Beyond the Call of Duty

Army personnel in the northeast do more than just fighting. These guardian angels help the people rebuild their villages

Building temples and their lives

By Hiranthi Fernando

It was a great event at the Kivulakada Temple, at the edge of a stretch of jungle still held by terrorists. A Katina Pinkama was being held for the first time in twelve years.

Several priests from temples in the area were present. Villagers from the neighbouring villages trudged there carrying pails of cooked food, fruits, and sweetmeats for the almsgiving. Some arrived on bicycles, on tractor trailers or any mode of transport they could find.

Army personnel, including Major General Nihal Jayakody, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 22 Division at Trincomalee, and Lt. Colonel R.A. Wilbert, Commanding Officer of the 11 Sri Lanka National Guard (11SLNG) at Gomarankada-wela were also present at the function.

Amidst the chanting of "Sadhu" by the villagers, Maj. Gen. Jayakody was invited by the Chief Priest to lay the foundation stone for a dwelling place for the priests.

The chaithya, newly reconstructed with the help of the Army, after a terrorist attack two years ago, was also consecrated by the General. After the priests were served the almsgiving, the villagers and the Army personnel sat in groups and partook of the meal. The well attended gathering clearly indicated the close rapport that existed between the villagers, the temple and the Army. In fact, the villagers in the area seemed to be dependent on the Army for their very existence.

From Yaan Oya in the north to Morawewa at Trincomalee, there have been a number of ancient traditional villages each with a wewa or tank, temple, paddy fields and cottages. Some ancient ruins of temples have been uncovered in the jungles around these villages. Along the road from Gomarankadawela to Tiriyai, the villages of Kivulakada, Adampane, Pulikandikulama, Medawachchiya (Trinco) Bakmeegama and Kumbuk Wewa have been rehabilitated after the Army Camp was established there. The villages beyond Kivulakada have been abandoned. The jungle from the edge of Kivulakada up to Tiriyai has not been cleared of terrorists yet. The villagers remember with horror the attack on Kivulakada in May 1996.

"When Kivulakada was attacked, most of the villagers fled," said Susira Kumara, a young villager who is a teacher at the Kivulakada Vidyalaya.

"The Army camp which was located in the temple was over- run. An officer and six soldiers were killed and burnt. The chaithya and the temple buildings as well as the house of a school teacher nearby, were burnt to the ground."

Over 90% of the villagers are farmers. They are unable to cultivate their fields due to lack of water and money. Some have lost their tractors and other implements. In order to live, many young men join the Home Guards. The entire family then lives on his pay. Others go to the jungle to collect bees' honey or to hunt or fish for sale.

They purchase their daily requirements from the village shops on credit. It is a difficult life for them with little or no income and no compensation for their losses.

"In the 2 years since our village was attacked, all we have received from the state is two weeks of dry rations worth about Rs.550.00," said Susira Kumara, the schoolmaster.

"It is only the Commanding Officer and personnel of the Army camp who look after our needs, our health and sickness," commented Chandrawathie, Anulawathie and Kamalawathie who have been rehabilitated at Pulikandikulama. These villagers had left their village three times through fear but returned after the Army camp was established in Gomarankadawela in 1995.

"Now we have security with the Army and they are also helping us to rebuild our cadjan houses which were all broken. Even when we are sick we are given medicines at the Army camp since transport to get to the hospital at Gomarankadawela is scarce. Two buses leave in the morning to Anuradhapura and Trincomalee and they return at 6.30 p.m. After that there is no transport till morning."

The village of Pulikandikulam is also located at the edge of the jungle. The remains of an old dagoba which apparently dates back to the Anuradhapura period is picturesquely set on a high rock. The CO of the Gomarankadawela Camp, Lt. Col. Wilbert, explained that they were trying to cut back the jungle to connect Pulikandikulam to the next village to provide more security. Apart from providing security, the officers and soldiers of the Army are also involved in rendering various humanitarian services to these villagers. Col. Wilbert appears to know most of the villagers by name and is also aware of their difficulties. At the Pulikandikulam School, the soldiers have cleared a playground for the children.

Every month, each officer and soldier voluntarily contributes ten to fifteen rupees from his pay to purchase books the children cannot afford to get and also for necessary improvements to the school. Col. Wilbert has even taken nine boys to Colombo to be educated in a temple so that they could return to the village and help to educate more children. The villagers look on the Army as their only support.

"The main problem faced by these villagers is economic," said Maj. Gen. Jayakody. "With the drought, the tanks are dry and they have no water to cultivate their fields."

"Gomarankadawela is a very backward place. To buy most of their needs, the villagers have to travel to Horawapotana or Trincomalee," said Herath Halmillewa Sri Gunarathana Thera, Chief Priest of Trincomalee. "If not for the Army this place would be in ruins. The villages beyond Kivulakada have been abandoned. Mailawewa was a very advanced village. When the villagers of Mailawewa fled, the neighbouring villagers were also frightened to stay. This village of Kivulakada was also well developed."

An elderly villager, affectionately known as Kale John because of his knowledge of the jungle, has worked as a tracker for the Army. He is now retired. "Now I have no pay. I have fields but no money for seed paddy or for tractor hire. The wewa is dried up and I can cultivate only if the rains come," Kale John said.

The shortage of teachers in the schools is another problem faced by these villagers The government teachers who are appointed to these posts are reluctant to come. The CO has once again come to their assistance by engaging volunteer teachers from the area. Through the mediation of the Army, these volunteer teachers have been recruited into the volunteer Police Service, so that they get paid.

A sewing school and a pre- school have been established at Medawachchiya (Trinco) by the Denzil Kobbekaduwa Foundation.

"There are altogether 49 villages in this area," Colonel Wilbert said. The children are undernourished. They need to be given a proper education. Transport facilities are inadequate. Although we have spoken to the Minister Mr. Fowzie who agreed to provide two buses to Colombo, the depot is reluctant to give them. Trees in the jungle were being cut at random without permits. We have now stopped this. If this went on the place would have been like a desert. The ancient temples and archaeological treasures in the area have to be preserved. If these villages are not populated and protected, they would be over -run by terrorists. We as a nation must be aware of the need to encourage the villagers to return to their homes and protect what is theirs."

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