1st Anniversary of the Welikanda Massacre by LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists
The twelve workers who were killed and the two who escaped death in the alleged Tiger attack at Omadiyamadu in the Welikanda area were engaged in an irrigation canal construction project for the Mahaweli Authority undertaken by a contractor.
The contractor was a businessman from Welikanda named P.G.A. Abeysuriya. Aged 50, he was popularly known as Mahadan Mudalali and was the president of the Traders’ Association there.
On May 29, the workers stopped work as usual around 5.00 pm. Suddenly, around 15 uniformed Tigers, armed with T 56 rifles are said to have surrounded the place.
What happened thereafter was known only to Upali Rajakaruna who escaped death and trudged to the Welikanda Police station and Priyadarshana Wijebandara who was admitted to the Polonnaruwa Hospital.
It was with injured Wijebandara’s tip-off that the security forces could initiate the Welikanda massacre investigations. According to Mr. Wijebandara, the LTTE surrounded them when they were about to get onto the tractor after completion of the day’s work.
“There were all 13 of us, including Mr. Abeysooriya, the contractor. The LTTE took us to Omadiyamadu from Ransaratenna. We were shot after we were made to kneel down, lined up and our hands were tied at the back. I escape after they left the place,” Mr. Wijebandara recollected.
“It was 2.00 pm when I reported for work after returning from my home at Galnewa, where I had gone on leave. Around 4.30 pm when the workers were getting ready to go home, about 15 Tigers came and surrounded the place.
“They tied our hands behind our backs. They did not instill any fear in us. They took our money and asked us how the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government was faring. Then suddenly I was shot and down I went. The blood of the man next to me was all over my body.
“I pretended to be dead. I saw one of my fellow-workers trying to get up and crying in pain. Around 7.00 pm I got up and left the place and walked to a Tamil populated village and from there to Welikanda,” Upali Rajakaruna said.
MOre
The twelve workers who were killed and the two who escaped death in the alleged Tiger attack at Omadiyamadu in the Welikanda area were engaged in an irrigation canal construction project for the Mahaweli Authority undertaken by a contractor.
The contractor was a businessman from Welikanda named P.G.A. Abeysuriya. Aged 50, he was popularly known as Mahadan Mudalali and was the president of the Traders’ Association there.
On May 29, the workers stopped work as usual around 5.00 pm. Suddenly, around 15 uniformed Tigers, armed with T 56 rifles are said to have surrounded the place.
What happened thereafter was known only to Upali Rajakaruna who escaped death and trudged to the Welikanda Police station and Priyadarshana Wijebandara who was admitted to the Polonnaruwa Hospital.
It was with injured Wijebandara’s tip-off that the security forces could initiate the Welikanda massacre investigations. According to Mr. Wijebandara, the LTTE surrounded them when they were about to get onto the tractor after completion of the day’s work.
“There were all 13 of us, including Mr. Abeysooriya, the contractor. The LTTE took us to Omadiyamadu from Ransaratenna. We were shot after we were made to kneel down, lined up and our hands were tied at the back. I escape after they left the place,” Mr. Wijebandara recollected.
“It was 2.00 pm when I reported for work after returning from my home at Galnewa, where I had gone on leave. Around 4.30 pm when the workers were getting ready to go home, about 15 Tigers came and surrounded the place.
“They tied our hands behind our backs. They did not instill any fear in us. They took our money and asked us how the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government was faring. Then suddenly I was shot and down I went. The blood of the man next to me was all over my body.
“I pretended to be dead. I saw one of my fellow-workers trying to get up and crying in pain. Around 7.00 pm I got up and left the place and walked to a Tamil populated village and from there to Welikanda,” Upali Rajakaruna said.
MOre
