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29-09-2006

LTTE behind Pottuvil massacre: Sole survivor

Bhakthi Dharmapriya Mendis

COLOMBO: It was the LTTE terrorists who brutally hacked and chopped to death the 10 Muslim workers at Sasiriveli in Pottuvil, said F.I. Meera Mohideen, the only surviving victim of the incident now receiving treatment at the Ampara Hospital.

Mohideen said this when a group of Muslim representatives headed by Minister A.L.M. Athaulla visited him at Ampara Hospital to inquire after his health on Wednesday.

Recalling the incident, Mohideen said on September 17 around 9.00 a.m., 11 workers including him arrived at the worksite at Raddella irrigational tank in Sasiriveli.

"We came there by tractor. My job was to prepare meals for the party in the evening, a group of persons in black trousers talking in Tamil came to us and in a rough tone told that we were wanted by their Chief and we would be produced before the Chief. We were blind folded two at a time and taken away," he said.

"Those who were taken away never returned. I heard them screaming and wailing. Since our group consisted of 11 members, I was the last to be taken alone. I was severely assaulted and then thrown away. They then remarked that I was already dead. That was the last I heard."

Mohideen said the following morning, when the villagers gathered, he was semiconscious. "It was only then that I realised that the other 10 persons had been killed. This group of persons were wearing T shirts similar to the ones worn by Tiger terrorists. They spoke fluent Tamil. I can definitely say that they were Tiger terrorists," Mohideen said.

STF Police Commander Nimal Lewke said the blame of this mass massacre by the LTTE terrorists with the backing of the illicit timber racketeers had been put on the STF, but Muslim masses in Pottuvil and Ampara had proved that this allegation was false.

Source-Daily News