Seven civilian youths massacred at Nelliaddy
May 7th, 2006
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Nelliaddy in the northernmost Jaffna peninsula division of Vadamaratchy became the scene of a brutal massacre on Thursday May4th. Seven youths travelling in two autorickshaws were killed by soldiers near the Navalar madam junction in an incident that has caused much resentment and sorrow in the area. Adding insult to injury has been the army’s attempt to depict the innocent civilians including two three – wheeler drivers as tigers who had attacked them.
Nelliaddy situated along the Point Pedro – Jaffna and Kodikamam -Nelliaddy roads is a busy township in the Vadamaratchy area. Thursday May 4th saw a hartal being observed in the peninsula to protest against the “Uthayan” newspaper office attack and other civilian deaths. There was very little activity in the busy Nelliaddy junction due to the hartal.
At about 2. 15 pm two youths on a motor cycle threw two grenades at an army post about 100 metres away from the Nelliaddy junction. The post was on the Point Pedro road near the Police station in front of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) camp. Both the army post as well as the EPDP office were the targets in the attack. One army corporal and two privates were injured in the attack
The assailants were suspected of being either from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) or from one of the tiger proxies “Makkal padai” (peoples force) and/or “pongiyelum padai” (Resurgent force). Even as the motor cycle sped off along the Alvai road soldiers and Policemen ran out into the streets and began assaulting the few people seen outside. This led to a complete shut down at the junction. Nelliaddy bore a deserted look.
Twenty minutes after the grenade attack two auto – rickshaws came along the road from the direction of Point Pedro. There were three passengers in one and two in another. The three – wheelers proceeded along the road in the direction of Jaffna . The vehicles passed the Police station, EPDP office etc and reached the Navalar madam junction about 400 metres away from Nelliaddy junction.
A small road called “thotaveli road” branches off towards the Navandil area here. Alonside the road is an army camp that also houses the military intelligence corps. The camp is located in a building which once housed the “Suppiah and sons’ business. Just as the two vehicles turned into the road and proceeded some yards some soldiers at this camp began firing at the two vehicles. A Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) launcher was used to fire a shell that directly hit one vehicle. The other overturned at the impact.
People in the neighbourhood heard the occupants screaming loudly in fright as the soldiers continued to fire. Even soldiers in the watchtowers on top of the building began to fire at the vehicles. Thereafter a group of soldiers went up to the vehicles and fired bursts at close quarters. There was no more screaming after that as all occupants were killed.
When people heard about the atack they tried to go to the spot but were prevented by the soldiers who even assaulted a few. The army set up roadblocks and sealed off the area. It was drizzling rain when all this was happening. It was around 5 pm that Point Pedro magistrate K. Ariyanayagam visited the scene. He was informed by the army that the dead persons were tigers who had attacked the army. The army had fought back and killed them.
A few grenades too were “discovered” in one of the vehicles. Interestingly enough a broken arrack bottle was also found in one of the vehicles. Later the post – mortem revealed traces of alcohol in most of the victims. If the army version is to be believed this would be the first time that the usually disciplined tigers had imbibed liquour before attacking the army.
It was after Mr. Ariyanayagan’s arrival that people were allowed to see the bodies. Relatives and friends recognized the victims and raised a cry. All seven were from the “Rajakiraamam” model village in the Kanpollai area. This was less than half a mile from the place where the killings occurred. Mr. Ariyanayagam ordered the bodies to be taken to the Point Pedro base hospital in Manthigai for the post – mortem inquiry. Moe than 300 sobbing relatives gathered at the hospital.
The victims were not tigers. Five of them were working as labourers at the Point Pedro harbour. The other two were auto- rickshaw drivers. On the days work was available each labourer was paid 500 rupees per day.
Tamil National Alliance MP MK Sivajilingam told the Canadian Tamil Radio (CTR) that they had collected their dues from their workplace and had been celebrating. They had drunk two bottles of arrack and were going to another friends place with a third bottle to continue boozing said Sivajilingam. He also said that the victims were finishing their drink at a bar in Nelliaddy when the grenade attack on the army had occurred.The TNA has sent a letter to all diplomatic missions in Colombo about the Nelliaddy massacre.
The army however maintained that the victims were all tigers. It was first said that there was an attack on the army camp and that the tigers were killed in action. Later it was said that the three – wheeler occupants were coming to attack the army when an explosion occurred. Though people of the area knew the truth many in the South believe the army version. Army spokesperson Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe however came up with some cock and bill versions that are an insult to one’s intelligence. He is losing credibility really fast.
