Our release a miracle says escaped pow

Our release from LTTE clutches is really a miracle. There are no words to express our joy, G. H. Chaminda Kumara Hewage of the Sri Lanka Navy who was among the five servicemen freed after three years in LTTE custody told the Daily News.

"On November 9, 2006 there was a threat of an LTTE attack on the Green Ocean ship. We became captives when we went to defend the ship.

"On that day we went in a Dvora gun boat. We had to abandon it due to an engine failure. LTTE boats surrounded us; we jumped into the sea and started swimming. But it was a useless effort.

"We were taken prisoners by the LTTE and conducted to the LTTE Peace Secretariat and handed over to Pulidevan. He extracted our personal information and handed us over to the LTTE police chief Nadesan and we were in custody at Kanakapuram LTTE cell. Even the ICRC intervened on behalf of us, Nadesan said we will be freed after an inquiry.

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