Ex-Tiger combatant laments lost youth

Chaminda PERERA

Former LTTE combatant Ragunathan dips into the past for gruesome memories in the LTTE. Rangunathan and many of his colleagues were taken for a ride by the LTTE in its thirst to achieve what was called a homeland for Tamils. They did not have opportunities to enjoy their childhood and they played with empty bullets and broken guns. They saw armed LTTE gunmen roaming around their villages seeking school children to be conscripted to the outfit as combatants.

Ragunathan and many of his colleagues joined the outfit not to achieve what the outfit wanted, but to ensure that their parents and the family members are not subjected to any harassment at the hands of the LTTE.

Lt. Col Ragunathan was the commandant of Charles Anthony Brigade when he surrendered to the Sri Lankan Forces during the latter part of the humanitarian operation launched by the government to free thousands of innocent civilians who were held hostage by the terrorists. Ragunathan is today among 2,500 former LTTE cadres running a large farm in Vishvamadu where heavy fighting took place between the government forces and the LTTE.

These 2,500 former combatants were recruited to the Civil Defence Force after a rehabilitation process on the directive of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. Ragunathan as many of his friends in the CDF fold lament today for what they did and how the prime of their youth was wasted in vain gaining nothing in return except more loss of lives and casualties. They say that LTTE terrorists sowed the seeds of hatred and discord among members of other communities and damaged the delicate coexistence between the communities that existed for centuries.

Ragunathan says that the government led by President Rajapaksa showed them the right path by integrating them into the country’s development effort.

“We were reintegrated into society as citizens after being rehabilitated by the government, he says. He says that they were recruited to the Civil Defence Force on the direction of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

He was speaking at a ceremony held at their farm at Vishvamadu to receive Hambantota District parliamentarian and Tharunyata Hetak organization chairman Namal Rajapaska recently.

Ragunathan says all his comrades who joined the CDF have made up their minds not to get involved in such activities against the government and their communities again.

“We were like frogs in the well. We were not aware of what was happening outside, he added. They said that they realized that all communities should join hands to develop the country and that they would not have received freedom, if a humanitarian leader like President Mahinda Rajapaksa was not in power. They expressed hope that they would be able to run the farm successfully.