German Memories in Asia - The Memorable Moments of Our Tsunami Mission

We were moving fast and in a few minutes we reached the military barrier. We didn't have any difficulty crossing the military and LTTE barriers.


While on our way the kerosene-lit houses made us wonder whether we were in this century or some centuries behind. By the time we reached the Kilinochchi town the German Praktikum (Internship) students were in a sleepy mood.


We stopped at the "Pandyan" restaurant for dinner. We savoured the hospitality of the restaurant during the last two-day stay in Kilinochchi. I was sitting next to Dr. Jayalath and at our table were Fredrike Wagnar, Dietmar Doring and some other German intern students.


Fredrike Wagnar had had stomach up-set for a few days since her visit into the jungle interior. The spicy foods might have caused it. But one cannot rule out that the micro-organisms in the water too might have contributed to it. Some of the micro-organisms in the small ponds were deadly and caused even deaths in the past. Fredrike was using canned mineral water and there was no chance micro-organisms got into her system.


Dr. Jayalath was telling me "why you can't advise her that what she is eating is not good for her". But I kept silent not wanting to spoil her appetite. Though Dr. Jayalath repeatedly asked me to advise her, I refrained.


One could not help watching Fredrike's care and concern at the restaurant garden when she was tending to an infant who was with the mother inside a van. Fredrike extended one of her fingers into the tiny palm, and the infant immediately seized Fredrike's finger as tightly as possible. I noticed Freidke was enjoying those moments. The basic mother-child instinct was reflected in those moments.


We began our departure from Kilinochchi and our vehicles sped along to reach the barriers of the LTTE and Sri Lanka Army. The students were in a drowsy mood. We reached the LTTE barrier in a couple of hours and passed it without difficulty.


We were moving in the no-man-zone, a one-time heavily mined territory. Though at the LTTE barrier a huge board gave warning of land mines, there were casualties. A herd of cattle and wild animals were maimed or killed. Such deadly mines around the world were laid even in deserts. Ironically while the cost to produce a landmine is as little as three US dollars removing it cost much more than thousand US dollars.


We approached the military barrier and again we had to stop for the clearance. The military officers were coming to us in a jovial mood and trying to talk to some of the German students. We couldn't use the usual main highway and had to deviate from it before we joined the highway again. It was likely that the highway could have been mined.


I was worried when the students stepped into the side-ways as though to satisfy an adventurous instinct or may be out of happiness. The landmines issue is a global problem. These deadly landmines kill and maim hundreds of civilians every year in Iraq.


In the Kurdistan territory of Northern Iraq about one person a day steps on a mine. Afghanistan is boasting ironically having the largest industry not other than the de-mining.


We finally cleared from the last barrier of our northern mission and were moving further towards South. Our vehicles in a few minutes drive, stopped near the Vavuniya town once again for having tea break. Vavuniya is the heavily guarded last town in the northern mainland of the Island, which is controlled by the Sri Lankan Government. But the town is under the heavy influence of LTTE.


As it was midnight, and the streets were deserted, We could hardly see people in the streets. Some of the students roamed the streets leisurely. They awed by the eerie atmosphere of the war-ravaged town's calm. We had short eats and tea at one of the few open hotels.


After a while of relax we started our journey once again. We reached a junction in Anuradhapura, an ancient historical city of the Island, where one road led to the hill country and the other towards the western coastal area of the Island.


The time had now come to bid goodbye. I wished them all and when Freidka's turn came I observed that she looked uncomfortable. Her soft nature once again confirmed her emotional reactions.


I got in to Dr. Jayalath's vehicle, which was going to Colombo. Dietmar Doring, students and others were heading towards western direction to Aquarius Sports Resort Hotel in Maravila where the AGSEP in operation.


Our memorable tsunami relief mission had thus come to an end.