The pompous ceremonies held by the Sri Lanka State recently are but the manifestation of the elation in having achieved the aim of a long term scheme. The truth of this has escaped the grasp of many.

The boundary line of Batticaloa had extended up to Mannampiddy earlier. According to a sinister scheme of the Sinhala nation, these boundaries were redrawn in a manner as to hem in the traditional Tamil villages in areas from Vellikanthai upto Mannampiddy, within Pollanaruwa district. The complete Sinhalaization of these Tamil villages of Karuppa’lai, Muththukkal, Choruvil, Mannampiddy was executed by giving them new Sinhala names.

The Sinhala Nation, having appropriated the lands of Tamils administratively, began engaging in schemes to invade into Batticaloa district too. As a part of this scheme, the Sinhala nation strived, using Buddhist monks to colonize Ka’l’lichai and Vadamunai areas with Sinhalese people.

But this effort to colonize did not succeed due to the actions against it by Tamil conscious government officials and Tamil activists in Batticaloa district. The Tamil conscious officials and activists contacted the educated youths in the district and settled them in farms constructed in the traditional Tamil areas and saved them from being Sinhalazised. Ka’l’lichai and Vadamunai areas are the places thus safeguarded by the Tamil conscious activists at a time when Tamil Nationalism was aroused among the Tamils. The hill terrain that extends from the jungles of these areas was known in Tamil according to the shape of the hills such as Thoppikkal Malai, Kevarmalai, Kudumbimalai, and Kaarmalai. Miyaanku’am, Ooththuchcheanai, Naapathaavil, Aliyaaloadai, Pulludumaanoadai and Meaichalthidal are villages rich in fertility and agriculture.

The United National Party (UNP) which captured power from Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in 1977, as if to show that it was not second to SLFP in Sinhalaization, exploited the Mahaveli River Scheme and set about aggressively to appropriate traditional Tamils’ land.

The Mathuru Oya reservoir was constructed a few miles from Thoppikkal area and the area around it was blocked out into three divisions called, A, B and C. The already Sinhala colonized area was Segment A, the jungle and lands along the jungle in the northwest area from Vaakarai was Segment B and Thoppikkal and areas around it were called Segment C. Having blocked out thus, the Sinhala racist forces attempted to colonize Ka’l’lichchai and Vadamunai areas with Sinhalese people, under the pretext of development.

A Buddhist monk called Leelanda Thero, of Thimbulagala Vihara located near Mannampiddy, was in the fore front in the attempt of colonization. The Tamil residents of the area severely opposed this attempt. In the face of the strong protests by the Tamils the Sinhala state organized a meeting in which the Tamil residents and the government officials in Polanaruwa and Batticaloa districts participated. The government officials witnessing the stiff resistance of the Tamils decided to call of the intended colonization.

Leelananda Thero’s vow

Leelananda Thero, on hearing the failure of the attempt to Sinhalaize Thoppikkal area, is said to have vowed that he will not rest until his dream of seeing all the villages and people that one views standing on the top of Thoppikkal malai to be Sinhalese villages and Sinhalese people.

The dream of Leelananda Thero is not a dream of a single individual! The entire Sinhala leadership too is obsessed with this dream. In the wake of these attempts to Sinhlalaize, Tamil conscious activists engaged themselves in settling large number of Tamils in these areas.

The courage of Thu’raineelaava’nai people

During this period, the parliament member for Paddikkudirruppu in his request to the Tamils said that brave persons like Thu’raineelaava’nai people should be settled in Vadamunai to save these areas from Sinhalaization. Thu’rineelaava’nai people were the ones who beat and chased away the Sinhala thugs who came to attack the Tamils in their village in the 1958 anti-Tamil riots.

The secret farm that Tamileelam National leader established in Thoppikkal area
When the Struggle for the freedom of the Tamil Nation gained strength in the later part of 1978, Tamileelam National leader established the first secret farm for Batticaloa and Ampaa’rai districts, in Thoppikkal Malai area. He had already gauged the political and social strategic importance of Thoppikkal malai and its surroundings and had acted accordingly. In the Freedom Struggle which heightened after 1983, many historical offensives, like Ka’luvangchchikudi police station attack and Nirmala Nithiyananthan Batticaloa Jail break, were directed from Thoppikkal area.

Following the martyr’s death of Lt. Paramatheva in 1984 and Batticaloa being entrusted to foreign trained army commandos, the activities related to the Freedom Struggle were dwindling. The commandos, stationed in Batticaloa town area, launched many offensives directed against Thoppikkal area. The Tamileelam National leader brought in many fresh combat fronts to Batticaloa district and the Struggle was launched with fresh enthusiasm with the all the combatants in the district acting in unison, reformed and guided by the National leader.

The commando style attack on Ea’raavoor police station and the ambush attack on Vaakarai Army at Kaayaangkea’ni were staged and the Struggle for Freedom was extended into Ampaa’rai district. It was during this period that the Kangchkudichaa’ru base was established and liberation related activities were launched from it.
Liberation activities which had declined in the later part of 1985 were again strengthened and rejuvenated to the level launching fresh attacks, within a short period of time, due to the efforts of the National leader.

In the later part of 1985, the Sri Lanka state again launched a massive military operation on Thoppikkal area, using five aircrafts simultaneously for the first time. The Tiger combatants retreating into the jungle continued their guerilla attacks on the army. Even in the beginning of 1986, Thoppikkal and Kokkadichchoali areas remained within the Tigers’ control.

During the presence of Indian Army in 1987, the first military camps were established in Thoppikkal with Indian soldiers. The Tigers functioned in small groups during this period. With the beginning of 2nd Eelam War and the withdrawal of Indian troops in 1993, traitors like Plot Mohan and Rasik Group helped the Sri Lankan Army to capture Thoppikkal and establish its camps there. The great numbers of Tiger combatants in the area were moved north.

The combatants from the east were given special training and guidance by the leadership and sent back to the east in 1994. The specially trained Tiger combatants attacked and destroyed Tharavaikku’lam army base and many other attacks on the army were successfully launched. When Sri Lanka Army moved its troops from the east to engage in its offensives in the north, areas in the east were again brought under the control of Tigers and their administration.

Rasik group and Mohan were annihilated and the east rose again towards a dawn.
The Sinhala Nation, unable to stomach the strength of the Tamils in the east, again created a traitor baiting him with money and tried to destroy the unity of the Tamils. Karuna, who had fallen to temptations of money and women, sold away the east which had been traditionally protected by its people, to the Sinhala nation.
Thoppikkal had been occupied due to military offensives and traitors’ betrayal of Tamils, many times indeed. But the invasions and occupation were short-lived.
The traditional Tamil lands had been protected from Sinhalaization even at the time when the Tamils did not have the right leadership due to the efforts of the Tamils living there.

But today the situation is different! The Tamils have a courageous and resourceful leader now.

There is an armed force of the Tamils comprising of land, sea and air forces.

It is certain that the people of the east, uniting under the leadership of the Tamil National leader, will redeem their cherished traditional lands.

Also See The Tamil Version In Nerudal

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