Chronology Of Ltte Terror - Part 81

From the Daily News Archives:

When the euphoria of victory dies down, and together with it the media hype ceases, when the guns do not rattle and boom anymore and the sky, the land and the sea become calm and serene, when tranquillity reigns through it is natural to live in the present moment and forget the past. But one cannot live in the present without a past. Nor can one envision the future discarding the experience of the preceding events.

Hence the Daily News is serialised the Chronicle of LTTE Terror taken from our own archives which would remind our readers how it all began. An awareness of the chronology of terror would help us prevent the recurrence of such terror and frustrate any attempts by misguided elements to repeat history to suit their evil designs. It was not simple terror. Nor was terror sporadic.

It was all pre-planned, pre-determined, well-calculated terror. The victims were innocent people. Though it is too many innumerate we have in this series attempted to recall the major episodes in the Chronology of Terror.

The finale

Wijitha Nakkawita

The year 2009 would come exactly after thirty seven years of the beginning of separatist terrorism spawned by racist politicians of the north especially those like Appapillai Amirthalingam the Tamil United Liberation Front’s key figure who openly invited the recalcitrant politicized youth of the north to resort to violence to create a separate State for the Sri Lankan Tamils carving out the two provinces the north and the east.

Yet long after Amirthalingam was killed by the very forces he created the most ruthless killer among the separatist terrorists Velupillai Prabhakaran was to become what the LTTE termed the sole leader of the Tamil people by killing all Tamil political leaders, other terrorist leaders including some of his own friends to become a much feared man at the head of a terrorist group with international links and well wishers both at home and abroad.

Yet perhaps he did not have an inkling that the year 2009 would be his last year on this earth and that the Sri Lankan armed forces would rout his once powerful terrorist group known as the most dreaded terrorist force on earth. As we had seen earlier almost all attacks of the terrorists were cowardly acts aimed at unarmed and often unsuspecting civilians at the most unlikely places where violence could take place.

By the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009 the armed forces were marching into the territory held by the terrorists in the north for decades and the LTTE was suffering one military defeat after the other. Some of the civilians of the north were now being made aware for the first time in three decades that the areas brought under the control of the government after the armed forces defeat the LTTE were safer and more secure for them. They were now aware that their children would not be dragged out of home and school and a gun thrust in their hands and given military training forcibly. When the LTTE saw the exodus their wrath turned on the people of the north whom they claimed they represented.

On February 9 a large group of civilians who had fled the areas under the control of the LTTE came to Visuamadu to seek freedom but the LTTE sent a woman suicide bomber with the civilians disguised as a person fleeing with the others. The bomber exploded herself killing 28 including twenty army personnel who were to receive the civilians and another 60 were injured.

The next day the LTTE again attacked civilians fleeing the area under their control killing 19 and injuring another 75 at Udayarkattu making it abundantly clear that they were desperate.

The Muslim holy festival Prophet Mohammed’s birthday was celebrated at Godapitiya Jumma Mosque, Akuressa at a grand scale on March with state patronage and several ministers were also taking part in the celebrations when a LTTE suicide bomber exploded himself killing 15 and injuring 46 while a religious procession was taking place, desecrating religion yet again. Ministers Fowzie, Pandu Bandaranaike, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Chandrasiri Gajadheera and Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena were not injured though minister Mahinda Wijesekara was seriously injured in the attack. A man who had disguised himself as a vagrant or a beggar had been living in the Godapitiya area for some time before that attack and was the suicide bomber.

During these months the LTTE also had deployed three light aircraft in their war machine believing they could bomb vital defence, government or commercial targets in the belief that the armed forces could be cowed. Anyhow these were light civilians aircraft and not bombers. They flew at night at low altitude but their bombing accuracy was absent and the bombs they dropped fell off the targets doing no harm.

