Rehabilitated LTTE cadres:
Three marksmen promote sports to NE
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From left: Suresh Kumar, Thayaparan
Thavendran and K. Rajeevan
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The youngest and the most cheerful of the three was 24-year-old
Suresh Kumar. The determined one was Thavendran (26), and the studious, Rajeevan
(34). Different in character, yet the decision they took years ago gave them
almost a similar result in life. The life they spent as LTTE cadres is now over.
These three young men are turning a new leaf in life - a much greener and
luscious one indeed.
Rajeevan, Thavendran and Suresh today are budding sportsmen
training to excel in marksmanship. Under the Sri Lanka Shooting Association the
trio train in the game of shooting, aiming to be national champions. "At the
very initial stage when we tested them for their level of talent the three
showed skills above the average, for beginners. With a systematic training they
have no barriers to excel in sport," said Lt. Col. Dushan Wijewickrama (Rtd.),
Secretary of the National Shooting Sports Federation of Sri Lanka and the
national trainer. "These young men came to our training through a special
initiative in the rehabilitation program as a result of a special discussion
held between the Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Rehabilitation
Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera, said Lt. Col. Wijewickrama explaining how it all
started.
They need to go through a systematic training and we hope to
train them in different categories of the sport selected according to their
performances", said Lt. Col. Wijewickrama. According to the trainers, Rajeevan,
Thavendran and Suresh have promising shooting skills the same skill that was
once given them by a ruthless terrorist organisation to kill another human being
is opening a door for them today to give them a chance to bring glory to Sri
Lanka. Over years of experience of seeing budding marksmen and women becoming
excellent in their talents, the predictions of the trainers can be disregarded.
The three marksmen are now training in the air rifle category.
Initially, five ex-LTTE cadres were selected from the Rehabilitation centres
including a girl, but two went home, having been released from rehab.
The Sports Ministry and the Sri Lanka Shooting Association is
taking every possible step to give the three promising sportsmen a chance to
win. Today, the three marksmen are staying at the sports hostel at Independence
Square enjoying similar facilities given to other sportsmen and women training
there. With transportation provided by the Sri Lanka Shooting Association, every
morning they go to Welisara for training sessions. The Sports Ministry has
agreed to provide the three sportsmen a monthly grant of Rs. 15,000. Food and
accommodation are free, and two rehabilitation officers accompany them, as the
trio still need assistance in their day-to-day work as they are not yet fluent
in Sinhala.
Three months back 135 rehabilitees, good in sports were selected
from the four rehab centres in Welikanda and Vavuniya and brought to Colombo to
face a talent identification conducted by Sri Lanka's national coaches. In this
event five were selected for shooting, two for cricket, eight for swimming and
three for karate. The authorities decided to select trainees as marksmen as a
first step. "The two who were released were more interested in reintegrating
into society and helping their families. So we accepted their decision to give
prominence to the family and thus they could not continue with the training,
said Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Brigadier Dharashana Hettiarachchi.
Why did the authorities suddenly decide to seek talent in sports
among the rehabilitees? Answering the question Brigd. Hettiarachchi said, "The
Rehabilitation process is focused on educational, spiritual and recreational
aspects. And all the rehabilitees are in their prime youth. Under the guidance
of the Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Rehabilitation and Prison
Reforms Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera we selected sports enthusiasts from among
the rehabilitees." The Rehabilitation authorities left the talent identification
to the sports experts to decide whether there are talented youth with the
capacity to reach national standards.
"After May 2009 around 11,000 ex-LTTE combatants surrendered to
the Sri Lankan Government. The Government then decided to train the youth,
discover their skills and re-integrate them as contributors to national
development," explained Brgd. Hettiarachchi. "A majority of the rehabilitees in
their youth are the backbone of the country. "Today at rehabilitation centres we
have only around 800 ex-LTTE cardres and the rest have gone back to their
families, released at different periods. The 800 are in the process of
completing their livelihood training courses and will be released in batches,"
he explained.
The rehabilitation system established by the Government for the
ex-LTTE combatants ensures that these young men and women will have safer place
in society and with time their past forgotten.
The youth as any other young man or woman, desire to lead a
successful life and use the full potential of their talents. As in the case of
Rajeevan, Thanvendran and Suresh, bringing the talented into limelight and
giving them support to succeed, has no barriers for championship.
Rajeevan hails from Thrinalveli, Jaffna. Today he is married and
his wife is living in Kilinochchi. "She works in an insurance company in
Kilinochchi," he said. He was married when he joined the LTTE. His dream is to
go back home and begin a beautiful family life. Soon after finishing his
Ordinary Levels Rajeevan took to lathe work for a livelihood. "I liked it and
was able to pick up the skills easily," he said. In 1996 he comes to the Vanni
district looking for a job and joined the LTTE as a technician. "My job was
basically lathe work, but we were given a three month weapons training in 1996.
After a few years I was more involved in the supplies of the organisation," he
explained.
Rajeevan stayed until the last phase of the conflict. Lastly he
surrendered to the Sri Lanka Army at Wattuwal in Mullaitivu on May 17, 2009. "I
cannot predict how successful I will be in this sport but I am ready to dedicate
my fullest efforts to achieve the best possible level to the best of my
abilities," he said. "We have our family commitments too. It is our
responsibility," he added. To the youth, committing to practices while in
Colombo is easy. "But when we get back home and start a job, we will face
difficulties in continuing our practices. We need to find a new plan for that,"
he added.
Thavendran 26, has studied up to the Advanced Level in the
Commerce stream at the Kilinochchi Hindu College. In 2009, Thavendran's family,
living in Kilinochchi moved East to another village."At Vishwamadu the LTTE came
to our temporary camps and forced the youth to join their force. We had no other
option so I joined," he explained.
Today he is a skilled plumber and the shooting game seems
exciting to him. Suresh Kumar hails from Mulliaweli in Mullaitivu and had
studied at the Kalaimagal School. "My family is resettled now in Mulliyaweli and
after I am released I will go there," he said. Suresh is a good mason. In 2009,
while their family was displaced the LTTE forcefully took Suresh into training.
The Sri Lanka Shooting Association is planning to expand their
wings to the North and East too. "We are planning to visit schools and community
based organisations to seek out good sportsmen from that community," Lt. Col.
Wijewickrama explained. "More than the weapons and the ammunitions what is
essential is a firing range. It only requires 10 metres.
And today there are mobile ranges available. Our Association is
seeking the possibility of purchasing such a range so that we could expand the
sport beyond Colombo," he added.
To the Association having the three young men is a strength to
expand the sport to the North and East as well and the three budding marksmen
are eagerly watching for that day to dawn.
Courtesy : Sunday Observer
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