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Kilinochchi
after Kaushalyan Last Tuesday, only the Dane, Lars Nyholm, was in office. His colleague Lars Kjerland, the Norwegian, was in Colombo. What Lars Nyholm did not know, however, was that his routine was about to be disturbed in an unexpected manner. At about 10.30 in the morning, the SLMM was surrounded by an angry crowd of about 2000, shouting slogans in Tamil, a language he did not understand. They were demanding that he come out of the office. Nyholm stepped out and was about to take some pictures of the commotion outside his office, with his newly acquired Canon digital camera, when the protesters demanded that his presence was required at a spot just outside his office gate. So he turned back to leave his camera in his office and for a moment the angry crowd thought that he was running away and shouted at him. He was then unceremoniously taken to the top of the lane, where it meets the A9, and presented with a petition which declared that, "the planned murder of Kaushalyan and other representatives on 07.02.2005 is a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement that has been in place for the last three years." Nyholm was later escorted back to the SLMM compound, ringed by LTTE police. As he got back he lost no time in faxing the petition to the SLMM headquarters in Colombo. The petition demanded a full inquiry by the SLMM into the Kaushalyan killing. It also asked the SLMM to carry out the responsibility given to them under the ceasefire agreement with greater vigour and to protect civilians and LTTE cadres. Kaushalyan's death has caused a lot of concern in the Wanni. But if one asks the people in Kilinochchi who killed Kaushalyan the answers will only leave one puzzled. The answers include accusations against the CIA , the Americans, the RAW, the Indians, the Sri Lanka Army Intelligence and the Sri Lanka Army but everyone steers clear from mentioning Karuna. If a pointed question is asked they will say Karuna would have needed support to do something like that - indicating that he could not be held entirely responsible for the killing of Kaushalyan. If one asks the SLMM officials in Kilinochchi they will promptly say their spokesman in Colombo needs to comment on this and not them. The most they could offer was a telephone number for the Colombo office. There are others who think that Kaushalyan's death was a blessing in disguise though tragic. The fact that the UN Secretary General, Koffi Annan sent a message of condolence they say has brought recognition to the Tamil people and their struggle. Sebastian Martin, a resident of Kilinochchi, who is in the construction business, says that this is the first time that the loss of one life has mattered so much. "Even after losing many thousands we were not recognized by the UN but the killing of Kaushalyan has brought UN recognition to the Tamil people." Mr. Martin believes that another incident like the Kaushalyan killing would be the straw that breaks the camel's back. He also said that they handed over a petition to the SLMM to inquire into the killing. When I asked him whether the killing was Karuna's doing, Martin's reply was, "I don't think so. There is no Karuna here, only a name. Maybe he is alive but someone is using him, using his name . I am familiar with the politics in Sri Lanka. He is being used by someone. The papers say that Karuna and someone else did it. I believe thay were backed by RAW." When I asked him how RAW could be connected to the killing of Kaushalyan, Martin says, "It's all in the game right? Now, it is not the Sri Lankan forces and the LTTE who are fighting, it is now a fight between America and India. It has come to a point where both the super powers are trying to control this area. India does not like Americans landing here after the tsunami and the pact signed by Sri Lanka and Pakistan has antagonized India. It is not internal politics anymore, it has become international." Thiyagarjah, the man in charge of the LTTE Martyr's cemetery says he cannot believe that Karuna was involved in this killing. "He was killed in the army controlled area. The army may have done it and they are now blaming it on Karuna. We cannot believe that the Karuna we knew and who was with us would do this." During the protest all the shops had to close and business had ground to a standstill. I spoke to Rajanayagam, a shop keeper on Old Station Road, who complained that these demonstrations were affecting his business. "We have to pay our employees and these processions and demonstrations affect our business." But yet he approves of the protest. According to him, the procession was calling for peace. "But there is a limit to our patience, we cannot take this continued threat and intimidation from the South." Today Kilinochchi is a far cry from what it was two or three years ago. The peace accord has brought prosperity to this place. Before the accord was signed, those who relished a strong drink or two had no option but to taste the local brew but now all brands ranging from the Sri Lanka breweries and distilleries to international flavours are available. In bars established by the Kilinochchi administration such as the popular 1-9 Restaurant, all brands of alcohol are freely served. One can find everything from DVD players to hi-fi's and home theatre systems available in the shops. Government banks operating from the South say that business is good. The Manger of the Bank of Ceylon, Kilinochchi who did not want his name quoted said that the potential for expansion was good but the only problem was the lack of office space. The Bank of Ceylon and National Savings Bank branches in Kilinochchi are small offices. They have been given land by the Kilinochchi Kachcheri for expansion and the green light from the LTTE but no expansion orders appear to have come from their headquarters in Colombo. The Manager of Bank of Ceylon told me, "of course we are under another rule here - any hartal or protest and we are asked to close." Last Tuesday, the day of the protest, the National Savings Bank and The Bank of Ceylon were flying black flags. But even though the commercial side was developing there is a still a lot to be done on the infrastructure side was what government employees inside the Wanni told me. They say there is a need for 52 doctors and 138 nurses in the government hospitals. In Kilinochchi alone they say that there are 2000 families affected by the tsunami but there are over 21,000 families affected by the war. "Something has to be done for them too the officials from the Kachcheri say. We cannot rehabilitate tsunami victims when 200 yards away there are those still displaced by the war." Last week most of the top rungers of the LTTE were not present in the Wanni. LTTE's political wing leader Thamilselvam, Para, Pulithevan, George Master were all in the East and there was no one to spout their usual rhetoric. There were still five important people left behind in the Wanni, but they were those who would not in usual circumstances give interviews to the media. They were, the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, Soosai, the head of the Sea Tigers who was somewhere in Mullaitivu attending to some tsunami related matter and the head of LTTE Police Nadesan, who we were told was indisposed. Opilan, the Chief Justice was the only person available for an interview. But he was not willing to comment on any current political issue. The Government Agent also refused point blank to talk to us. At the demonstration several fiery speakers called on Prabhakaran to wake up and take action against these killings. The so called civilian based organization that held this demonstration, demanded justice for the killing of Kaushalyan and four others. They said that this demonstration was held to express their anger and grief at the killing. They blamed the government for its inaction and demanded that it take responsibility for killings that are taking place in areas under its control. "We are deeply concerned that the government's neglect will destroy the potential for peace," they said. The question now is whether this demonstration was the voice of the people or the voice of the Tigers ? Was this the LTTE's first response after the killing of Kaushalyan? For a journalist, Kilinochchi has always been the place to find out what's going on in the LTTE. But last week the Wanni was shut for any official response or comment. At the funeral of Kaushalyan Thamilselvam blamed the government and military forces for the killing. The LTTE has promised a suitable response to the Kaushalyan killing but there is yet no inkling of what it would be. Till then the South may hope that its reply would come in words and not action. |
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