Captain Appan
Captain Appan
Shanmugam Siridaran
Tachanthoppu, Navatkuli,
Yarlpanam
Birth: 30.11.1972
Death: 21.03.1991
Event: Heroic martyrdom during the attack on the Sri Lanka Army camp in Silavathurai, Mannar.
Appan – People´s man.
He was the political officer of the LTTE in the Navatkuli area, Kaithadi.
That day, we were engaged in preparations for the Silavathurai attack. Appan also stood with us. It had been decided that Appan would carry out the Karumpuli attack there.
Appan said, “Do you know why you put up the pictures of the Karumpuli at Kaithadi Junction?”
When he had the pictures of the Karumpulikal scratched out and placed them in a row, no one asked, “Why are you putting them up?”; he did not say anything.
But, today he said…
“I had the ambition to die as a Karumpuli one day.”
He used to drive the ammunition wagon from the place where it was prepared to the front line.
At that time, my father was elated.
But…
When the plan was changed at the last minute and the opportunity was given to Tambo, my father collapsed. We did not see the joy and excitement that he had until then.
He joined the assault team and went into battle with a rifle.
Today, in Navatkuli – his people are looking for him.
They searched for him among the LTTE fighters who came from Silavathurai.
They searched for him among the bodies of the fighters who came from the field.
But…
They understood. That their father would not come again.
My father came from a family that was clinging to poverty. He came into the struggle.
Many people in our movement have come forward to carry out the Karumpuli attack and have joined the Karumpuli Team. But not everyone gets the opportunity to carry out the Karumpuli attack. Appan is one of those fighters.
Four years ago – when we had the Sinhalese forces trapped in the Navatkuli camp, he joined the LTTE.
He has met the Sinhalese forces and the Indian forces in many fields.
I now think of those days when the Indian forces were surrounded.
At that time I was appointed in charge of the Southern Government.
No fighter who was sent to the Navatkuli area for political work has returned.
Appan went next.
There are two roads to that area, which resembles an island. But they were full of Indian army camps.
You have to swim there. When he landed, he encountered the guns of the Indian army. There are days.
When he was a child, he used to swim and play in this same water – for joy. Today, he still swims – for the people.
He did the political work of the movement in that area, making them tremble between the two eyes of the Indian army.
He did not live with those people. He lived as one of them. Today, my father is not there. But he is mixed with their heartbeat.
When I go there these days – I get a feeling that the streets that were full of fathers have become empty, and that I have not seen the joy in the eyes of those people.
Now…
Those people are building a memorial for their father.
– Thinesh
(Translation by Tamilpriya)
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