Wretched of the North-East Lanka earth
August 29th, 2006
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
The battle for Sampoor is on!
After days of artillery shelling and aerial bombardment a major ground based three – pronged military offensive was launched in the early hours of Monday August 28th morning.
On the basis of available information it is believed that at 34 persons have been killed and 110 wounded in the first day of fighting.
Hostilities are expected to continue for in the days to come as the Government intends wresting control of Sampoor on the South of Kottiaar bay from the LTTE.
Sampoor is of strategic importance as it affords the LTTE a vantage point to fire long range artillery targetting Trincomalee and China Bay across the Kottiar bay.The tigers have fired artillery quite a few times in the past causing a paralysis of Trincomalee harbour.
Though the fight “formally” commenced on Monday Sampoor has for long remained a prize target of the security forces. Sampoor was consolidated and fortified as a marine base by the LTTE after the ceasefire of Feb 23rd 2002. The opening of new littoral bases and the acquisition of long range artillery by the LTTE added much strategic importance to Sampoor lying on the South of Kottiaar bay.
With Trincomalee harbour being only about 13 nautical miles away it was possible to target it effectively from the Sampoor coast. It was also possible to send invading flotillas across.
Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga criticised her rival Ranil Wickremasinghe vehemently for rendering Trincomalee vulnerable through the ceasefire. She did not however do anything in this direction after removing Wickremasinghe as premier and holding fresh elections.
The new hardline dispensation under Mahinda Rajapakse treated Sampoor as a matter of urgent priority. While Mahinda cooed “peace” like a dove the hawkish clique around him went ahead with plans to retake Sampoor militarily.
The first opportunity came when a bomb went off at the Military headquarters targetting Army chief Sarath Fonseka. Though Fonseka survived the Govt commenced a two – day onslaught on the Muthur East area in which Sampoor is located. Aerial bombardment, artillery and rocket fire from Army camps along with naval gunboat shelling was aimed at the region.
The fact that the Govt chose to target this area instead of Kilinochchi or Puthukkudiyiruppu revealed that the hidden agenda was to “soften” the LTTE in Muthur East and facilitate a military takeover of Sampoor.
Muthur East in general and Sampoor in particular came under repeated shelling and bombing on a number of occasions between April 25th and July 20th this year. The intensive attacks were justified as “retaliatory” measures against purported LTTE actions.
After a retired Army general Ranjith Silva was appointed as Trincomalee GA a virtual economic embargo of the LTTE controlled Muthur East and Eechilampattru areas was administered.
The Maavilaaru controversy triggered off by the LTTE provided another pretext for Colombo to escalate its military action. The LTTE act of launching an attack on Muthur from Sampoor, firing artillery shells on Trinco harbour and the fact that the tigers dominated Muthur for three days gave the Government a sense of urgency.
With many displaced Muslim groups refusing to return to Muthur unless the LTTE was neutralised in Sampoor the Government got a political reason in addition to military imperatives.
The gloves were off and the Govt began announcing its intention of retaking Sampoor militarily.Preparations for a military onslaught were underfoot with men and materials being relocated to camps in the Muthur region.
When the four co – chairs of the peace process urged a cessation of conflict President Rajapakse emphasised that Sampoor would have to come under Military control and that a personal guarantee from LTTE chief Velupillai Pirapakaran was necessary.
When the LTTE offered to “de – militarise” Sampoor and retain control Rajapakse rejected the proposal. “Do you want me to give Sampoor to the LTTE” he thundered.
When the LTTE launched the Muthur offensive the tigers had for nearly three days dominated the coastal stretch between Muthur and Sampoor on the Southern side of Kottiyaar bay. Now the Govt wanted control of the same coastal stretch for security reasons.
Army Commander Sarath Fonseka stated explicitly in an interview that the security forces intended establishing control over Muthur, Kattaiparichan, Thoppoor and Sampoor .
The past few days saw a renewed attack on the Muthur East and Eechilampatru region controlled by the LTTE.
Even as troops were being amassed at Muthur West from Aug 24th artillery fire began intensifying from Aug 26th. Multi barrel Rocket fire commenced from the Trinco Monkey Bridge and harbour camps while artillery fire was directed from the Kallaaru, Pattiaddy and Kattaiparichan camps.
Aerial bombardment too intensified from Aug 26th. In keeping with the now routine practice of targetting fleeing civilians Israeli K-firs bombed civilians trying to cross the Ilankaithurai Muhathuvaaram bridge at about 1.30 pm on Aug 26th. Two persons were killed and five injured in the attack.
