Our release a miracle says escaped POW
Our release from LTTE clutches is really a miracle.
There are no words to express our joy, G. H. Chaminda Kumara Hewage of
the Sri Lanka Navy who was among the five servicemen freed after three
years in LTTE custody told the Daily News.
"On November 9, 2006 there was a threat of an LTTE
attack on the Green Ocean ship. We became captives when we went to
defend the ship.
"On that day we went in a Dvora gun boat. We had to
abandon it due to an engine failure. LTTE boats surrounded us; we jumped
into the sea and started swimming. But it was a useless effort.
"We were taken prisoners by the LTTE and conducted to
the LTTE Peace Secretariat and handed over to Pulidevan. He extracted
our personal information and handed us over to the LTTE police chief
Nadesan and we were in custody at Kanakapuram LTTE cell. Even the ICRC
intervened on behalf of us, Nadesan said we will be freed after an
inquiry.
"However, we were separated from other Tamil
prisoners. There were some Tamils sentenced to death for offences
against the LTTE.
"We were in rooms which were 12x12 feet in size. We
got mosquito nets too. In the early days our families were allowed to
see us. When the war started we were taken to Janakapuram. We met
Samantha there. He said he had problems.
"During the last days of the war we were with the
displaced. We were taken from place to place in vehicles. At the last
stage our hands were tied with thin strong PVC thread and taken to the
No Fire Zone on foot.
We had hopes of freedom when we were in Police
custody. Nadesan wrote three letters to Prabhakaran. In the no fire zone
we lived in a temporary bunker with a make-shift shelter. We were
expecting an attack at any time. We saw refugees dying of gunshot wounds
after being shot by the LTTE while fleeing. We knew it was impossible to
flee. We were fed with lunu kenda.
"There were five of us. Three from the Navy and two
from the Army. We asked our three custodians to let us leave. They said
if we take them along with us too they will allow us to go. We left with
the last batch.
"The LTTE cadres who followed us were wearing sarongs.
They left with the displaced. We saw cyanide capsules lying on the
roads. We told a soldier to take us to a senior officer telling who we
are. We were happy that we were not victims of the blood thirsty
terrorists," he said.
He was given a rousing welcome by the public when he
returned home at Kumbukgolla to his wife and son.
Courtesy: Daily news |