On February 20 night the two light aircraft laden with explosives flew to the south on a suicide mission. The first aircraft flew towards the Sri Lanka Air Force base at Katunayake and was shot down by the SLAF. It fell down a marshy land and bombs in the aircraft did not explode as the pilot had been killed before he could detonate the explosive.

The other light aircraft flew to Colombo and came over the Colombo Port but when the Navy had spotted it, it turned course and flew towards the SLAF headquarters and was hit by the anti aircraft fire of the SLAF.

It exploded over the Inland Revenue Department building and was torn to shreds killing the pilot but doing little damage.

That was the swan song of the LTTE air power and soon the whole terrorist group with its leader and his lieutenants would be destroyed by the army and the curse would be over.

We had published the LTTE’s attacks of civilians on 81 days from the records available in the Lake House library from May 25, 2009 and today’s page is the final one. These were reproduced from accurate reports published over the years since the LTTE started its atrocities during the past three decades and it would be a reminder about the danger posed to thousands of innocent people who had to sacrifice their lives.

We hope that such events would not take place again.

[Wednesday, March 11, 2009]

Suicide blast kills 15, injures 46

Rasika Somarathna

Ministers A. H. M. Fowzie, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene, Ameer Ali, Pandu Bandaranayake and Chandrasiri Gajadeera escape unhurt

Fifteen people were killed and another 46, including Posts and Telecommunication Minister Mahinda Wijesekera were injured in a suicide attack which targeted the National Milad-un-Nabi festival at the Jumma Mosque in Godapitiya, Akuressa (Matara district) around 10.30 a.m. yesterday.

Eye witnesses said around 5,000 including several Government Ministers were proceeding to the mosque in a procession to attend the main event held in celebration of Prophet Mohommed’s birthday when the suspected LTTE suicide bomber struck.

Minister Wijesekera who was participating the event as the Guest of Honour was seriously injured in the blast and was later airlifted to Colombo, where he was undergoing emergency surgery at the time of going to press.

Several other Ministers including A. H. M. Fowzie, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene, Ameer Ali, Pandu Bandaranayake and Chandrasiri Gajadeera who were participating in the procession escaped unhurt.

Minister Fowzie, who was participating in the event as the chief guest told over the phone that he was covered in blood and flesh in the aftermath of the blast. Earlier eye witness reports suggested, that he was critically injured. It was found that the Minister was unharmed. Non Cabinet Minister, Ameer Ali commenting on his experience said that he saw a severed head in front of him in the immediate aftermath of the blast.

He admitted that he was numb with shock for a short while due to the blast.

Meanwhile, organising committee member, M. H. Faizal told Nuwan Kodikara (a journalist from our sister paper Dinamina) that he had seen a dark skinned young man wearing a yellow shirt approach the procession after getting down from a bicycle.

“He acted in a strange manner. So when he came close to me I grabbed his hand and called a policeman who was nearby. But before the officer intervened he got rid of my grip and went forward. Shortly I heard a loud blast, and I was numb with shock. Later when I came to my senses I saw bodies strewn all over the place,” Faizal said.

Another organising committee member, T. M. Nazeer (Pradeshiya Sabha member) said that he had seen a fireball shoot up as he entered the premises where the event was being held. He had also seen Minister Mahinda Wijesekera fall prior to losing consciousness.

Meanwhile, 42 injured patients had been admitted to Matara hospital following the blast. Another seven and two were seeking treatment at Akuressa and Karapitiya hospitals.

Akuressa SLFP organiser H. G. Sirisena and Southern PC Minister Manoj Sirisena were also airlifted to Colombo.

Sources said several Provincial Council members and Pradeshiya Sabha members were injured in the explosion.

According to sources, a procession which included around 200 vehicles had started from the Matara Mosque and proceeded to Godapitiya, Akuressa where the main event was scheduled to he held.

At Godapitiya, the Ministers and other Government officials had joined the procession and proceeded to the Mosque premises on foot after exiting their vehicles.

Security authorities had launched a comprehensive investigation.