On Sunday Aug 27th the LTTE exploded a claymore mine near the Selvanagar army camp. A military vehicle carrying Special Forces Personnel was hit. At least twelve were injured with the condition of two being serious.
With aerial and artillery attacks intensifying Tamil civilians in the region got terrified. Most people in this region have been affected and displaced. Many have been displaced several times as they fled from village to village in the face of intense artillery and bomb attacks.
Thousands of people went further South , crossed the Verugal river and sought the comparatively safer refuge in Koralaipattru North division in Batticaloa district. Others however continued to remain the Muthur East and Eechilampattru areas.
Realising that a major onslaught to capture Sampoor was to be launched frightened civilians began fleeing again. The shelling and bombing expedited this fearful flight.
People who relocated to or remained in places like Ilankaithuraimuhathuvaram, Uppooral, Cheenanveli, Nallur, Pattalipuram, Veeramanaaru, Senaiyoor, Ganeshapuram, Pallikkudiyiruppu and Inthikkulam began fleeing towards the Verugal river to cross over to Batticaloa district. Many of them were people displaced several times.
Many people made it over the river to Batticaloa district. These new arrivals are housed at schools in Kathiraveli and Paatsenai temporarily. While the women, children and old men stay in the school younger men rough it out under trees and culverts.
Some other fleeing civilians were not lucky. The aerial attack on people at Ilankaithuraimuhathuvaaram made many turn back. They returned and took up refuge at Pattalipuram. Aerial bombardment on Aug 28th saw a group of civilians being hit. Of the 20 civilians killed and 26 injured on Aug 28th the bulk of casualties was at Pattalipuram.
[Map:TamilNet]
The tragic plight of Tamil civilians living in the LTTE controlled areas of the Eastern Province is something that is often obscured or ignored. These hapless people are constantly suffering due to no fault of their own. Regions like Muthur East, Eechilampattru, Koralaipattru etc were neglected, under developed areas before the conflict escalated. After fighting began they became more affected and deprived. Many of them were victims of the staggered scorched earth policy practised by the state.
The better educated and relatively well – off people began moving out. Only those who could not escape and those with a sense of commitment who did not want to escape remained.When they came under LTTE control a host of new problems emerged.
The region came under constant attack. Official and unofficial economic embargoes were in force. The economic backwardness of areas became more pronounced. Many youngsters joined the LTTE due to economic circumstances. Others were conscripted. In recent times even the older people were forcibly given self – defence training and coopted unwillingly into a civilian militia.
The only ray of hope for these people was the four year ceasefire. After Mahinda Rajapakse became President that hope began fading. The political bankruptcy of the LTTE and its jingoist approach towards issues made the people’s plight miserable. From April 25th aerial and artillery attacks became a regular feature. Death, Destruction and displacement became a way of life.
Their plight became worse after after a brash and cocksure Rajapakse regime began adopting policies tinged with elements of genocide. What adds to their woes is that no outside agency seems aware of their troubles and travails. The violent anti – Tamil spree in Trincomalee district after the Market bomb explosion and the shelling and bombing in April resulted in about 12 to 15000 people becoming destitute and displaced.
The Government refused to recognize “refugees” in LTTE controlled areas and disallowed distribution of dry rations or financial doles. Only the efforts of NGO’s and aid organizations helped sustain them. Their predicament worsened after the Maavilaaru conflict and its aftermath. The Muthur East and Eechilampattru divisions were virtually cut off from the rest of Trincomalee district. The conflict escalated and tiger dominated areas were the worst hit.
The Government does not allow anyone to go beyond Kattaiparichan the entry point to Muthur East. It does not allow anyone to go beyond Mahindapuram the entry point to Eechilampattru.These restrictions are on grounds of security. No NGO, Humanitarian organization or media is allowed or able to go to these places.
The Government does not send any food or medicine or emergency relief to these areas. No others including the ICRC are doing so either.Agencies and organizations requiring security guarantees from the Govt and LTTE are not getting them. Given the deliberate targetting of NGO’s in recent times the NGO’s are reluctant to exert pressure.
There is much confusion about relief and rehabilitation of Muthur. This is only Muthur town in Muthur West inhabited mainly by Muslims. Reports of Muthur returning to normal do not apply to Muthur East.The Tamils of LTTE controlled Muthur East are being totally neglected. No one knows “officially” how many people are living there or how many people are displaced or how many people were killed or injured. It is now a “dark” region.
