TNA’s gibberish on Mullikulam
Posted on July 1st, 2012
Ranjith Soysa
TNAƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s main platform at present is to vilify the Sri Lankan defence forces as they have very few options after their armedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”boysƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ wereƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ pushed out of the political agenda. Their latest fabrication is aboutƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 200 IDP families resettled in Mullikulam said to be chasedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ away by the Navy. The TNA MPs are busy in spreading the fiction to their constituentsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and to the foreign do goodersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ whoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ are expected to carry the burden of Tamil separatism for another sorrowful lap.
As a person who has visited Mullikulam in Mannar district I can vouch for the excellent resettlement programs carried out by the Sri Lankan defence forces alongƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ with other government agencies.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In Mullikulam a naval base was established in 2009 after the area was liberated. In this location there were 32 abandoned houses and also an abandoned church. The houses were in the vicinity of the church and my impression was that these were built on the land owned by the said church. The 32 houses had not been in occupation for nearly last 10 years.
I am aware of the fact that there was a discussion among the Ministry of Defence, the GA, the Bishop of Mannar and the SL Navy with regard to the resettlement of the persons who claimed the ownership of the abandoned houses.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ On the basis of these discussions alternate land was allocated to them and they were to be assisted in building new homes at the Government expense.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The land allocated was very close to the fields where they cultivated paddy. TheƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ peopleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ resettled were happy about final outcome as they were hopeful in starting a new life withoutƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ being used as cannon fodder or themƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ loosing their childrenƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to be trained as child soldiers.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ TheƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ church in Mullikulam has commenced its religious services with an ordination ceremony and regular prayer sessions.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka Navy has assured its assistance to the church in regard to renovation work etc.
Today, the people in Mullikulam can breathe comfortably and go about their tasks freely without acting and reacting to the dictates of the LTTE who simply did not care about the ordinary Tamil civilians. TNA and the other racist ,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ separatist Tamil politicians should be reminded of the misery including the loss of human rights of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ tens of thousands of civilians who were forced to leave Jaffna with the LTTE cadres to Kilinochchi many years ago and 300,000 Tamil civilians who were orderedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to be with the LTTE as their protective wall in the last days . There wereƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ no TNA tears for these civilians who were used by the LTTE for their terrorist strategy.
Mullikulm today is a symbol of aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ new hope where the ordinary citizens can enjoy fruits of their labour with the help of civilian agencies as well as that ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lankan Navy while the Nation can feel secure in protecting the borders by having a naval base in an important location. This is indeed a win ,win situation for all concerned.
July 1st, 2012 at 6:22 pm
Talking of Mannar, it brings me back many beautiful memories. I used to travel to Mannar very often, whilst working for BCC Ltd. When you go over the causeway, and enter Mannar, on the right is the Rest House. They used to charge Rs2.50 for a sumptous lunch, with fish, shrimp, cuttle fish, crab, wild boar etc. Next to the Rest House is a road going down interior, and when you travel about a mile, you see the largest tree in Sri Lanka. It is about 10 to 12 feet in diameter and about 25 feet in height. It is fenced right round, as people go and prick the tree to see the red sap oozing out. I remember seing about 5 or 6 trees. One had fallen sideways for the Hurricane that swept beyond Vavuniya. I have bought a half a gunny of crab for Rs 3.00 from the market. This was good old days. One could see sun-rise and sun-set on the same day from the horizon. I travel back to Medavachchiya Rest House to have the crab cooked. Good old travelling days.
July 2nd, 2012 at 6:17 am
I drove up to Mannar on the way back from Madu Church last November. The bustling city had regained its status as the largest dry fish producer in the country. THe rail link was underconstruction; The railway bridge linking the end point of Mannar peninsula had been blasted by the LTTE cn be seen in the distant horizon. The Thalaymannar quay that was built to serve the rapid immigration of plantation labour the functioned from 1914 had been dmaged in the 80s and is now only a museum piece.
Real threat to the livelihood hard working falks of Mannar is the regular entry of poachers from Indian mainland. I was told this sadly is a weekly occurrence.
Tree called ‘Biobab’ considered the largest in the South East Asia by the size of girth, mentionedby SW above should be seen to be believed.
Road link to Jaffna was under construction and that may be motorable now. Surely itis in in the interst of the local poplation and the MPs to have a strong Navy presence in Mannar.
July 3rd, 2012 at 6:09 am
It is not only poachers from Tamil Nadu & rest of India that the SL Navy must guard against, it is also ILLEGAL MIGRANTS, and that would cover the entire coast of Sri Lanka, and particularly the North & East.
Now India wants 68,000 Tamil ‘refugees’ in Tamil Nadu ‘repatriated’ ! Are these people truly Sri Lankan ? What about Tamil illegal migrants already in Sri Lanka ? There thousands of such people. What is GoSL going to do with Tamil Illegal Migrants ?
If Sri Lanka is going to keep these Tamil illegal migrants, it is best NOT to take the so called Tamil refugees. The numbers probably cancel each other, and then may be we can then consider the matter closed.
If Sri Lanka is going to accept the Tamil ‘refugees’, then it is only fair that all Tamil illegal migrants are identified and repatriated to Tamil Nadu, India.