.

Operation Silavatura was its first operation and troops captured Silavatura in a surprise move.

Nerve-breaking visit to Silavatura

Our visit to Silavatura in fishing motor boats in the stormy seas was yet another nerve-breaking voyage we had from the Pesalai Marshaling Point. I can still remember the way we tightly held on to the boat sitting on its floor to avoid our backbones breaking as the speeding boat thumped into the sea at every second.

But those memories still linger in our minds as pleasant memories as we were fortunate enough to save our lives for the second time on the same day when our vehicle skided off the road and collided with a coconut tree after going through a tin sheet fence and iron bars of a huge advertising board at 'Yapane Handiya' in Anuradhapura on our return journey to Colombo around mid-night.

None of us in the van was hurt, but a cow died after colliding with the van. So it was a memorable day for us as we felt that we had two narrow escapes within a single day.

After that visit to Silavatura, our visits to the battlefront were basically to 57 and 58 (Task Force 1) Divisions. I remember our visits to thick jungle patches in the Pokkaravani area with 6 Vijayaba Infantry Regiment CO Major Thalwatta, wearing body armour and helmets.

The troops there had to undergo immense difficulties as they had to wait in thick jungles for the enemy.

Brigadier Jagath Dias also befriended us during these excursions.

The safety of the journalists

The Vanni Security Forces Headquarters had given us strict instructions to wear body armour and helmets whenever we visited the conflict zone.

I still remember a Staff Sergeant who came to escort us to the respective Divisions warning us not to endanger his career in the Army by not wearing body armour and helmets. We were also given strict instructions to travel in Unicorn trucks fearing claymore attacks, such was the concern of the Security Forces towards our security.

It was in December 2007 that we met Brigadier (now Major General) Shavendra Silva, the Commander of the Task Force 1 (58 Division). Our intention was to meet him and learn of the progress made by the 58 Division.

Our visit to his headquarters in Nanattan was futile as he was not there at the time. but on our way to Vavuniya we met him at a location close to Giant Tank. That meeting established a greater bond between us which lasted during the entire Vanni liberation operation.

In December 2007 both 57 and 58 Divisions made their first breakthrough as they captured the Thampanai village and Uyilankulam entry-exit points.

The rest of the Vanni liberation operation was so complex that the best way of explaining it was the 58 Divisions march centred around A-32 road, capturing the Mannar 'Rice Bowl', Viddathalthivu, Illuppakdavai, Vellankulam, and up to Pooneryn and reaching Paranthan and Kilinochchi along the Pooneryn-Paranthan road and the 57 Division's march through Madhu, Palampiddi, Periyamadu, Thunukkai, Mallavi, Akkarayankulam, Murikandi, Iranamadu to Kilinochchi.

We need volumes of books to describe the way we lived with the troops in thick jungles in Periyamadu and other places. A number of other media organisations had also joined the military operation due to popular demand for military news.

Marooned in Pooneryn

It was in November 2007, soon after the capture of Pooneryn by the 58 Division, that Rukmal and I were trapped in Pooneryn for more than three days due to flooding along the A-32 road.

Lt. Colonel Jayantha Balasuriya, then Commanding Officer of the 2 Commando Regiment gave us shelter for more than three days. The experiences we shared with the troops trapped in the area due to heavy flooding and stormy weather are still alive in our minds.

The true dedication and commitment of a brave soldier can only be seen when we live with them, not when we observe them from a distance.Their bravery and valour could be seen only in the battlefront. It was not for any personal gain but for the sake of the country. That was clearly evident from their behaviour during that difficult period when they lived as a family.

The Brigade Commanders, Commanding Officers and soldiers all became our close friends during this period and we became the visitors of each and every battalion during this period.

They chose to live anywhere they came across, whether it was a hut or a well-built house and they were ready to sacrifice even their meal to a person seeking their help.

That was the lesson we learnt from them during the time we lived with them in our mission to report from the warfront. They opted to go the hard way to achieve their target and it helped them achieve their targets.

The hardway

They never marched along the A-9 road to capture Kilinochchi, but went through the jungle terrain until they reached the final goal.