Yvonne Dunton, ICRC sub-delegation head in Trincomalee told a Sunday newspaper that everyone was only speaking about the displaced persons suffering in government controlled areas, but were ignoring the plight that has befallen the many thousands of Tamil civilians living in LTTE controlled areas in Trincomalee district.
“We haven’t still gone into these areas, because we are awaiting security guarantee from both sides to begin our emergency relief efforts. But it is likely that this request would take a few days,” she noted. The ICRC is, however, not aware of the exact number of displaced in the LTTE areas.
Pro – LTTE media reports say that about 15,000 people from 3500 families were living there prior to the on going Sampoor offensive. Thousands had already moved earlier to Vaharai area in Batticaloa district.With people going in large numbers to Batticaloa district in the last few days the Trincomalee count would have decreased further.
Sadly the displaced Tamils of Trincomalee district continue to suffer in Batticaloa. Bureaucratic procedures prevent certain measures being implemented as they belong to another district. Some concessions allowed an emergency allocation of ten million rupees to be made. Dry rations and relief items are taken twice a week to the displaced in the LTTE controlled Koralaipattru division. This is enough only for 20, 000 people it is estimated.
The displaced figures prior to the Sampoor offensive in Batticaloa was something like this.31, 733 people from 8731 families had relocated from Trincomalee district to Batticaloa. Of these 24, 338 people from 6400 families were living in Vaharai an LTTE controlled area in the Koralaipattru division. Another 7399 people from 2331 families are now living in Govt controlled areas of the district like Batticaloa town, Valaichenai, Kaluvanchikudi etc. Some Muslims from Muthur too are living in Govt controlled Batticaloa now.
In addition to these displaced from Trincomalee there are internally displaced Tamils in Batticaloa too. Aerial bombardment and artillery shelling of LTTE controlled areas in Batticaloa too is a regular feature now. Though not to the extent of what is happening in Muthur East – eechilampattru displacement has occurred here too. Limited land based incursions have aggravated the situation.
In Vaharai there are 8040 displaced people from 2141 families. The figures from LTTE controlled “Paduvaankarai” Western hinterland are not clear. But some reports say about 8000 from 2000 families are temporarily displaced. The Govt has cut off all entry – exit points to the tiger controlled hinterland for two weeks now. So no one knows what the situation there really is.
But the available infra- structure in LTTE controlled areas is very poor and ill – equipped to cater to the rising number of displaced persons. The restrictions placed on Governmental aid and the virtual refusal to permit NGO aid has worsened the situation.The LTTE controlled areas are being deliberately deprived and the helpless civilian bears the brunt of this cruel policy.
As far as the Trincomalee tiger controlled areas are concerned the infra – structure available has been reduced drastically due to aerial and artillery attacks. Hospitals were systematically attacked and there is no qualified personnel there. Even in Vaharai hospital there is only an Italian national and a displaced doctor from eechilampattru available as doctors.
Most displaced have walked in stages to reach Batticaloa. Some have walked all the way from Sampoor to Batticaloa. They had sorrowful tales to relate.
They spoke of what happened to their homeland and how they were displaced. They spoke of how they moved from place to place to avoid atacks. They spoke of how the number of displaced persons aggregated as they moved from one village to another. They spoke saldy of seeing houses destroyed, people getting injured and killed. They spoke of starvation and the lack of safe havens, medical attention and food. They spoke of constantly being terrified about artillery and aerial attacks. They spoke of their childrens screams and their elders’ wails.They spoke of missing persons and fractured families.
Above all they spoke of the destruction of hope and peace. They lamented about the loss of homes and habitat and their way of life. After enjoying the tranquility of a no war situation for four years the renewal of fighting was a cruel blow of fate. They were frightened and frustrated as never before during the conflict. The brutal ferocity and intensity of the attacks and the callous disregard for human beings seemed to have shocked them.
These people from LTTE controlled areas in the East are tragic figures. They suffer due to no fault of their own. What is worse is that no one seems aware or concerned about their plight. The focus is on the Tamils displaced in Jaffna and Muslims from Muthur. Who speaks for the ill – fated Tamils of LTTE controlled East?. The on going conflict can only make their position worse. Let the world urgently take note of these people who are truly becoming the wretched of North – East Lanka earth.
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Contact DBS Jeyaraj : djeyaraj2005@yahoo.com
Entry Filed under: MinorMatters
