Massacres of Tamils 1956 - 2001 :Part I
Introduction
The State sponsored violence against the Tamil people in the island of Sri Lanka
After a two year lull, the violent campaign by the military was re-launched
in 2004. This report documents a selected number the massacres prior to the
signing of the ceasefire agreement in 2002. Recording the massacres carried out
since 2004 will be a separate project.
Each of the selected massacres is described briefly. The
circumstances surrounding the massacre and an eyewitness account is provided
where ever possible. It is important to remember that the eye witnesses only report
what they saw. In reality one eye witness sees only a small part of the larger
atrocity that is planned and carried out by the State forces.
A map is also included in the description of each massacre
pinpointing the exact location of the incident. In many instances the local
people remember the massacre by building a monument for those killed. Pictures of
some of these monuments are also included in the pages. Names of
those killed included in the last pages – (Page192 – Page237).
In order to report on the true context of each massacre a more in
depth study requiring time and resources that currently the war torn Tamil community
does not have is needed. Such an intensive task must be undertaken in the near
future in order to set straight the distorted recent history of this island.
Two such studies have been published by NESOHR. One is on the Mandaithivu
disappearance in 1990 and the other is on the Piramanthanaru massacre. They can
be downloaded from the NESOHR website. It is fair to say that even these
reports are not complete in that it has not reported on each and every
disappearance and killing by the State forces in that particular massacre. Such
is the scale and cruelty of the State’s violations.
What follows is only a small step towards shining light on the
blacked out human rights history of the Tamil people in the island of Sri Lanka
Background
As the instances of large scale massacres reported in this book demonstrates,
Tamil were subjected to ethnic cleansing by the Sri Lankan State long before a
single shot was fired by a Tamil militant against the Sri Lankan State’s armed
forces. Massacres were only a part of the ethnic cleansing program carried out
by the Sri Lankan State against the Tamils.
Huge swaths of land that traditionally belonged to the Tamils were
settled by Sinhala people who were brought there from far away places in the Sinhala
areas. Tamils were disenfranchised en masse and stripped of their language
rights. The list goes on. The problems came to the fore after the British
colonial powers withdrew from the island in 1948 giving it a unitary
constitution. In effect this constitution handed over the power to the Sinhala
majority. It is this unitary constitution and the power in the hands of the
Sinhalese that lead to the unrestrained violence against the Tamils and large
scale violations of their basic human rights.
The island was under three consecutive colonial rulers the
Portuguese, Dutch and the British since the 16th century. Documented history
during these three periods reveals that the colonial rulers maintained a
separation of the Tamil and Sinhala communities in their administrative
systems.
This separation was eventually eroded by the final constitution
left by the last colonial ruler, Britain India
This was soon followed by the ‘Sinhala only’ Language Act that
made the Tamil speaking people stripped of their right to use their language in
their jobs, in their courts, and in their communications with the State. The sense
of alienation from the State was further intensified when Tamils were faced
with discrimination in education and jobs as well.
Since the British left the island, Tamil political representatives
have negotiated with successive governments to draw up new models of governance
that will give some powers to the Tamil areas to manage their own affairs.
However, the two major political parties that dominated the politics of the
Sinhala people fed on the anti-Tamil sentiments of the Sinhala people to gain
votes among them. In other words whenever the party in power came to a
negotiated agreement with Tamil representatives for power sharing, the Sinhala
party in opposition would whip up the animosity of the Sinhala people against
the Tamils forcing the party in power to abrogate the agreement.
This violence, land grab, discrimination and abrogated agreements
lead the Tamil youth of the 1970’s to take up arms to fight for the independence
of Tamileelam. The thirty year history since the armed struggle was launched by
the Tamil youth for an independent Tamileelam is also scattered with many peace
negotiations between the Sri Lankan Government and the Tamil political and
militant groups. All of them also broke down due to the intransigence of the
Sinhala leaders and their polity. The
struggle by the Tamils for self determination continues.