Even the 59 Division which was under the command of Brigadier Nandana Udawatta (now Major General) went through the hard way to capture Mullaitivu and other areas.

It was after the capture of Mankulam, Kilinochchi, Paranthan and Elephant Pass, Iyakachchi, Pallai and Muhamalai that the A-9 road was completely taken under the control of the Security Forces.

Right place at the right time

We were able to be at the right place at the right time to report the victories of the Security Forces. I still recall our journey from Colombo to Thunukkai where the 57 Division had it headquarters and later attended the ceremony to hoist the national flag in the centre of Kilinochchi town.

Covered with dust from head to toe, we observed the way our national flag fluttered in Kilinochchi town as we went through the dusty terrain to reach Kilinochchi from Thunukkai.

I, as a reporter, also fulfilled one of my dreams in battle reporting after witnessing that great event where troops from the North met troops from the South for the first time on the A-9 road in January 2007.

It was Brigadier Shavendra Silva who facilitated our journey to Elephant Pass at an unexpected moment.

It was after the capture of these strongholds that troops began real face-to-face combat with the LTTE. A number of Task Forces were formed to face the LTTE on a wider front.

Task Force 2 under the command of Brigadier Rohana Bandara, Task Force 3 under the command of Brigadier Satyapriya Liyanage, Task Force 4 under the command of Brigadier Nishantha Wanniarachchi and Task Force 8 under the command of Brigadier G.V. Ravipriya were directly involved in the military operations.

The 53 Division under the command of Brigadier (now Major General) Kamal Gunaratne and 55 Division under the command of Brigadier Prasanna de Silva also marched from the Northern Front towards the South to achieve those victories.

After the capture of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu and a section of the Paranthan-Mullaitivu road, the terrain in which the fighting was going on became smaller.

But intense fighting was reported during this period as the Tigers posed stiff resistance to the troops. In the first three months of 2007, there was little progress in the Mullaitivu front, but the 58 Division under the command of Brigadier Shavendra Silva marched forward, towards Puthukudiyiruppu.

It was on March 3, 2009 that the 58 Division and the Task Force 8 captured the Puthukudiyiruppu junction.

We were eager to observe the situation there as we had heard that intense fighting had continued for months to capture this strategic junction.

With permission from Brigadier Shavendra Silva we went there with Colonel Sanjay Wanigasinghe. Later, Brigadier Shavendra Silva and his Deputy Suraj Banshajaya also arrived there along with the Rupavahini team.

We were on the centre of the road when a soldier shouted 'down''down'. Two rounds of 120 mm mortar fell on either side of the road , but luckily not to the centre of the road where we were.

So we had to run towards our vehicle and rush back, hearing more mortar rounds in the area.

But the most tense period came when troops reached the edges of the No Fire Zone in Puthumatalan and Ampalavanpokkanai. Our curiosity to see what was happening inside the No Fire Zone from the distance was growing.

It was Major Bandara from the 10 SLLI who took us to the edge of the No Fire Zone, crossing the lagoon with water up to our waist level. We went some 200 metres closer to the edge of the No Fire Zone, sometimes scrawling on the ground and hiding among trees.

We observed the activities going on inside the no fire zone and the way people were living in tents. Rukmal captured the photos of the Tiger defence using his zoom lens.

Brigadier Prasanna de Silva took us to the northern edge of the No Fire Zone from the Chundikulam side.

So we could get a better picture about the No Fire Zone when the 58 Division infiltrated the No Fire Zone on April 20, 2009, leading to an avalanche of people fleeing into the military controlled areas.

Just one day after the incident we were there on the scene. My colleagues Shanika Sriyananda and Rukmal were with me. We just stood there like statues, having forgotten our mission. Unlike other reporters we did not want to interview people as their untold tales were imprinted on our minds.

All their stories were written on their faces. We felt the extent of their hunger and thirst just observing the way they were struggling to catch a biscuit pack and water bottle and the way they washed their children in the stream where carcasses of dogs and other animals were also floating.

