No more sounds of gun fire for 400 Northern youth

Nearly 400 Northern youth are undergoing training at the Vocational Training Centre at Menik Farm in Vavuniya by the Vocational and Technical Training Ministry on a concept of Minister Piyasena Gamage.

They are among 1,500 youth born amidst terrorist gunfire who had been denied their basic rights during the last three decades by a leader of an illusive Eelam who had pretended to be their sole representative and saviour.

Menik Farm Camp or Kadirgarmar Peace Village in Settikulam, Vavuniya houses more than 3,500 IDPs who had fled LTTE clutches and arrived at Government controlled areas.

They hail from areas such as Kanakarayanakulam, Nedunkerni, Killinochchi, Oddussuddan, Mullaitivu, Kachchalaimadu, Puliyan-kulam, Palai, Paranthankulam, Pudukkudiruppu, Sellawapuram and Werawil.

Menik Farm had inheritated its name from one Manickkam who had owned the land on which the camp is situated a few decades ago, said V. Kamaladasan, Assistant Director, (Vavuniya and Vanni) of the Sri Lanka Technical Training Authority.

Training courses conducted at the Menik Farm Training Centre include sewing (garments), electrical wiring, welding, motor mechanism and construction and computer technology.

Trainees at the centre were full of praise for the Security Forces and police for catering to their welfare and Vocational and Technical Training Ministry for the opportunity provided them to find a future livelihood.

Kanapathi Gnanasekaram, 28 of Sinnasalamban, Oddusuddan who is following a tailoring course, said he abandoned studies after Grade 8 due to the conflict.

The LTTE had brainwashed them and made them believe that the Army and the Sinhala people were cruel and anti-Tamil.

They had now realised their folly and leading happy lives under the care of the Army.

Somaratna Sunethra Kasthuriarachchi, 19, a Sinhala girl from Kilinochchi did not know Sinhala. Speaking through a Tamil interpreter, Kandaiah Ratnakumaran said they were brought to the camp after Forces captured Killinochchi.

Her father who hailed from Tissamaharama had migrated to Killinochchi in his youth for a job in a bakery and married and settled there decades ago.

Krishnapillai Vijidha, 19, of Nedumkerni said they fled LTTE clutches to save their lives. Earlier, they had certain reservations in coming to Government controlled areas but now they realised that the LTTE had given them a wrong picture with ulterior motives.

She studied upto GCE Ordinary Level at Nadunkerni Vidyalaya and she preferred to pursue a vocation in sewing and dress making.

Kandiah Ratnakumar, 44, the Tailoring instructor at the Vocational Training Centre said he went to Killinochchi following the 83 Black July. Selvaratnam Dharshika, 21, of Paranthan who is one of the 52 youth following a computer course said she studied at Mallavi MMV upto GCE Ordinary Level.