The history of the Tamil and Sinhala people prior to the arrival
of the colonial powers more than 500 years ago, is marred in controversy. At
the root of this confusion is a Sinhala Buddhist text called Mahavamsa, written
about 600 years ago. Early western historians, in the absence of any other
evidence, taking much of this text to be true, propagated theories based on
them. This text was further reinterpreted in the 20th century by
Buddhist revivalists. In their reinterpretation the Tamil presence in the
island was relegated as late coming invaders and it also elevated the Sinhala
people as the rightful owners of the island. This has had profound effect on
the thinking of the contemporary Sinhala people leading to their intransigence
to share power with the Tamils.
Recent archeological research in the Tamil homeland has thrown
much light on the presence of a civilization in this island several millenniums
ago and predating the arrival of Buddhism in this island. This archeological
evidence show much in common with what has been unearthed in Tamilnadu in India
However, there is no doubt that the Tamil and Sinhala peoples
lived in this island for several thousand years.
Method of Data Collection
The data collection project was started after the signing of the
ceasefire agreement in 2002 which allowed relatively free access to all areas
of Northeast. The questioner used to collect data is a table printed over both
sides of a large sheet of paper with 21 columns in it. Data on each affected
person is entered in one row.
The columns in the table are,
1) Row number; 2) Full name of informant; 3) Full name of affected
person; 4) Relationship to informant; 5) Age of the affected person at the time
of incident; 6)Sex; 7) Permanent address; 8) Temporary address; 9)Location of
incident; 10)Year of incident; 11)Occupation of the affected person at the time
of incident; 12) Number of dependents on the affected person under the age of
18 at that time; 13) Incident on Land or Sea; 14) In what form the person is
affected; 15) What type of violence was used; 16) Offender; 17) Occasion of
arrest; 18) Occasion of disappearance; 19) Type of limb lost; 20) Other type of
injury; 21) Notes.
Data collectors were employed on contract basis. A university
graduate was appointed as the coordinator for each district. Permission was obtained
from the District Secretariat (Kachcheri) and the help of the Grama Sevakar was
sought to ensure all households were covered. In addition, the team for each
village had at least one person from that village as additional method of
ensuring no household in the village is missed in the data collection.
In addition to collecting the above data affidavits were collected
from families where the affected person has either died or disappeared.
A word of caution to the readers
Large scale displacement had taken place among the Tamil community
since the late 1970’s. The data collection based on which this report is
written did not include those who have moved to places outside Northeast, many
of whom are in fact living as refugees in other countries.
Also missing are information about families that were killed en
masse because no one is left in the villages to report about them.Given
these two shortcomings in the data collection, what is described in this report
is not a complete document about the large scale massacres of Tamil people
committed by the SLAFs prior to the 2002 ceasefire agreement.