The victims were all very young. Their names and ages are as follows:
Selverajah Suman (22yrs)
Veluppillai Nimalan (21yrs)
Nagaratnam Naguleswaran (18yrs)
Balachandran Krishanthan (18yrs)
Thamotharampillai Sharmilan (17yrs)
Naratnarajah Nesannah (19yrs)
Subramanium Subash (19yrs)
Both Suman and Nimalan the auto – rickshaw drivers were married and had a child each. The others though of high school going age were working. There is a reason for this. They victims were from the so called oppressed caste known as “nalavar”. Due to their backwardness as a result of historical caste oppression few youths seek higher education. The victims were all from “rajakiraamam” a model village opened under the Gam Udawa scheme of Ranasinghe Premadasa. It was set up through former TULF Mp for Udupiddy Rajalingam. It was named “Rajakiraamam (Raja village) after him.
The deaths of seven youths from the village has upset the people who due to the caste oppression have been a close knit community. It was only some weeks ago that two three – wheeler drivers from the same village were killed.The community had barely recovered from that trafedy before another calamity hit.
The army itself admits that they killed the seven youths. But they claim they were tigers. It is proved beyond doubt that the victims were innocent civilians who had been having a hearty drink.
There are three possibilities here. One is that the army really believed the occupants were tigers and fired in perceived self – defence. Two they were angry at the earlier attack and had their revenge by killing them. Three it could be part of the “retaliation” strategy where the army is supposed to counter attack if the tigers strike. The army’s attempt to cover up the incident and distort reality shows clearly that the exercise was by design and not accident.
By all accounts this massacre seems to be a combination of revenge and retaliation. Sadly the retaliation was not against the tigers but the civilians. Using RPG etc at civilians was a cruel act. The killings however are part of the general retaliation strategy where Tamil civilians are targetted deliberately as part of collective punishment for the LTTE. The army is playing into tiger hands by pursuing this strategy. Support for the LTTE is bound to rise.
The LTTE too cannot be absolved of blame. It was the LTTE assertion that the people and not they were responsible for attacks on the armed forces which worsened the situation. The blood – curdling statements made by tiger fronts like the resurgent force and peoples force have exacerbated the situation further. On the one hand the armed forces are really insecure and see most civilians as tigers. On the other hand there is this hawkish policy sanctioned by Mahinda Rajapakse which enables the armed forces to target civilians deliberately as part of a calculated reprisal policy.
Never in the history of guerrilla warfare has a movement claiming to represent a people exposed the civilian population to the enemy in this manner. Never have “freedom fighters” disclaimed responsibility for their provocative action and sought to foist blame on innocent civilians. The Tamil civilians are paying the price. The racist regime under Rajapakse is responding by targetting civilians.Pardoxically the tigers are gaining support as the victimised Tamils get progressively alienated and estranged from the state.
One reason for targetting the auto – rickshaws could be due to the belief among security forces that three – wheeler drivers are all tigers. At least eight three – wheeler drivers in Jaffna have been killed by the armed forces and their lacley Tamil armed groups. The LTTE rendered them vulnerable by forcibly giving arms training to some drivers and publicising it as part of the peoples force expansion program. Now it seems as if its open season on three – wheeler drivers.
Incidents like the Nelliaddy massacre will only help drive the Tamil people into tiger arms. Jaffna district MP S. Gajendran (Kuthirai) has revealed what the LTTE hopes to achieve through this provocative strategy. Referring to the Nelliaddy massacre specifically Gajendran has called upon the Tamil people to do one of two things. One is for them to relocate and seek refuge and protection in tiger controlled regions. The other is for them to join the LTTE, take up arms and fight. Preferably he would like Tamils to do both.
The Government of Mahinda Rajapakse is aiding the LTTE in achieving its aims. Colombo thinks Kilinochchi wants to provoke them into declaring formal war. It thinks it is being smart by not falling into that trap and continuing this shadow war as strategy. Little does Colombo realise that Kilinochchi too does not want full war now/ But what it wants is for the state to continue targetting Taml civilians like it is doing now. This is gradually raising tiger stock among Tamils. The LTTE would like this process to continue till the people are fully behind them.
While the Government plays into LTTE hands through this retaliation policy the international community watches passively and praises Rajapakse for his “commendable restraint”. This “Ostrich like” attitude angers and saddens Tamils. What is going on as a result of LTTE strategy and Government counter – strategy is a massacre of Tamilinnocents in small doses. From headless corpses in Avissawela to auto – rickshaws blown up in Nelliaddy the killing of Tamils goes on. People are dying each day and the death count escalates.
Incidents like the Nelliaddy massacre cannot be seen in isolation but as part of a deteriorating trend. The future is alarming.Only India among International countries seems to be realising what is really happening in Lanka. The western nations annoyed at the LTTE for many reasons keep quiet while Tamil civilians die. It is however a vicious cycle and people both Tamil and non – Tamil are getting killed.A massive tragedy is unfolding. Unless and until the international big players along with India devise a coordinated policy the situation cannot be reversed. Till that day dawns let us all consume “kavun” like “yodhayas”.
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Contact DBS Jeyaraj : djeyaraj2005@yahoo.com
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