Shaveen Jeewandara

Standing tall like an oasis in the middle of the harsh landscapes of the East is thethoppigala Heritage Park where one of the most significant battles of Eelam War 1V was fought . reports

The road past Valaichchenai to Thoppigala is a dusty, beaten track flanked by vast expanses of russet paddy fields, dotted by the occasional palm tree. Everything else is a crisp shade of brown owing to the unforgiving heat, but the villagers who pass by on their bicycles with towering stacks of firewood are full of smiles. The war which cast a pall on the area is no more - in its place are glimpses of opportunity, as the people begin to find a foothold in life.

The path to Thoppigala -the LTTE’s last stronghold in the East- is now open to those who are willing to explore its rich biodiversity. With the recent opening of the ‘Thoppigala Heritage Park’-a collective effort of Dilmah Conservation and the Sri Lanka Army’s Eastern Commandmuch emphasis has been placed on conservation and tourism in the area.

Located some 40 km north-west of Batticaloa, Thoppigala was a much talked about landmark, due to its strategic importance in Eelam War IV. Being the last Tamil Tiger stronghold to fall after troops penetrated the thick jungle, Thoppigala is symbolic of a great victory.

“The initial concept was to create a monument that would commemorate the valiant soldiers who laid down their lives during the capture of Thoppigala, but at the same time we wanted to take a holistic approach in honouring all those were caught up in the conflict, including the civilian populations,” said a Director at Dilmah, Dilhan Fernando. “The final outcome that we had in mind was to empower livelihood development and help the people of the area resurface from an almost unimaginable state of limbo, while striking a balance between the biodiversity and humanitarian aspects.”

Thus was born the ‘Thoppigala Heritage Park’ standing tall like an oasis in the middle of the harsh landscapes of the East watched over by the Army’s 232 Brigade. Brigade Commander, Brigadier Sena Waduge updates us on the recent happenings in the area. Now the ‘terrorism’ is by wild elephants who seem to be strategically uprooting gunny bags and embankments put up by the Army. “It’s almost like we should consult them before building anything,” laughs Brigadier Waduge.

At Alioluwa Junction, lies the mag- nificent Thoppigala Monument, considered the biggest in Sri Lanka, constructed with financial assistance from Dilmah Conservation. The concept of the four giant boulders signify the forces involved in the fight till victory, while an artistic representation of lines represent peace emanating from the motherland.

The Sri Lanka Army provided the labour for its construction under the supervision of Security Forces Commander-East, Lal Perera, 23 Divisional Commander, Brigadier Athula Kodippili, and 232 Brigade Commander Sena Waduge, while Nihal Bodhinayake Associates extended the architectural assistance.

The park also has both holiday bungalows and a campsite. On the way to the campsite, large structures loom above the line of shrub forest - the information centre of the ‘Thoppigala Heritage Park’.

The information centre houses a series of models that depicts the various stages of the battles that unfolded in these areas. Informative panels on either side house descriptions of the weapons used in combat - the ingenious explosive devices used by the LTTE such as the 360 radius claymore mine, and the notorious Johnny Batta are displayed.

Also displayed is information of the area’s biodiversity with a strong message of conservation. Thoppigala has four of the 14 different ecosystems found in Sri Lanka; the Dry Mixed Evergreen forest with trees such as Palu, Burutha, Weera and Halmilla, the Dry Riverine Evergreen forest with terrestrial vegetation by the river, the Sparse and Open forest, with flourishing kohomba (margosa) and Ehela trees, and also the Dry Patana Grassland which is home to many types of grasses.

“We have initiated a replanting process where over 20,000 indigenous trees have been planted while a twin objective was achieved by planting cash crops such as cashew so that the villagers can have a sustainable livelihood,” explained Dilhan Fernando.

The track that leads to the camping site is through grass chest high and thick trees- a typical dry-zone habitat.