1. Our Resolve 03
2. Complaint to UN Security Council 05
3. Tamil Massacres from 1956-2001 18
4. Introduction
Massacres
1. Inginiyakala massacre [05.06.1956 ] 29
2. 1958 pogrom 30
3. Tamil research conference massacre ‐10.01.1974 31
4. 1977 communal pogrom 32
5. 1981 communal pogrom 33
6. Burning of the Jaffna
7. 1983 communal pogrom 35
8. Thirunelveli massacre ‐ 24, 25.07.1983 38
9. Sampalthoddam massacre ‐ 1984 39
10. Chunnakam Police station massacre ‐08.01.1984 40
11. Chunnakam market massacre ‐ 28.03.1984 40
12. Mathawachchi – Rampawa ‐ September 1984 41
13. Point Pedro – Thikkam massacre ‐ 16.09.1984 41
14. Othiyamalai massacre ‐ 01.12.1984 42
15. Kumulamunai massacre ‐ 02.12.1984 43
16. Cheddikulam massacre ‐ 02.12.1984 44
17. Manalaru massacre ‐ 03.12.1984 44
18. Blood soaked Mannar ‐ 04.12.1984 45
19. Kokkilai‐Kokkuthoduvai massacre ‐ 15.12.1984 46
20. Vankalai church massacre ‐ 06.01.1986 46
21. Mulliyavalai massacre ‐ 16.01.1985 47
22. Vaddakandal massacre ‐ 30.01.1985 49
23. Puthukkidiyiruppu Iyankovilady massacre 21.04.1985 50
24. Trincomalee massacres in 1985 51
25. Valvai‐85 massacre 10.05.1985 53
26. Kumuthini Boat massacre 15.05.1985 53
27. Kiliveddi massacre in 1985 55
28. Thiriyai massacre ‐ 08.06.1985 57
29. Sampaltivu ‐ 04 to 09.08.1985 58
30. Veeramunai massacre ‐ 20.06.1990 58
31. Nilaveli massacre 16.09.1985 63
32. Piramanthanaru massacre ‐ 02.10.1985 64
33. Kanthalai‐85 massacre ‐ 09.11.1985 67
34. Muthur Kadatkaraichenai ‐ 08, 09, 10.11.1985 67
35. Periyapullumalai massacre in 1986 67
36. Kilinochchi Railway Station massacre ‐ 25.01.1986 68
37. Udumbankulam massacre ‐ 19.02.1985 69
38. Vayaloor massacre ‐ 24.08.1985 70
39. Eeddimurinchan massacre ‐ 19, 20.03.1986 73
40. Anandapuram shelling ‐ 04.06.1986 74
41. Kanthalai‐86 massacre ‐ 04, 05.06. 1986 74
42. Mandaithivu sea massacre ‐ 10.06.1986 75
43. Seruvila massacre ‐ 12.06.1986 75
44. Thambalakamam massacres ‐ 1985, 1986 76
45. Paranthan farmer’s massacre ‐ 28.06.1986 77
46. Peruveli refugee camp massacre ‐ 15.07.1986 77
47. Thanduvan bus massacre ‐ 17.07.1986 79
48. Mutur Manalchenai massacre ‐ 18.07. 1986 80
49. Adampan massacre ‐ 12.10.1986 80
50. Periyapandivrichchan massacre ‐ 15.10.1986 82
51. Kokkadichcholai‐87 massacre ‐ 28.01.1987 82
52.
Paddithidal massacre ‐ 26.04.1987 84
53.
Thonithiddamadu massacre ‐ 27.05.1987 86
54.
Alvai temple shelling ‐ 29.05.1987 86
55. Eastern University massacre ‐ 23.05.1990 87
56. Sammanthurai massacre ‐ 10.06.1990 87
57. Xavierpuram massacre ‐ 07.08.1990 87
58. Siththandy massacre ‐ 20, 27.07.1990 90
59. Paranthan junction massacre ‐ 24.07.1990 91
60. Poththuvil massacre ‐ 30.07.1990 92
61. Tiraikerny massacre ‐ 06.08.1990 93
62. Kalmunai massacre ‐ 11.08.1990 96
63. Thuranilavani massacre ‐ 12.08.1990 97
64. Eravur hospital massacre ‐ 12.08.1990 97
65. Koraveli massacre 14.08.1990 98
66. Nelliyadi market bombing ‐ 29.08.1990 98
