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EIGHT ABDUCTED FISHERMEN BRAVE THROUGH JUNGLE AND CROCODILES AFTER WORKING 13 MONTHS IN SLAVERY BY THE TAMIL TIGERSBy Walter JayawardhanaAbducted fishermen who had to work under slavery by the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) escaped to freedom after braving through
thick jungle and man eating crocodiles. Military sources said, only eight survived after losing two
and four respectively to crocodiles and Tamil Tiger sniper fire during
the their successful attempt to escape out of the original 14 who were
working in a LTTE slave camp. When they were rescued three out of the eight survived also have been
injured by LTTE sniper fire and have been admitted to the Vavuniya hospital.
The Sri Lanka Army said the dramatic rescue under a shower of bullets
took place March 26, Vavuniya , in the war torn Northern Province. The surviving fishermen said they were abducted by the LTTE terrorists
while out on fishing in the sea about 20 nautical miles East of Putlam
and kalpitiya respectively February 10 and march The fishermen were hailing from the Southern and Western coast of Sri
Lanka and were of the fishing villages of Tangalle, kalpitiya, and Negombo
areas. The survived fishermen said they survived under harsh conditions and
worked outdoors for 13 months until the man power of the Tamil Tigers
were lessening and the guard on them became lax. They said at the opportune
moment, a week ago they escaped when the terrorists were distracted.
The fishermen said one of them became the food of a crocodile and the
other was severely injured by a crocodile who succumbed to the injuries
later. When they reached Omanthai, the fishermen said, they came under the
fire of the LTTE but fortunately the army noticed this and fired back
at the enemy. The Army has informed the incident to the International Committee of
Red Cross. |
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