Sri Lanka: VOICE FROM THE WILDERNESS
The following report was sent to the SJS office with this comment from the Provincial of Sri Lanka:
Please find in the attached file a report sent by Fr. Joel kulanayagam, S.J. who works in the Wanni which is under the control of LTTE. He sent a handwritten report and it was typed in our office. Please remember Joel and his friends.
Your in Our Lord
S. Maria Anthony SJ
Provincial-Sri Lanka
"I am preparing this report just after having blessed the mortal remains of Mr. Thayaparan and Mrs. Maria Rita Suthaaskaran, after having witnessed the carnage at Iranaipalai and after having made efforts to console the families of the wounded and the dead, all innocent victims.
During the Tsunami Disaster once someone asked: “Where was God during the Tsunami when it struck with ferocity?” The wise answer given was “God was right in the midst of the suffering people.”
This is our faith that does justice.
As the companions of Jesus, we Jesuits are specially called to LABOUR WITH the Master where HE LABOURS. The people of the Wanni are traveling along the way of the Cross and I am privileged as a son of Ignatius to be a fellow pilgrim among this people, the Body of Christ in history, here and now.
Where a Jesuit is there the Society of Jesus is. Therefore in solidarity with this Worldwide Community, as a brother from Sri Lanka Province and with a heart filled with that undying HOPE that springs from the Risen Lord that Evil never, ever conquers,
I would like to appeal to you, my brother Jesuits and our friends, to open your generous hearts and to respond in such a way that a grave tragedy that is threatening the people could be averted.
Devastation on Saturday 09 August, 2008, 10.00 A.M.
We were busy hearing confessions of children who were being prepared for their First Holy Communion to be held on Sunday, 10 August, 2008 at St. Joseph’s Church, Puthukudiyiruppu. At about 10.00 a.m. we heard the thundering roar of the approaching supersonic fighter jets. The children cried at the top of their voice. We priests and nuns were anxious for we had 75 children with us.
The fighter jets let go of their lethal cargo on Iranaipalai and having wreaked havoc disappeared.
There was no fortified base of the militants at the location of the attack. It was only a kitchen which supplied food and most of whom employed there were innocent civilians. The first attack was on this kitchen.
Thayaparan’s family lived in the vicinity of the place of the first attack. He ran along with his children for life. They entered the neighbouring property of a friend and took shelter in the bunker. There was a second attack near by. Therefore, they all got out of the bunker and was running further away to protect their lives. The children reached another bunker first and Thayaparan was lagging behind them. Lo, and behold, there was the third attack, right in the midst of that property and before he could join his children in the bunker, flying shrapnel had pierced him through the back of the right waist and he fell down just a few feet away from his children bleeding profusely. He was rushed to the hospital. But he succumbed to the injury. His daughter Thenuja (16) was injured on her left foot. Thayaparan (46) was a popular teacher and had been an able sportsman and was much sought after at School sports meets. His blood cries to heaven from that property.
Jude Suthaskaran, a driver by profession was not at home during the attack. He had gone on an errand. His wife, Maria Rita (37) had been at home. Her abdomen had been ripped open and she succumbed at the hospital. Fortunately, their kids Darvini (9) and Ashani (3) were spared from the disaster. It was only on Sunday, 27 July, 2008 Darvini received first Holy Communion in the company of her parents and the little sister from my own hands.
Suresh had gone to deliver bread to his customers. His wife, Sivajini (30) was at home with her children. The third blast was in their premises and since they had lied down inside their wattle and daub house they escaped death. However, Sivajini was wounded on her right leg and her little son, Mathisuthan (9) was injured on the right shoulder. One of their relatives, Kuleskumar (15), who had been with them was injured on the left arm. And a friend of theirs, Subaitha (17), who had come to meet them, was also wounded on her back. We buy bread from Suresh’s uncle’s bakery. Roahini (39), their neighbour was wounded on her left arm.