[Saturday, February 21, 2009]

LTTE air raid fails

Rafik Jalaldeen

Two LTTE light aircraft were shot down by Security Forces yesterday night in Colombo and Katunayake following an LTTE attempt to bomb the Colombo city and create mayhem.

Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said following the detection of two LTTE aircraft by the radar, the air defence system was activated.

There was a blackout in the Colombo City and suburbs for about an hour after 9.20 p.m. The Tiger aircraft which dropped a bomb on the Inland Revenue Department was immediately shot down by the Air Force and its remnants were found in the premises. The building was severely damaged.

Fifty persons who sustained injuries were admitted to the Colombo National Hospital. Two succumbed to their injuries later. Among the injured were six women and a 12-year-old child. Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said another LTTE light aircraft was shot down at Katunayake.

He said the bodies of the Tier pilot and the wreckage of the LTTE aircraft shot down at Katunayake were recovered. According to Negombo Hospital sources six injured were admitted to Hospital. Among them were four women. Eye witnesses said there was a blackout in the whole area and they heard a barrage of firing in the air. Residents later said they have seen two light aircraft flying at a low altitude.

The Inland Revenue Department was damaged. Buildings in the neighbourhood were affected.

[Tuesday February 10, 2009]

LTTE Human bomb kills 28, injures 60

Woman suicide bomber came with civilians fleeing LTTE :

Rasika Somarathna

An LTTE woman suicide bomber mingling with a group of displaced civilians coming from, uncleared areas blew herself up at Sugandirapuram, north of Visuamadu yesterday, killing 28 people and injuring more than 60 others.

Among the dead were eight civilians and 20 Security Forces’ personnel which included three female soldiers. Among the inured were 24 soldiers.

Initial reports said that the bomber who had come with around 1,000 displaced civilians from uncleared areas of Mullaitivu had blown herself around 11.40 a.m., when a woman solider had tired to body check her at a checkpoint prior to being taken to a transit welfare centre. According to sources, several military personnel were among the dead including female soldiers.

A large number of civilians who had braved Tiger clutches to reach the Visuamadu area too were either inured or dead. Authorities said they had rushed medical units and ambulances to the area, and the injured had been taken to hospitals in Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Anuradhapura.

Meanwhile, the Director of Media Centre for National Security, Lakshman Hulugalle said that this was yet another desperate attempt by the LTTE to prevent thousands of displaced civilians from fleeing the uncleared areas.

He said that despite Tiger threats more than 12,000 civilians from uncleared areas had sought refuge with Government authorities during the last seven days. Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara yesterday said that the LTTE’s strength is now reduced to 700 fighter cadres and the attack at Sugandirapuram shows the LTTE’s desperateness over mass exodus of civilians from the uncleared area.

Security Forces would take steps to enable these civilians trapped in the remaining uncleared pockets in Mullaitivu to reach safer environs, he added.

[Wednesday, February 11, 2009]

Tigers kill 19 more civilians, injure 75

Rafik Jalaldeen

Tigers opened fire at a group of civilians killing 19 and injuring at least 69 when over 1,057 civilians escaped and arrived at Udayarkattu seeking protection with the Security Forces in Puthukudiyiruppu yesterday morning.

Around 15 critically injured civilians were airlifted to nearby hospitals. Among the dead were a boy and a girl and five females.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said over 1,057 civilians under LTTE captivity making their way from the Mullaitivu jungle to reach Government controlled areas had been shot by the Tigers in Udayarkattu. “Among the injured were 11 children and 26 women. Fifteen critically wounded civilians were airlifted to Anuradhapura and Vavuniya hospitals,” Brigadier Nanayakkara told the Daily News. Over 1,057 fleeing civilians had reached west of Puthukudiyiruppu between 6 a.m. and 7.00 a.m. at Task Force-II amidst raging small arms fire by the LTTE.
 

Yesterday - Tiger suicide blast kills Maj. Gen. Janaka Perera