A perilous journey for freedom
Manjula Fernando
When we started our trip from Colombo on Friday, I had some idea of what to expect. It was not going to be easy. After witnessing TV images of the mass human exodus described as the biggest hostage rescue mission in the world and following it closely since Monday, I knew the picture would be rough.
Around 7.30 in the morning we took off from the Ratmalana Airbase in a light aircraft used to transport goods and soldiers to North and landed in Anuradhapura one hour later. From there we boarded a MI 17 helicopter.
There were some 50 journalists representing both foreign and local media organizations.
Beginning
Soon after landing in Kilinochchi some 45 minutes later, we were given a hurried briefing of our basic program by military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara. We were to have breakfast inside the LTTE’s former political office and listen to a media briefing by 58 Division Brigade Commander Shavendra Silva on the military operations. Later, there would be a display of weapons and important documents recovered from LTTE leaders’ residence.
Then would come the most important part of our trip, a visit to the very edge of No Fire Zone in Puthumattalan, where I saw the other day on TV, a virtual human stampede - a mass exodus of civilians into military held areas, seeking refuge away from the brutal grip of LTTE where they suffered without food, water and security.
But nothing could have prepared us for what we saw. The destruction and the devastation caused by the conflict was evident everywhere, from the scorched tops of palm and coconut trees to the pallet ridden shabby structures, some of whose roofs had been blown away by shelling. The entire environment appeared as if a tornado has just crossed its path. As we got nearer the destruction seemed intense. There was hardly any life left.
It was hard to believe that one man’s eccentricity and lust for a selfish and an impossible dream could bring such suffering to so many people.
Brig. Shavendra Silva explained the situation inside the No Fire Zone. Remaining LTTE cadres have donned civvies on strict orders from their hierarchy. And there could still be 10,000-15,000 civilians trapped inside the NFZ. He said this number could be more or less, they had no way of knowing the exact figure.
This is the most challenging phase of their operation. In this tail end, they have deployed most of their tactics and the Tigers were able to read them better. ”We cannot use the same tactics we used to liberate the civilians from the north of the NFZ.
We must plan afresh.” The rescue mission was a pre-dawn operation. The military had been announcing their entry into the NFZ via Puthumattalan for days. The civilians were asked to be prepared to flee. By April 19, Sunday this call had become stale in the Tigers’ ear. The time was right for the rescue mission, military commanders agreed.
“We were closely monitoring their habits. Through our surveillance we knew the cadres’ alertness was at a very low level during the early hours. Our operation started late Sunday night and the LTTE taken by surprise could not hold their ground for even half an hour,” Brig Shavendra said.
Civilian influx
As soon as the earth bunt was breached the civilians started to pour out as if the floodgates of a brimming tank were suddenly opened up. At first they threw away their last earthly possessions in the hurry to get to safe terrain and some were lost in the stampede. The scattered belongings were still visible near the boundary of the Puthumathalan Lagoon. But when the pace eased and the LTTE was driven further south, the civilians arrived with ease.
Over 100,000 civilians were rescued by Military Forces within the first three days of the operation. Seventeen people died in three LTTE suicide attacks on the day one of the rescue operation. Rajeshwari, a middle aged woman who arrived at Iranapalai after fleeing the NFZ with her five year old son and her ageing mother told us a heart wrenching story. “I heard the announcement.
I saw people running towards the military controlled area. I ran with my child, hoping that even if I died my child will survive and be freed.”
Time did not permit us to ask her about the plight of the rest of her family. The Tigers in their desperation to hold their last stand, shoot and beat up anyone who tries to escape. They have been using the civilians as a human shield for the past several weeks.
Rajeshwari had been inside the NFZ for two months. The place is said to be a living hell with LTTE restricting ration quotas and plundering the rest for their own use. Some civilians said they had not eaten a proper meal for days. This was true for children, women and the old. Sleep is a luxury they cannot afford.
Fortunately, the group of people whom we met on our visit had no major injuries other than signs of extreme exhaustion but thousands of civilians who were rescued by the Forces since April 20 had sustained injuries including gunfire wounds, a price they paid for freedom over LTTE’s insanity. They are being treated in hospitals in Vavunia, Pulmodai, Chettikulam, Trincomalee, Padaviya, Mannar and Colombo. The conditions in the NFZ are such that some of the senior Tiger cadres have also opted to quit and mingle with the civilians and flee at the cost of their dear life.
An audacious task
Military forces on a daily basis announce safe escape routes for civilians. Helping civilians who want to cross over is an audacious task. The previous day LTTE cadres clad as ordinary civilians shot dead two soldiers who tried to usher them to safety responding to their call.
After an LTTE human bomb killed soldiers and IDPs at a transit camp, the civilians who could barely walk after the perilous and arduous journey need to undergo intense screening at the IDP receiving point.
We had a glimpse of the Puthumattalan hospital which fell into the hands of the Forces a few days back. The area has been secured by the Security Forces.
We had a view of the distant stretch of land, beyond the lagoon where the LTTE was still keeping civilians hostage. Black smoke billowed from the treetops. A special task force soldier said the Tigers could be burning one of their weapons dumps. “We have to surprise the enemy. We are now fighting a very sensitive battle. Our aim is to ensure Zero Civilian Casualties. It has to be a hand to hand fight,” Brigadier Silva explained.
He said they have to discern Tigers from ordinary civilians and target them. This was a challenge as the Tigers were now in civvies. Pointing to the buildings at the other side of the lagoon where we could see their roofs intact, he explained that was because the military did not use heavy weapons during the rescue operation.
Rescue operation
On the contrary the LTTE was still using heavy weapons and shells to attack the Forces. “We know that there is at least one peddle gun with them in there,” a senior ranker whom we met at the location said adding that LTTE could very well shell the place where we were standing right then.
When asked how long they would take to free the civilians, Brigadier Shavendra said they hope to rescue all the civilians unhurt within a few days. This was a hope we all shared. A hope to see an end to all this suffering soon and the dawn of peace in our Motherland.
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