67. Eravur massacre ‐ 10.10.1990 99
68. Saththurukkondan massacre ‐ 09.09.1990 100
69. Natpiddymunai massacre ‐ 10.09.1990 101
70. Vantharamullai‐90 massacre ‐ 05, 23,09,1990 102
71. Mandaithivu disappearances ‐ 23.08.1990,
25.09.1990 105
72. Oddisuddan bombing ‐ 27.11.1990 109
73. Puthukkudiyiruppu junction bombing 109
74. Vankalai massacre ‐ 17.02.1991 110
75. Vaddakkachchi bombing ‐ 28.02.1991 111
76. Vantharumoolai ‐ 09.06.1991 112
77. Kokkadichcholai‐91 massacre ‐ 12.06.1991 112
78. Pullumalai massacre ‐ 1983‐1990 113
79. Kinniyadi massacre ‐ 12.07.1991 116
80. Akkarayan hospital massacre ‐ 15.07.1997 116
81. Uruthrapuram bombing ‐ 04.02.1991 117
82. Karapolla‐Muthgalla massacre ‐
29.04.1992 118
83. Vattrapalai shelling ‐ 18.05.1992 118
84. Thellipalai temple bombing ‐ 30.05.1992 119
85. Mailanthai massacre ‐ 09.08.1992 119
86. Kilali massacre ‐1992, 1993 120
87. Maaththalan bombing ‐ 18.09.1993 122
88. Chavakachcheri‐Sangaththanai bombing ‐ 28.09.1993 123
89. Kokuvil temple massacre & bombing ‐ 29.09.1993 124
90. Kurunagar church bombing ‐ 13.11.1993 124
91. Chundikulam‐94 massacre ‐ 18.02.1994 124
92. Navali church massacre ‐ 09.07.1995 125
93. Nagarkovil bombing ‐ 22.05.1995 126
94. Chemmani mass graves in 1996 127
95. Kilinochchi town massacre ‐ 1996‐1998 129
96. Kumarapuram massacre ‐ 11.02.1996 129
97. Nachchikuda strafing ‐ 16.03.1996 130
98. Thambirai market bombing ‐ 17.05.1996 131
99. Mallavi bombing ‐ 24.07.1996 131
100. Pannankandy massacre ‐ 05.07.1997 132
101. Kaithady Krishanthi massacre ‐ 07.09.1996 134
102. Vavunikulam massacre ‐ 26‐09‐1996, 15‐08‐1997 136
103. Konavil bombing ‐ 27.09.1996 137 104. Mullivaikal bombing ‐ 13.05.1997 137
105. Mankulam shelling ‐ 08.06.1997 138
106. Thampalakamam massacre ‐ 01.02.1998 138
107. Old Vaddakachchi bombing ‐ 26.03.1998 138
108. Suthanthirapuram massacre ‐ 10.06.1998 139
109. Visuvamadhu shelling ‐ 25.11.1998 140
110. Chundikulam‐98 bombing 02.12.1998 140
111. Manthuvil bombing ‐ 15.09.1999 141
112. Palinagar bombing and shelling ‐ 03.09.1999 141
113. Madhu church massacre ‐ 20.11.1999 142
114. Bindunuwewa massacre 143
115. Mirusuvil massacre ‐ 19.12.2000 146
Names of those killed
1. Tamil research conference massacre ‐10.01.1974………… 147
2. Thirunelveli massacre ‐24, 25.07.1983
3. Chunnakam Police station massacre ‐ 08.01.1984
4. Chunnakam market massacre ‐ 28.03.1984
5. Othiyamalai massacre ‐ 01.12.1984
6. Kumulamunai massacre ‐ 02.12.1984
7. Blood soaked Mannar ‐ 04.12.1984
8. Mulliyavalai massacre ‐ 16.01.1985
9. Vaddakandal massacre ‐ 30.01.1985
10. Udumbankulam massacre ‐ 19.02.1985
11. Puthukkidiyiruppu Iyankovilady massacre ‐ 21.04.1985
12. Kumuthini Boat massacre 15.05.1985
13. Nilaveli massacre 16.09.1985
14. Piramanthanaru massacre ‐ 02.10.1985
15. Vankalai church massacre ‐ 06.01.1986
16. Thambalakamam massacres ‐ 1985, 1986
17. Kilinochchi Railway Station massacre ‐ 25.01.1986
