Palliyagodella village makes a comeback

By Mohammed NAALIR

The Government successfully eliminated three decades of terrorism in the country. Thousands of innocent people became victims of gruesome terrorism. Several border villages came under LTTE attack. The Palliyagodella Muslim village in the Polannaruwa district was attacked by terrorists in 1992.

After nearly two decades, villagers have resumed their normal course of life. This is the tragic tale of Palliyagodella.

The entire village was turned into a 'funeral house' within minutes. Those who went to bed in the hope of waking to a better tomorrow, were found dead in the morning. They were killed by the LTTE. Around 243 Muslims including pregnant mothers, children and elders were killed. The bereaved still mourn the loss of their beloved ones. This tragic incident took place around 3.00 am on October 15, 1992.

The Sunday Observer visited Palliyagodella with the help of K. Sadhikeen who is well-known in the Polonnaruwa area. From Medirigiriya we went to Palliyagodella through Diyasenapura. We toured nine kilometres towards the South passing the Pullayar Junction. While on one side there were paddy fields, on the other was the Thambala tank.

People travelling in a Land master.

Village women are fishing in Kadawala tank.

We were travelling through dilapidated roads amidst immense difficulties. When we inquired as to how to get to our destination, a youth in a boutique said, you are nearing Palliyagodella which is one kilometre away.

When we arrived in Palliyagodella, the guide approached an elderly person and explained the reason for our visit. He accompanied us to a particular place where he introduced us to the person in charge of the Palliyagodella Masjidullafir Jummah Masjid, N. Thajudeen, then we were taken to the Memorial Garden of Suhadhas.

We asked them why this place was called by that name. Thajudeen explained that 243 villagers who were killed by the LTTE on October 15, 1992 were buried here.

Thajudeen explained the incident. "It was about 3.00 am, the village was calm and everyone was sleeping. Suddenly we heard a firing sound in the village and the people were shouting in fear for their lives. At that time the village didn't even have electricity. The screams and the sound of gunshots were reverberating through the village.

Hearing the firing and the people's screams, my wife and I woke up. The firing sound gradually increased. I went to our neighbouring house with my wife. We heard the firing all round the village. Then the police and the army began firing at the terrorists to protect the villagers. Little by little it began to dawn.

Then the firing gradually stopped. What we saw in the morning was the most shocking scene ever witnessed-half of the villagers were killed.

The army and police helped us to take the injured to hospital. Some died after admission. Hearing about the tragic incident, people from nearby villages flocked to Palliyagodella. Thajudeen said that his wife's older sister who was pregnant was also killed .

A whole village was destroyed by the LTTE.

He said that after the tragic incident we were housed at the Thambala welfare centre. For eight years we stayed at the Thambala welfare camp. We didn't return to our village.

Since 2000, villagers began to resettle in Palliyagodella. The Government provided electricity to Palliyagodella in the same year. Thajudeen and his family returned to Palliyagodella in 2007.

After the people were displaced from Palliyagodella, the village had become an asylum for elephants and wild animals.

Even after electricity had been provided there are families without electricity. Now the people live peacefully in the village.

They are keen to resume agriculture activities, Thajudeen noted. Thajudeen said that there was a shortage of water for agriculture which is the main problem. If the Kadawala tank is renovated we could resume agricultural activities.

A hospital is also a crucial need for this village. The people in Palliyagodella made a humble request to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to construct a hospital in the village. In addition to agriculture, people in Palliyagodella are running poultry and cattle farms at domestic level. Fishing and collecting honey are also occupations of people in the Palliyagodella village, according to Hanifa, a resident of the village. But there are other problems, Hanifa said.

There are no goods in village shops. Once a week we go to the Diyasenapura fair. Diyasenapura is 12 miles away from Palliyagodella. If not we go to Sungawila for the Thursday fair, which is nine kilometres away from this village. There are no transport facilities. There is not a single bus for this village. People travel in land masters or bullock carts.

Sometimes villagers go to Hingurakgoda to purchase goods.

As for medical attention the people go to Medirigiriya hospital for treatment.

We face a grave threat from elephants. The problem begins after the paddy harvest. Other farmers from this village also made the same complaint.

The hope of the people in Palliyagodella is to educate their children.

The villagers draw water from the school well. The mosque is

also in a bad state.

We arrived at the Kadawala tank bund passing marshy land. The tank had dried up.

There was very little water. A few Muslim women were fishing in the tank. Our friend Sadhi asked a woman "Amma what are you doing. One woman said we are fishing to get some fish for dinner. We met a couple fishing using nets in a canal.