| We started our journey towards Kilinochchi | | | | NGO members and the media people had already |
| and reached the Omanthai Military Check | | | | occupied the available places.We were stalled |
| Point, the Northernmost Frontier of the Sri | | | | for a couple of hours.The German T.V. crew |
| Lanka Army in the mainland and stopped for | | | | and the German Praktikum (Internship) |
| clearance.Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene spoke to | | | | students were in their vans for hours and it |
| the Military Officials and we were cleared | | | | was sad to see their situation.Some of the |
| after a few procedures and set on our journey | | | | youths who came with us from a local T.V. |
| towards North.In a few minutes’ time by | | | | channel started to scold me, as I was the |
| passing the No Man Zone, we reached the LTTE | | | | coordinator in those areas.But I had to |
| Check Point.I spoke to an LTTE member who | | | | pacify them saying after all it’s a |
| questioned me about our mission.I explained | | | | relief mission, and we were prepared to bear |
| our mission and introduced the German team | | | | the hardships.Some how or other the |
| and others there.I told we had already | | | | LTTE’s Political Wing found |
| informed the Political wing of the LTTE about | | | | accommodation and I had to take some of the |
| our mission.They were highly concerned about | | | | German students to the lodgings, which had |
| our mission as we were about to visit the | | | | been arranged for them.My responsibility had |
| Mulaitivu region which is an LTTE | | | | been narrowed down.The German Television crew |
| stronghold.The German Television crew had | | | | had also been assigned a place.Some of the |
| come with satellite equipment for direct | | | | students were asking whether their rooms were |
| transmission of disaster immediately from the | | | | equipped with mosquito nets.I had to find |
| spot.We thought whether we would be facing | | | | rooms with mosquito nets for them.But one |
| any difficulties because of the security | | | | room with nets, I had to reserve for a |
| issues.But we had been cleared and were on | | | | Singhalese couple as promised.I had taken |
| our way to Kilinochchi.While we were | | | | some extra care that they should not feel |
| traveling we found both sides of the highway | | | | that they had been discriminated in a Tamil |
| were a blend of dense forests and the paddy | | | | area.I had told the students I had to keep |
| lands created a lot of excitement within | | | | that room for the couple.All the students got |
| me.Peacocks were everywhere, busily foraging | | | | rooms with mosquito nets in that complex |
| in the paddy lands.After two hours of our | | | | except two students.Then I went to the |
| journey we reached Murukandy, a stopover for | | | | LTTE’s Political Wing office to check |
| passengers where a small Hindu temple is | | | | what was happening there.AGSEP’s |
| found.It has become a tradition for | | | | Director Dietmar Doering said he would be |
| passengers to stop there and worship the God, | | | | staying where the female students and some of |
| which was enshrined in that small temple | | | | the AGSEP staff were staying for their safety |
| especially if they were Hindus.Others too | | | | and went with them.The young Singhalese |
| used to stop there as a pastime and buy a | | | | couple got a room at the LTTE’s |
| variety of foodstuff available there.We too | | | | Political Wing office.The incident might be |
| stopped for a while but not very long, as we | | | | as surprising as an Israelit couple taking |
| were already late according to our schedule | | | | night shelter at the office of the |
| to reach Kilinochchi.We had to arrange | | | | Palestinian rebels.I returned to one of the |
| accommodation for more than twenty-five | | | | lodgings, where the students were staying and |
| persons.I was highly worried as there were | | | | got into the room, which had a mosquito net, |
| fifteen German nationals, and they would | | | | which became available, as the couple had |
| expect reasonable accommodation for the | | | | found room at the Political Wing.I was a |
| night.When we reached Kilinochchi it was | | | | little worried staying in my room because of |
| early night.We went to meet LTTE’s | | | | my German friends. Would they have any |
| media spokesman who was coordinating our | | | | misgivings about me?So, I knocked at their |
| mission in the LTTE-controlled areas.He was | | | | room doors, but got no response from them.The |
| startled at the number of people on our | | | | exhausting day-long journey had overcome them |
| mission.He asked his subordinates to look | | | | with deep slumber. |
| around for places to accommodate us.Visiting | | | | |