Kilinochchi

Had a really good day today. Spent the morning at TRO, Working on my notes. This afternoon I went to the Peace Secretariat of the LTTE and met the Secretary General. I stayed there a couple of hours and we chatted about life during the war and life in the ceasefire. Kilinochchi was taken by the Tigers, then retaken by the Army and then retaken again by the Tigers so there was prolonged heavy fighting here. Most of the town that exists today was built since the ceasefire as everything was previously destroyed. We talked a lot about the work of the TRO during the war and after the war and the causes of the conflict between the Tamils ad the Sinhalese. He agrees with a number of works I have read during my research that the conflict is a recent phenomenon with the seeds sown during the British colonial period. Before I left he presented me with a signed copy of “War & Peace. The armed struggle and peace efforts of Liberation Tigers”.

After that I went for a walk and eventually came to the UNICEF offices. I had a contact here and dropped in on the off-chance. Met a very interesting lady who has been in Kili on and off for 10 years and had a lot to tell me about her time there and also about the way they have worked with TRO and how the organisation has developed over the years.

She was also on holiday in Phuket on Boxing Day 2004 when the Tsunami hit the hotel they were staying in. A very interesting first hand account.

Walked back to TRO office and got a lift back to the house in the truck I came up in.

Sat on the veranda this evening, alone with my solitary light bulb, had dinner, read some of “War and Peace” and listened to Coldplay (have become hooked on Fix You) with a cold glass of water. There is a good breeze this evening and it may be a bit cooler in bed. Will have a shower and retire soon.

Except for the main road through Kili all the roads are dirt tracks and there is dust everywhere. Clothes get filthy really quickly. Might run out at this rate!!!


Enjoy!!!

10:30pm 9/7/2005