"Tigers with history" - Tamil Heritage

The background to some of the historical events that took place in the Tamil Eelam liberation struggle is very interesting and surprising. These historical events were the immediate decisions taken at that critical moment by influential young people who took part in the struggle.

Bodies were brought to Jaffna and could been seen by the public in Nalloor. The captured soldiers continue crying of fear that the LTTE will kill them.

There were telephone conversations between Singhala Captain Kothalawala, the army commander stationed at the Jaffna Fort at the time, and Rahim, the LTTE’s military spokesman.

A house of a doctor on Wyman Road in Jaffna was a LTTE place at the time. The phone in the house was used for these conversations.

Unable to bear the cries of the Sinhala soldiers, the LTTE’s Captain Rahim made a phone call to Captain Kothalawala from the house of the sister of a senior politician in Nalloor.

Captain Kothalawala talked to the captive soldiers and asked Rahim during the talks what he is going to do with the captured army corpses.

“If you want, I will bring them to you.” Rahim said casually, and Captain Kothalawala sighed and said he will ask his boss.

Colonel Ananda Weerasekera was the higher boss of Captain Kothalawala. Colonel Ananda Weerasekera is the brother of Sarath Weerasekera, a racist who is currently in the ministry of the President Gothabaya. It is said that Colonel Ananda Weerasekera became a Buddhist monk living in Ampara after retiring from the army.

Later that day Captain Kothalawala called Rahim again and informed him that they wanted them to bring the bodies to the entrance of the fort army camp.

The LTTE thought that going to the fort, handing over the bodies was an unnecessary task and that there were a lot of danger involved. The LTTE is looking at a conspiracy hatched by the military to bring the LTTE closer and kill them.

Captain Rahim then informed Jaffna District Commander Kittu that he would go alone and hand over the nine bodies to the Sri Lankan Army.

Junior LTTE leaders warned Commander Kittu that the handing over of the bodies could be part of the army’s plot to capture Rahim, who was the LTTE’s propaganda face at the time.

Commander Kittu spoke to Rahim again, and Kittu was well aware of the danger involved in this attempt. Rahim wanted the bodies to be handed over with humanitarian motives. Commander Kittu half-heartedly agreed to Rahim’s plan.

Rahim contacted Captain Kothalawala again and informed him that he is coming to hand over the bodies by himself. These to captains talked about the final arrangements for handing over the bodies.

The corpses of the nine soldiers were put in coffins and loaded into a small truck. The truck was brought along the main road and parked near the LTTE front line guard near Jaffna Central College.

Evening six o´clock.. .. .. ..

As the sun began to set on the sea, darkness fell on the city of Jaffna. The eyes were awake even in that dark moment to see an historical event to be staged in Jaffna.

As previously reported, the Tigers are flashing a para light from Central College Grounds to announce the Fort Army that they are ready to begin handing over the bodies of the soldiers.

The army inside the fort threw a para light to inform the LTTE that they are ready to accept the corpses.

Leaving the truck carrying the corpses under Central College, Rahim wears his own and another fighter´s cyanide on him. Rahim begins to walk alone toward the gates of the fort to make the next steps in handing over the corpses.

With two cyanides wrapped around his neck, Rahim walks slowly towards the entrance of the fort, and passes the statue of Father Selva. Suddenly an explosion is heard at the fort army camp, but the LTTE troops remain silent.

Rahim speculates that the army may have carried out the explosion with the intention of testing whether the LTTE was going to use the body as an offensive plan.

Rahim approaches the army guard at the entrance of the fort camp and shouts that he has arrived alone. Colonel Weerasekera’s voice is heard in response from the side of the army camp. Rahim informs Colonel Weerasekera and Captain Kothalawala that he has come unarmed. Rahim tells the army commanders that the coffins carrying the nine bodies have been loaded into a truck and if they should bring them one by one. The commanders tell Rahim no need to bring the corpses one by one. They tell Rahim to bring the truck carrying the corpses near the army camp.

Rahim walks back to the LTTE area and tell General Kittu that Colonel Weerasekera had told him to bring the truck carrying the bodies of the soldiers near the camp. Kittu’s suspicion of the military has not yet completely dissipated.

Rahim is told to drive the truck slowly in reverse and that Kittu and a team of LTTE cadres will be stationed inside Subramaniam Park. If the army attacks Rahim’s truck, Rahim should drive the truck to LTTE area and the Kittu and the fighters will attack back the Army.

The vehicle carrying the bodies of the nine soldiers begins to move slowly backwards along the main road. The military is watching the LTTE´s movement at the entrance to the fort, and the LTTE, which is stationed inside Subramaniam Park, is watching the army’s movements.

The truck, which was slowly crawling backwards, stops at the barbed wire fence in front of the fort army camp. And the army jumped into the back of the truck to make sure no tigers were lurking inside the vehicle.

Colonel Weerasekera and Captain Kothalalavala are crossing the military fronts with a group of soldiers towards Rahim who got out of the truck. Rahim touches the two cyanide lenses around his neck.

When the commanders came close to Rahim, Colonel Weerasekera gave Rahim the hand and gave him a hug. Humanity prevails in those moments, forgetting for a few moments that they are enemies. Colonel Weerasekera asked Rahim directly why he handled over the bodies of the captured army. The martyred fighters on the field would like their mothers to see their bodies. The soldiers must have the same wish as well, Rahim responds.

While the commanders talked with Rahim, the soldiers are unloading the nine bodies one by one from the truck.

The darkness surrounded the area. Commander Kittu was worried about Rahim, who is not back yet. Rahim had not brought a walkie-talkie, then the LTTE fighters scream out Rahim´s name from the Subramaniam Park. An army heard the firghter. Sensing the dire situation, Rahim went to the Subramaniam Park and informed his commander that there was no problem and he would return soon.

Raheem then concludes his conversations with the army commanders, said them farewell, and drove back in the truck to LTTE area. Commander Kittu was proud of Rahim.

The next day, the Uthayan Newspaper from Jaffna reported on the historic incident that took place on the first night with the following titel:

“LTTE cadres in Jaffna with new history.”