Ex LTTE fighters now shooting for the stars

Text and pictures by Shanika Sriyananda

Confidently they embraced the rifles. Never touched a weapon since they gave up their guns three years ago, the once trigger happy trio whose fingers were well trained to handle more sophisticated weapons and hit the enemy targets, are now in a different ‘game’.

Secretary of the National Shooting Federation Col. Dushan Wijewickrama

The once killer machines, are now mastering their skills in rifle shooting with the hope of representing the country which they tried to divide a few years ago.

Wearing a bright orange T-Shirt with a logo ‘Friends of Peace’, first comes Thayabaran Thaventhiran, a soft spoken youth in his mid 20s who answers carefully avoiding eye contact. He unknowingly touches his right limb, which he injured during fighting in Pudukuduirrippu, Mullativu, while trying to prevent the advancing soldiers. He feels a slight pain when he stands for long periods, but, the injury hasn’t hindered his courage to become a top rifle shooter.

Thaventhiran’s last day of schooling ended in November 2008 with the LTTE conscripting him. The youth, who had big dreams of becoming an accountant, was trucked away with several other boys and girls in their uniforms into a jungle camp.

Rehabilitation centres

Coming from an agricultural family with three boys and two girls, Thaventhiran had no option but to follow LTTE orders to become a fighter, for fear of LTTE reprisals against his younger siblings.

The LTTE, which was famous for using children to do its fighting, escalated its recruitment drive as its cadres were getting killed daily. They didn’t spare children and young adults in their desperate attempts to strengthening its cadre.

Thousands of innocent children who were forcibly sent to battle by the LTTE died, but there were some who like Thaventhiran who returned home with eternal scars. He joined his family in Kilinochchi while they were herded towards Puthumathalan by the LTTE.

Kanakasuntharam Rajeewan is the eldest of the three. The 34-year-old fair skinned man was a welder by profession and joined the LTTE on his own accord.

“We were told that Tamils need a separate country. The LTTE showed us how the Sinhala governments discriminated against us”, Jaffna born Rajeewan says.

After his three-month training in Pudukuduirrippu, he was assigned to construct buildings for computer units and LTTE’s offices. At the height of the war, he said he was deployed to casualty evacuation.

Sellamuttu Suresh Kumar (24) who translates his friends story to me was also a victim of forced LTTE conscription.

South Asian Games

“There were over 100 children and youth packed in a van. Every one was pleading with the LTTE to let them go. But they took us to a small place near the beach in Mullaitivu and trained us for 20 days. We knew the soldiers were coming there. But, the LTTE didn’t let us escape”, Kumar says.

Three ex-cadres

Kumar,a well built youth with a charming happy smile underwent 27 days training with the LTTE to operate a T- 56. While every one, including the LTTE leaders, cadres, and people whom the LTTE held as hostages (Human Shield) were fleeing, Kumar joined his family and surrendered to the soldiers.

The trio who underwent rehabilitation at three different centres had shown their skills in shooting and were selected to the national rifle shooters’ pool for the South Asian Games to be held in New Delhi next year.

“We want to become best shooters and bring honour to Sri Lanka. We are confident of competing at the the Olympic Games”, the trio say in confident. Like thousands of former LTTE cadres who are now with their families, Thaventhiran, Rajeewan and Kumar say they are fortunate to be alive. “True, we fought against this country, but, that was not due to our fault. We didn’t have any other option and no knowledge about the reality outside the North. We were compelled to believe in all what the LTTE said”, says Thaventhiran.

Trapped in terrorism, they didn’t have a life beyond it. They had no hopes for the future and only wanted live for the day. “Each day, we thought we would die at any given moment and thanked God for saving us that day”, says Rajeewan.

Familiarization programme

“We thought the soldiers would cut us into pieces. I was shivering when I surrendered to the Army. The LTTE lied to us about everything. ‘Ranuwam uiyar nanwan’ (Soldiers are friends in the heart)”, says Kumar.

With a high degree of trust and confidence, the government has given rifles to them to represent Sri Lanka at the next South Asian Games.

They received rifles from Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage recently.”The Ministry of Sports hopes they can represent Sri Lanka at the SAG. The ex -LTTE members who have shown exceptional skill, on par with national level athletes have been selected for national squads,” he said. The three ex-terrorists, who were born and bred under the era of the ruthless LTTE, will fly to New Delhi next year, carrying the message: How beautiful the world is when peace prevails. Secretary of the National Shooting Federation (NSF) Col. Dushan Wijewickrama said the three ex-LTTE cadres were identified at the talent identification programme and they will be given training on rifle training within two weeks, at the Welisara Navy Camp.

“They are currently following a familiarization programme on arms and ammunition, as they have not been trained in sports shooting. Two national coaches will train them and if they perform well, they will be chosen for the SAG”, he said. The three shooters need to complete their training before June 2013.“They are doing well. We will be able to train them to a very high standard and on their performances, one out of the three will be selected to the national team”, he said.

Col. Wijewickrama said it would take at least three years to ‘make’ a shooter. “ They are given all the facilities like meals, accommodation, a monthly allowance and vitamins. The Minister has directed officials to facilitate them to learn English during their free time. They will be taken thrice a week to the range for practice shooting”, he said.

The NSF Secretary said he was more concerned about producing a medalist at the next SAG. This would provide them a sound environment, which is vital for a shooter.