Thursday 20, November 1997
Thursday 20, November 1997
General News
By Paneetha Ameresekere
The LTTE abducted me while I was on my way to buy bread and sent
me to the war front after one month's training, said 16-year-old
Rajendran Dayanandan, who is one of the 20 LTTE cadres who had
surrended to or were captured by the security forces since June
1997, a military spokesman said recently.
A native of Muttur in Trincomalee, the suspect had been arrested by the army at Kurukuttimurippukulam situated North of Puliyankulam while on a reconnaissance mission. He had been armed with a grenade at the time of his arrest.
``The LTTE had refused to hand me over to my father when the latter visited the camp where I had been taken,'' the suspect said in a statment made to the Army. ``When I told the leader of the camp who was a person called Karthikaran that I wanted to return home with my father, he had me promptly arrested,'' he had said.
Dayanandan had further told the army that the LTTE did not treat them well. ``Senior members of the camp did not give us sufficient food and clothing. When we refused to serve in the Front we were assaulted,'' he had said.
The suspect had said that there were a number of children like him who had been forcibly conscripted by the LTTE. ``I hope that the security forces would put an end to this war and rescue all these hapless children,'' he had pleaded.
Saying that he had been well treated by the Army, Dayanandan had said: ``We only want peace and harmony. We don't want the LTTE. I request all the youth not to join or get caught to the LTTE.''
Twenty-two-year-old Thirurasa Pathmanathan who surrendered to the Army at Vavuniya had said that he had joined the Movement on November 20 1990. He had participated in the attack on the Elephant Pass Army Camp in 1991 and had also been assigned to video the LTTE attack on the Pooneryn Army Camp in 1993.
``I was detailed to video our dead or wounded cadres and others who were taking their cyanide capsules to avoid capture in this attack, '' he had said. My disillusionment with the Movement began since then. But I had to think twice before making an escape bid because if I was found out I would have been shot dead, he had said.
Pathmanathan had further said that the LTTE do not represent the Tamils. `` The LTTE leadership is neither interested in the Tamils living in this country nor in the country's resources. They are only interested in shedding blood, '' he had added.
The LTTE spreads the fear psychosis at times by executing civilians living in those areas dominated by them. ``Both the membership and the civilians living in LTTE controlled areas fear the terrorist leadership,'' he had added.
How many are sacrificed to protect just one person ? I don't think that the LTTE leadership ever knew what it meant to be hungry, he had said. ``We suffer so that the leadership could live in luxury'' Pathmanthan said only now he knows what freedom means,'' he had added.
The surrendee had said that the majority of the Tigers were disillusioned with the Movement but were unable to escape.
Appealing to his colleagues to surrender to the security forces Pathmanathan had said: `` When I was in the organisation I was like a frog in the well. l harboured misconceptions about the Army. But now I realize that my fears and misgivings were without any foundation. I'm treated well and a bright future is ahead of me.''