Day Nine: On the road again: Jaffna to Dambulla

On our morning perambulations Jan and I would often find tiny Hindu temples tucked away in the back streets and today was no exception.

 We loved these beautiful scarves tied on the tree out the front of this simple community temple.

We had been intrigued by tall windowless buildings in every large Hindu temple we found. Sid had told us they were carriage houses for storing special carriages used for parading gods in holy processions as we had seen at the Nallur Temple in Jaffna. Today we were thrilled to get an up close look at an exquisite golden carriage at one of the larger Hindu temples we found on a back road.

After we finished pounding the Jaffna streets for the last time, avoiding annoying stray dogs and the occasional cow, we had a last breakfast in the Hotel. The staff had been great, so we took photos and thanked them profusely (and left tip money to be shared of course). They thought we were very peculiar as some of our food combinations seemed a little strange to them.

For example, any time we ordered a Sri Lankan omelet, or eggs of any type, we requested green or red coconut sambal, which is usually served with Sri Lankan breakfasts. After a couple of days, they just gave us a big bowl of both to share rather than tiny individual bowls. I'm sure that combination will appear on their menu soon.

In this photo my breakfast was dosa pancakes and you can see the cool green sambal and the spicy red sambal. The other two dishes are lentil dahl and coconut gravy. A great breakfast!

In the restaurant we met an Australian Sri Lankan woman who hadn't been home to Jaffna for 41 years (she most likely migrated just as the Civil War erupted). She had brought her daughter to Sri Lanka for the first time. I was intrigued when I asked her whether Jaffna had changed much, expecting her to say that it had (as you would with most towns anywhere). Instead, she said that little had changed except for a few Hotels. Clearly the years of the War and the lack of investment and slow recovery has delayed change in Jaffna.

After loading the van, we perused a couple of craft and religious shops and managed to buy the scary evil spirit masks. They are specific to Jaffna. Combined with a string of limes, chillies and leaves they are considered to be very powerful. Clearly based on some very ancient beliefs much older than the current faiths.

It was a long 6-hour drive to Dambulla in central Sri Lanka so snacks, loo stops and some naps seemed to be the order of the day. I'm always happy to just stare out the window and absorb the landscape.

As we progressed along the flat countryside with rice fields and swamplands surrounding us, the waterbirds increased and we saw some large kites flying overhead. They seemed to be waiting for some fish snacks from the local fisherman.

We crossed over a large bridge which connected the mainland and a peninsula, built by the British. It reduces the road trip from Jaffna to Colombo by one hundred kilometres. 

Then we drove through an area of jungle past the no-fire zone where many atrocities of war took place. Both sides had used landmines to inflict damage on the other side: many were cluster bombs designed to do the maximum amount of damage. Although they have all been cleared, it was a grim reminder of the War. Apparently if we had come a few years earlier we would have seen roadsides littered with bombed-out vehicles.

Finally, we drove to the Nandikadal Beach to see where the last battle of the Civil War took place in May 2009.

In the fourth and last phase of the War, the LTTE had been declining due to their growing international reputation as a terrorist organisation, heavy losses to the military, internal splits and the lack of support from the Tamils they served, in response to the constant violent battles of the war.  Life in the north became untenable for Tamils in response to the conflict itself, but also because of kidnappings and abuse by the LTTE. Many fled the War and ended up in camps run by the UN and Red Cross in order to protect themselves from danger inflicted from both sides. They became IDPs - Internally Displaced Persons - and were forced to tolerate conditions ranging from open-air shelters to highly restrictive 'internment ' or 'concentration camps' controlled by the military. The Government-run camps were the most restrictive and were often called 'closed' camps as those inside were not permitted to leave and were housed in questionable humanitarian conditions. Tin huts, tents, limited food and high security contributed to the harsh conditions. It's thought that 300,000 people were housed in this way.

In 2009 conflicts had escalated and the diminished LTTE were hiding in the jungle whilst Government soldiers herded many of the Tamil population from camp to camp. 

Finally in May 2009 the Government soldiers drove hundreds of thousands of Tamil families toward the sea at the Nanthi  beach. To get there many had to swim the Nandikadal Lagoon in order to reach the No Fire Zone, and many were drowned or gunned down. The LTTE members removed their military fatigues and attempted to blend in with the Tamil population and to use them as human shields. The Government soldiers were indiscriminate about who they shot, so many innocent Tamils died. Those who made it across the Lagoon or through the jungle were stuck on the Beach for four to five weeks without any resources, food or shelter and the Government snipers were running rife, killing randomly. Without any capacity to make boats no one could escape to India which was not far away.

