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The survivor of the
Walikanda LTTE massacre met with President Mahinda Rajapaksa
today at Temple Trees. He told the President his experiences
regarding the fateful day when he and his co-workers
were rounded up by the LTTE and shot and how he survived.
The survivor Upali Rajakaruna
said he and his co-workers worked on contract basis
as labourers for the construction of an irrigational
canal at a border village around 10 km north of Welikanda
in Polonnaruwa.
“The LTTE came
to where we were and spoke to us nicely initially and
praised the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
They were all underage soldiers,” Rajakaruna told
the President.
He said the LTTE had
led them to an enclosed area, saying they were taking
them to meet their ‘Sir’, all the time promising
that no harm would befall them and that they would be
released.
The workers had been
tied up two by two and lined up by the LTTE, still promising
to release them after the arrival of their ‘Sir’.
“Suddenly they prepared their weapons and shot
us,” recalled Rajakaruna.
Though he also fell
along side his co-worker who was shot, Upali was not
shot. He pretended to be dead and waited until it was
dark to make his escape. He had gone to a Tamil village
where he had received help.
The survivor appealed
to the President to help protect innocent workers. He
pointed out that their work on the irrigation canal
was for the benefit of the Tamil people in that area.
He also asked the President to help the victims’
families.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa
said he would see immediately to the security of workers
in those areas and advised Defence Secretary Gotabaya
Rajapaksa to see to the matter.
The President
promised to help the families of the victims.
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