Besides the human casualties, cattle were killed, houses were destroyed and damaged, coconut trees, palmyrah trees, margosa trees etc were chopped and felled by flying shrapnel. Most of our students hail from Iranaipalai and a number of them live around the site of the devastation. I have already visited them. We are making efforts to support them to deal with this traumatic experience.
Terror on Friday, 08 August, 2008, 1.00 a.m.
People in two villages, Mulliyawalai and Neeravippitty, totally unaware of an impending disaster, were fast asleep. The tranquility of the night was shattered by the deafening pounding of Artillery Guns and Multi Barrel Rocket Launchers directed from Manal Aru (Weli Oya) by the Sri Lankan security forces. About 25 shells had landed around the Mullaitivu Base hospital, the Official Residences of the Government Agent, Medical Officers and other Government Officers, within a radius of about 50 meters. A few more landed in the civilian settlements. One of the shells landed just opposite the bed room of the District Medical Officer (DMO), at a distance of about 30 ft.
The hospital staff and the in-patients rushed in search of the bunkers built within the hospital premises. People from the villages mentioned above and those from the nearby villages were panic stricken. The wounded were being brought to the hospital by their kith and kin. Weeping and wailing of the victims and their relatives were heart rending.
The hospital staff returned to their posts and attended to the victims with magnanimity.
Mrs. Imelda Sugumar (51), The Government Agent (GA) of Mullaitivu was thrown off her bed at her Official Residence due to the heavy impact of the explosions and sustained injury on her left arm. She had a narrow escape. The paradox was that the GA became a victim of the aggressive “Humanitarian War” carried forward by the Government itself.
The DMO had just returned home after having carried out a surgery. He was at his official residence, adjacent to the GA’s one, with his wife and three kids, fast asleep. Mrs. Renuka Shanmugarajah (36), the wife of Dr. Shanmugarajah, (DMO), was injured on her left leg. One of their kids had burns. Their house has received the full impact of the explosion. The windows, under sheets, parts of the roof and walls were in smithereens. It was miraculous indeed that they survived. At the moment they are staying at the residence of a colleague of the doctor. Regardless of the tragedy that had struck the family, Dr. Shangugarajah rushed to attend to the victims.
Iyan Sngeerththanan, one and a half years old boy, was killed instantly. His head had been blown off. His mother, Iyan Rasakumari (36) was injured on her right leg and his sister, Iyan Sangeetha (10) was also injured on her right leg.
Vijayakantyh Premini (33) had her abdomen ripped open, her mother, Kathiravel Sivarasakumari (64) sustained a deep wound on her left shoulder and lacerations on her back. Premini’s son (2 ½), Pekan sustained a deep cut in his right ankle; a flying shrapnel has entered from one side of the ankle and has exited from the other side. Prenimi’s daughter, Aarezhlili (05) sustained minor injury on her head.
Subramaniam Thanalechumi (57) sustained injury on her left forearm which was later amputated. Her daughter Suvendralatha (23) had injuries on her right chest and right thigh.
Chandran (40) was badly inured in his waist and back. Bertran Santhanawathi (50) sustained a deep cut on her left knee. Kanthiah Kanmani (50) sustained a deep wound on her left leg and had her right leg fractured. Nadarasa Veeranna (52) sustained minor injuries on her right forehead and right ear. Vinasiththambi Rukmani (72) sustained a femoral fracture on her left thigh. Perumal Nadarajah (56), Yohanathan (50), and Ravichandran (40) were also wounded in the attack. All of them were admitted in the Mullaitivu Base Hospital.
These events which I have mentioned above are drops in this mighty ocean of repressive violence. Day after day some violent tragedy strikes somewhere in Wanni and the truth of which doesn’t easily reach the world outside. There are numerous obstacles calculatedly laid across so that dissemination of truth is arrested. Instead, blatant lies are spread with ease.
TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE
J. Joel SJ
Jesuit Resource Centre, Iranaipalai, Mullaitivu District, Sri Lanka
08 August, 2008"
Click here to see some pictures of the blessing (in 2005) of the Computer Lab that Fr Joel is running at Iranaipalai.