It's estimated that 400-500 hundred thousand people were involved and 70,000 were killed, however the exact numbers are not known. The Government released a statement stating that 10,000 people were involved. Four large mass graves sites have been found nearby and are being investigated.

Prabhakaran's body was found in the lagoon with his cyanide pill missing, so it was thought he committed suicide when he realised he was doomed. With his death the LTTE was lost and the War ended. Although the defeat of the LTTE was apparently accompanied by further genocidal massacres of Tamils, and the deaths of many Sinhalese who had attempted to protect them.

To this day there are Tamils who have been imprisoned under the PTA - Prevention of Terrorism Act - who have never been charged or convicted of any crime.

 

All these years later, we passed the large blue lagoon and stood on the beach. It's hard to believe such a shocking event occurred on what is now a beautiful stretch of golden sand stretching for kilometres. The beach is fringed by palm trees and a beautiful blue ocean. Just the sort of beach to enjoy on a hot day. The history seems unreal when you just stand there enjoying the sunshine and clean air of this beautiful serene location. 

We were on a mission to get to Dambulla for the night, on our way to Koslanda, so we left somewhat sobered by the thought of the sorrow that occurred here. It makes you reflect on the impact of a brutal war when the North and all of the Tamil people have been affected personally, through the death of loved ones and the loss of a homeland.

We stopped at a small town for a squat loo stop, tea and snacks. (Good thing we had been practicing our squats for just such an event!). 

A small shop looked promising as a guy was making parathas out the front from scratch.

 Somehow all of the cups of tea arrived with sugar despite requesting none, and we snacked on some savoury pasties filled with potatoes, eggs and veggies that were deep fried and tasty.

We do cause a bit of a stir when we arrive, particularly in small remote towns. We smile and say hello but we get varying responses from amazement to confusion to huge grins.

There was an elderly couple eating lunch at a table next to ours with very stern foreboding faces, but when I smiled and nodded they both smiled back and nodded. No English, which is common in rural towns but we still communicated .....well sort of!

After heading off again we headed down a dirt track towards a military compound to see Prabhakaran's house. The jungle on either side of the track was some of the thickest jungle I've ever seen: many saplings close together entwined with vines and lots of bushy undergrowth. This landscape explained how the LTTE soldiers dressed in camouflage could completely disappear within a few metres from the tracks, and survive undetected in the jungle for years.

We stopped at an Army camp to discover that Prabhakaran's house, which should have been just inside the Army gate, had been destroyed. All that remained was the iron gate! The Army are moving out and are clearly reluctant to leave the house as a possible monument to the LTTE, as suggested by the diaspora of Tamils spread across the world. 

The closing of this camp is an example of the return of military land for other purposes: the Department of Wildlife will be managing this land into the future. Whilst the Government claims they have returned 80-85% of land held since the end of the Civil War many communities dispute these claims, particularly in the Tamil homeland region. It's a very contentious issue apparently.

As we headed southward from the Tamil homelands, the landscape changed from swampy lowlands with few trees, to green countryside and even a few hills. The quality of the housing improved, and the towns dotted along the way seemed busy and more prosperous than further north.

With one drink/loo stop at one of these towns and plenty of 'nourishment' from the sack of snacks we endeavoured to stay awake and pass the time. Udaya's ability to just keep driving for hours is remarkable, and his capacity to weave in and out avoiding any sort of vehicles (sometimes breathtakingly close!) has kept us safe for many kilometres.

We were happy to see the Jetwings Lake hotel at Dambulla by early evening. Situated overlooking a lake surrounded by rocky outcrops it was certainly an isolated and beautiful location. Its style is modern and the decor minimalist. 

The restaurant is open air and large, and we welcomed a cool breeze that blew in from the Lake. The buffet dinner seemed the best idea as the choices were vast, and our capacity to make too many decisions limited.

It included selecting from a chilled room for salads, and more importantly a chilled room filled with DESSERTS. My idea of heaven! The highlight was the warm ginger pudding made with fresh ginger and served with vanilla sauce. And of course there were the usual endless choices: coconut creme caramel, petit fours, chocolate mousse, fresh fruit, ice cream etc.

Although it was dark, the pool looked very inviting as we peered at it from the balcony of our room. But as we were only staying overnight, we didn't get a chance to use it.

After a 'busy' day of mostly sitting in the van, we were exhausted and off to bed early.

But for all of us, after the experiences we had today, it's clear that we are so lucky to live in Australia where civil war has never occurred.  

your blessed correspondent

Dianne