Muttur rejoices with retake of Sampur

Ranil WIJAYAPALA

MUTTUR: The Muslim Ladies College in Muttur was a hive of activity as we reached there at almost sunset. The sounds of exploding canons were still emanating from Kattaparichchan and Sampur areas but the residents seemed unperturbed.

They were not moved by those sounds as they had already heard the good news that the Security Forces had captured Sampur and that the troops were moving freely in Muttur town.

The whole of Muttur town remained closed but all activities were concentrated at this central location of the Muslim Ladies College. Barbers had commenced business in make shift saloons opened on the way side of the main street moving out of their regular premises.

Communication Centre operators had kept their latest CDMA phones on the way side providing communication facilities to the people.

Children coming out of a school were busy buying apples from a vendor while their parents were buying vegetables from a trader who had opened his stall inside the school.

But Abdul Cader Vajid who had just arrived in Muttur with his family from a refugee camp in Kantale was helpless. He was not surprised as he visited his residence in Thakvanagar to see that the LTTE had robbed all his possessions.

A tailor by profession , Vajid had lost his only source of income. All his sewing machines had been robbed by the LTTE.

"That is the fate of all people who had left Muttur in fear of their life. The LTTE who stormed Muttur on August 2 had taken all valuables", he said.

However Vajid had not lost hope. He was happy that there wouldn't be another repetition of similar incidents in Muttur in the future as troops had guaranteed their security by capturing Sampur from where the LTTE directed their artillery fire.

Like Vajid tens of thousands of people who left Muttur and Thoppur areas are now returning to their villages after hearing the good news of the Security Forces capturing Sampur.

The A-15 Road from Kantale to Muttur is now a hive of activity with bullock carts, lorries and tractors carrying bearing refugees returning to Muttur.

The Muslim Ladies College is providing shelter to people like Vajid who had returned from refugee camps in Kantale to Muttur. They would remain here until they find a proper source of income to continue their normal life.

Junaid, Secretary of the Central Refugee camp in Muttur, which handles all assistance provided by the Jameeyatul Ulama for the displaced, said the number of families returning to Muttur was on the rise since last Monday, the day the Security Forces captured Sampur.

"People left Muttur in fear of LTTE attacks but there is nothing for them to fear now," Junaid said.

Out of the 9,600 families in Muttur, 592 remained in Muttur despite the conflict in the area.

"People living in Muttur did not live in their homes. They used to spend the night in refugee camps and in schools in fear of LTTE attacks. Now they can live in their homes without any fear," Junaid added.

Valkishma, a mother of three, was trembling as she described how the LTTE used them as human shields to open fire on troops advancing into Muttur which was at the time under Police control.

Valkishma said she could still hear the artillery fire. But she was confident that it would not fall into the school where they were living as she knew she was hearing the sounds of the artillery fire of the Security Forces.

Valkishma along with her neighbours in Pahalanagar were residing at the Central Refugee camp as her house has been demolished.

"My house has to be rebuilt for me to move into my village. I am confident that the Government would support me to rebuild my house," Valkishma said.

People were happy to see that Sampur was in the hands of the Security Forces but they needed to further strengthen their security by establishing camps in Navaladi, Ralkuli and Upparu, the areas the LTTE are still operating.

"We are confident that the Security Forces will ensure our security by capturing those places too," Thilak Weerasekara residing in Muttur said.