This was the period the Security Forces were handling both humanitarian and military matters together. We did not want to go after Division Commanders. They were all in the streets of Puthukudiyiruppu like any other folk in the town.

Major General Jagath Dias, Major General Kamal Gunaratne, Brigadier Shavendra Silva, Brigadier Chagie Gallage, Brigadier Rohana Bandara, Brigadier Nishantha Wanniarachchi and Brigadier G.V. Ravipriya were seen mingling with the people and handling the situation together as it was not a matter that could be handled single handedly.

It was the unique feature we observed in the battlefront. They all worked together to achieve a common goal.

Each and every Division engaged in the battle had their say in the battlefront as they continued to recover large hauls of LTTE's lethal weapons, but it was teamwork by everybody.

On May 16, we decided to make our decisive visit to the battlefront. All electronic media organisations on the scene and we were already late.

But we found that we were not late; we were there on the scene at the correct time. We reached Puthukudiyiruppu via Oddusuddan and met Brigadier Shavendra Silva at the No Fire Zone in Vellamullivaikkal. We observed the gruesome efforts taken by the LTTE to stop civilians fleeing the area by carrying out suicide bomb attacks.

We stayed the night in Puthukudiyiruppu with the 583 Brigade and it was in the early hours of May 17 that the LTTE made their first attempt to flee towards the Mullativu jungles through the Nanthikadal lagoon.

Troops foiled their bid effectively, killing all the terrorists who tried to breach the Security Forces defence.

The bodies of the terrorists were laid out in the banks of the Nanthikadal lagoon. Major General Jagath Jayasuriya, then Vanni Security Forces Commander, along with 59 Division GOC Brigadier Prasanna de Silva visited the scene.

After filing the reports from the 59 Division Headquarters, we reached the Vadduvakkal causeway to observe the last batch of civilians from Vellamullivaikkal reaching military controlled areas.

By this time troops had encircled the last terrain of the LTTE. We were able to reach the Vellamullivaikkal coast along with Brigadier Prasanna de Silva to see what was happening there.

The final mission

It was on May 18 that we heard the news that all Tiger leaders attempting to flee had been killed in Vellamullivaikkal area. Wild rumours were spread that the Tiger leader had fled the area in an ambulance.

We also rushed to the scene to get a correct picture of the situation. All the Division Commanders handling the final battle were there at Puthukudiyiruppu junction where the 53 Division had its headquarters.

But it was around noon that all media personnel were given access to the area as search operations were going on in the area in search of Tiger cadre.

There were intense search operations to track down Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.

It was with mixed feelings and with great relief that we watched the bodies of Tiger leaders. But the mission had still not ended. Troops continued their search operations in the mangroves of the Nanthikadal lagoon for hours.

We, along with Muralidaran Reddi from The Hindu and Kanchan from All India Radio were in Kilinochchi at the 58 Division Headquarters. We were waiting till the search operations were completed.

What we wanted was to get confirmation as to what happened to Tiger leader Prabhakaran. Had he fled the country, was he killed or was he in hiding? These questions had to be answered although news stories were carried that Prabhakaran was killed in the final encounter.

It was around 10 am on May 19 that we got the confirmation. We were on our way to Vellamullavaikkal when we heard the news that the body of the Tiger leader had been found. We were impatient to reach the location.

Everyone on the road was rushing in one direction. They all had got the news.

All were there at the scene by the time we reached the location.

Soldiers were draging the body of the Tiger leader from the waters of the Nanthikadal lagoon. We hurriedly crossed the muddy waters which were at knee level, pushing aside thousands of soldiers gathered there to see the final result.

At last we saw him dead in his military fatigues. His bleeding skull, open eyes and thick moustache confirmed that it was none other than the man most wanted by the Security Forces.

The bodies of his inner circle of security guards were also lying there and the soldiers were cheering as they had reached their final goal at last.

On May 21 the military silenced their guns at a brief ceremony at Karayanmullivaikkal. So, our mission too came to an end. It was time for us to return to Colombo, but with satisfied minds that we could finally see an end to the decades-long problem in the country.

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