Mourning has broken in Moneragala

By Dhamith Wickramasekara and Wasantha Chandrapala in Thanamalwila, Pix by Wasantha Chandrapala, Sujeewa Kumari and Saman Kariyawasam

Villagers of Hambegamuwa, Thanamalwila are fearful of their future after 10 villagers were gunned down by the LTTE on Thursday night. Some of the bodies were brought to the Shri Sumarashramaya temple in the village of Kalawelgala for last rites. Some villagers stayed over at a school too scared to return to their homes.

The presence of soldiers backed by the Special Task Force (STF) following the brutal killings have given the people some measure of relief but they are uncertain of how things will be after clearing operations are completed. Chena cultivators were seen abandoning their plots and huts and moving to areas including Embilipitiya, Udawalawe and Tissmaharamaya. They say they will be back home once the security situation improves.

More details are emerging of the horrible massacre that saw two home guards, a school teacher, four farmers and three youth of the same family being killed. According to eyewitnesses about 50 men dressed in military-type uniform similar to that used by the Civil Defence force (home guards) were seen fleeing after planting mines.

One of them who witnessed the attackers was J.D. Lakshman, a member of the Civil Defence Force. He was injured in the incident."Three of us were at a tea boutique at Kalawelgala speaking to the owner when we saw three people rushing past. We felt suspicious and the owner flashed a torch at them. Immediately a group that was behind opened fire killing him instantly. There may have been about 50 in the group,” he said. He said it was about 7.30 p.m.

A chena cultivator Pathiranage Premadasa, 61, relating his story said he was at his chena when a group dressed in military type uniform shouted out and asked for some food. Premadasa initially thought they were from the Army."We asked them whether they wanted corn as we did not have any rice. When they replied in Tamil we realized they were Tigers and started running. They started firing at us then,” Premadasa who is receiving treatment for gunshot injuries at the Hambantota hospital said.

He said there were about six armed men. D.L.Nugepala, a resident of Kalawelgala Hambegamuwa said on Wednesday three farmers had gone missing and the following day about 100 people backed by police had gone on a search party and the bodies had been recovered by evening. “At about 9 that same night we heard sounds of firing and by Friday morning we realized several people had been gunned down,” he said.

Dimuthu Roshan said his friend R.M. Indika had dropped him off at the bus stand and headed towards his home. Since the area is infested with elephants he thought he would check on him and when he called he hadn’t even reached home by 12.30 p.m."Soon after I heard that my friend had not reached home I got into a three-wheeler and went to his house. But midway the army stopped us and said we could not proceed. It was only the next day when I reached the area did I see the motor cycle and the bullet-riddled body of Indika,” he said.

A.A.Ruwankumara who lost two of his relatives in the shooting said they had left their home at Kowulara on a motorcycle but had not returned."We couldn’t go in search of them as the Tigers were firing. The next morning we found the motorcycle on the side of the road and the bullet-riddled bodies about 10 metres away. Grenades had been planted under the bodies so that they would explode when the bodies were removed,” he said.

It was just the day before that more than 33 civilians were killed in a claymore mine attack on a bus in Buttla and attacks in the chenas in the same area. Yesterday the Moneragala district mourned the death of 43 civilians within the span of two days. More than 67 were injured in the Butttala bus bomb explosion.

Many villagers say they had seen LTTE cadres firing at the passenger bus on Wednesday after the bomb explosion and later fleeing into the surrounding jungles.

Willam Sudharshana a witness said men clad in black uniforms had fired at the passengers. Villagers say weeks before these horrific killings they had seen suspicious looking men in the village at night, but they had dismissed them as cattle thieves. Some had even complained to the police.

R.M. Premadasa of Niyandegala was one who had alerted the police but to no avail.“At least one month back we suspected that Tigers had come to our chena as some Tamil letters had been inscribed on the sand. I used my mobile phone to photograph the letters and showed it to an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).

“He asked me to complain to the Buttala police. Two policemen came with me to the chena. They had a look but nothing happened.

The next day our bicycle tyres had been deflated and again I went to the police, but they told me it may be the work of smugglers,” Premadasa said. The question that many villagers ask is if these sightings had been taken more seriously could the subsequent carnage have been avoided.

Civilians are to be armed with shot guns in ‘vulnerable’ areas in the Moneragala District to enhance their security in the wake of terror attacks in Buttala and Thanamalwilla. Director General of the Civil Defence Force, Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera who visited the area on Friday said selected villagers including women are to be given training in using shot guns and repeaters. “In addition over 300 Home guards will also to be recruited,” he said.

Moneragala’s Assistant District Secretary, Anura Hemakumara said that about 100 weapons rcommended by the Civil Defence Force would be distributed among the villagers. “The recent attacks have affected the lifestyle of the people,” he said adding that dry rations have been provided to affected families.

Meanwhile, Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, said according to the government’s policy the next of kin of those killed in the recent attacks would receive a Rs. 100,000 and in the event of injury Rs. 50,000.