A poem from the sea..

The wind blowing in Tamileelam. He was one of the very few fighters who directly witnessed the various heights of the freedom struggle.

In all times, the liberation struggle of Tamil Eelam has taken primary part in sea expeditions. Our homeland is surrounded by sea and the most influential movements were carried out by sea. David had taken the same place in our history as sea expeditions had taken place in our freedom struggle.

Already in his youth, the sea called for him. His family situation sent him to the sea. The talk “The movement has to travel by sea” became “The journey of the movement is by sea.” He went to sea for the movement in 1983.

He set his footstep in every shore of Tamil Eelam. A long shore of sea, a boat moving on the sea, the waves are rising, like a big mouth the wave rises, rushing and returning. The next great wave is ready to come. Chasing the boat with great speed, escaping from the fire-emitting cannon mouths, stop up and order to operate the machine gun when the enemy come too close, at that moment the shock of the enemy has brought David ashore many times.

His sea journeys were full of fascinating experiences. His preceptors and good friends had joined with the sea. Even then, he stood brave in the sea. His courage and confident in the times of need kept him standing brave.

Today, the large number of weapons in the movement know David.

Yes! David would have been among those weapons in our hands.

We would not meet the David we see on land at sea. David commands hard the sailors who trust him on board on the boat. It is hard to see David as David at sea.

Sometimes when a good moon is in view, his boat stop sailing. His voice echoes over the engine noise. “Kadalinil pirakka vaithaan…” His had not the best voice. But his singing has a charm that makes you stop and listen. Is that charm in his voice? Or the songs he sings?

His voice had a braveness too.

He is a unique fighter. He also has a mother and little sisters. When the question if he wants home or homeland? He never doubted. But to the closest friend, he can tell about the missing sisters.

If the importance of any work is made clear to him, he did not rest until the work is done. When people remember him, his goodwill will come in people’s memories. He has achieved a lot not only in the sea life but also in the land. Moreover, his traces were left in the many battles that took place in Vadamaradchi.

He also played a major role in Vadamaradchi before and after “Operation Liberation”. From the Army’s departure for “Operation Liberation” and until Captain Miller entered Nelliyadi Camp, he did not rest.

He stayed in Tamil Nadu when the Indian Army entered Tamileelam. He could not stay back when the war started, then he end up in Tamileelam in a boat. He had a major role in keeping the movement alive in Vadamaradchi during the occupation of Indian Army.

Probably he is the one who made his mark in all fields of movement. Politics? Although he is not a politician, but he is not confused about what he carries the gun for. When he is with civilian people he knows how to be among those people. The people protected him in all his war life.

Even a small child will become friendly with him. If he meets a child once, he will call them by their name when they meet again, if not he made a name for them. He is unique in maintaining friendships with anyone. He loved reuniting with old friends.
When old friends get together, David brings back forgotten memories. He was loved by many for his friendly nature.

David was one of that rare fighter the movement encountered. The sea was a “great sea”. He could not leave the sea because the sea division of the movement was very small. Even with his limited schooling he had great planning talents. Very few understood it.

He did not get the field for all his expectations. The great sea held him back. It was an important journey. He was needed. David was great to check the necessary arrangements in sea as usual. He knew how to control in the sea in any weather.

Everything is normal except the sea. David plants a big seed of hope in his chest and gets ready. The usual Navy were missing. It is all about hope. The people who had raised and protected David with love did not come ashore that day. The boat goes into the water. People line up on both shores and drag the boat into the sea. The boat wobbled and moved. Everything was as usual.

The engine started. People standing in the dark raise their hands and gently wave.

After running a short distance, you can see the “torchlight in a cloth”.

Alpha, Alpha……

“Everything ok?”

No problem, “they feed the horse.”

Karikalan’s answer is heard in the walkie-talkie.

As usual, the boat moves in a shadowy circle to the right. As always, everything was as usual.

Tearing the water, rising and flowing in the waves, the boat had left. The crowd on the shore left one by one. “The boat had come out.” Before the sound of the engine paled away, the walkie-talkie on the shore sounded…

“Alpha… alpha…”

“They may put the walkie-talkie off because of the water.” The sound of the engine was still heard.

With time was running out and they was thinking of returning to the camp, there was a sound in the walkie-talkie. Alpha contacted them.

“What?”

It was as if they were shouting, the sound was not clear. We could not understand properly.

“What did they say?”

“The boat exploded, send another, it was like they said this.” “Nothing was clear.”

“Who was it?”

“It was like the voice of David, nothing was clear.”

Time was ticking while they get the next boat ready. They were not sure about the message from the walkie-talkie. The time was running.

The other searching boat said in the walkie-talkie, “We have Ratna and Ari in the boat.”

The searching boat came to the shore with Ratna and Ari.

“What happened?”

“The boat broke.”

“What about the others? And David?”. “He called everyone in the darkness and united us. After telling everyone to swim, he called Karikalan.

Ari and Ratna were stunned and could not tell the whole story.

Boats came and went. As soon as people heard the news, they gathered all over the shore and searched for the boat. Anyway everyone had faith in David’s abilities.

“It happened once before, where he did came out the sea after having been there for two days.”

“One in Mannaar he helped two girls out of the sea.”

Everyone had faith in David’s swimming skills.

Everyone was waiting with hope. Ari was saying at the hospital, “He ordered all of us to swim and hold Karikalan.”

Among those who went on the boat, Karikalan was the only one who could not swim.

While everyone was hopeful, only Ari and Ratna came out the sea.

Karikalan did not come….

David did not come either…

David and attacks

During the attack of Mannar Police Station in 1985, David was the assistant in charge of a team which should take a group to the other side of Mannar (in the town of Mannar). The first success of the attack was to land safe. After the attack, the then commander of Mannar, Lieut. Colonel Viktor praised David for his successful work.In 1987, when the Sri Lankan Army was trying to go forward from the Elephant Camp towards Jaffna, Kiddu was the leader of the team. Lieut. Uncle became maveeran and David was wounded in the shoulder.

In 1987 David led a team with 50 caliber guns in the attack on the telecommunications station (8 soldiers were arrested.)

In 1987, he also went with a team with 50 caliber guns and fought during the attack on the Poonakary Fort.

In 1989, David went as the second leader in charge of the attack team during the attack on the Indian Army Camp in Nelliyady. In 1990, David was the one who led the Karumpuli Attack on the mothership of the Sri Lanka Navy in the Vadamaradchi Sea (Karumpuli Major Kantharuban, Karumpuli Captain Vinoth, Karumpuli Captain Collins.)

Sources: Pottu Amman

Leader of Intelligence Service,

Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam,

Tamileelam

Voice of LTTE: 26