18. Eeddimurinchan massacre ‐ 19, 20.03.1986
19. Anandapuram shelling ‐ 04.06.1986
20. Mandaithivu sea massacre ‐ 10.06.1986
21. Paranthan farmer’s massacre ‐ 28.06.1986
22. Thanduvan bus massacre ‐ 17.07.1986
23. Adampan massacre ‐
12.10.1986
24. Periyapandivrichchan massacre ‐ 15.10.1986
25. Kokkadichcholai‐87 massacre ‐ 28.01.1987
26. Paddithidal massacre ‐ 26.04.1987
27. Alvai temple shelling ‐ 29.05.1987
28. Sammanthurai massacre ‐ 10.06.1990
29. Veeramunai massacre ‐ 20.06.1990
30. Paranthan junction massacre ‐ 24.07.1990
31. Poththuvil massacre ‐ 30.07.1990
32. Tiraikerny massacre ‐ 06.08.1990
33. Nelliyadi market bombing ‐ 29.08.1990
34. Natpiddymunai massacre ‐ 10.09.1990
35. Vantharamullai‐90 massacre ‐ 05, 23,09,1990
36. Saththurukkondan massacre ‐ 09.09.1990
37. Mandaithivu disappearances ‐ 23.08.1990, 25.09.1990
38. Oddisuddan bombing ‐ 27.11.1990
39. Puthukkudiyiruppu junction bombing ‐ 30‐01‐1991
40. Uruthrapuram bombing ‐ 04.02.1991
41. Vankalai massacre ‐ 17.02.1991
42. Vaddakkachchi bombing ‐ 28.02.1991
43. Vattrapalai shelling ‐ 18.05.1992
44. Thellipalai temple bombing ‐ 30.05.1992
45. Kilali massacre ‐1992, 1993
46.
Maaththalan bombing ‐ 18.09.1993
47. Chavakachcheri‐Sangaththanai bombing ‐ 28.09.1993
48. Kurunagar church bombing ‐ 13.11.1993
49. Chundikulam‐94 massacre ‐ 18.02.1994
50. Navali church massacre ‐ 09.07.1995
51. Nagarkovil bombing ‐ 22.09.1995
52. Nachchikuda strafing ‐ 16.03.1996
53. Thambirai market bombing ‐ 17.05.1996
54. Mallavi bombing ‐ 24.07.1996
55. Pannankandy massacre ‐ 05.07.1997
56. Kaithady Krishanthi massacre ‐ 07.09.1996
57. Vavunikulam massacre ‐ 26‐09‐1996, 15‐08‐1997
58. Konavil bombing ‐ 27.09.1996
59. Mullivaikal bombing ‐ 13.05.1997
60. Mankulam shelling ‐ 08.06.1997
61. Thampalakamam‐98 massacre ‐ 01.02.1998
62. Old Vaddakachchi bombing ‐ 26.03.1998
63. Suthanthirapuram massacre ‐ 10.06.1998
64. Visuvamadhu shelling ‐ 25.11.1998
65. Palinagar bombing and shelling ‐ 10.06.1998
66. Manthuvil bombing ‐ 15.09.1999
67. Madhu church massacre ‐ 20.11.1999
68.
Mirusuvil massacre ‐ 19.12.2000...................................... 207
1. Inginiyakala massacre 05.06.1956
In the 1940s, the Minister of Agriculture at that time created
several Sinhala settlements in the Amparai district using state
funds. The minister created the Galoya development scheme in the Amparai
district and the Kantalai and Allai development scheme in the Trincomalee district
and brought
Sinhala settlers for these schemes from other districts. They were
given several incentives. Police and military protection were given as well.
Buddhist temples were built and big bells were fixed to these temples. An
arbitrary declaration was made that wherever the ringing of these bells could
be heard are lands belonging to Sinhala Buddhist people. In this land grab,
land belonging to Tamils and Muslims were confiscated.Thikavabi is a Sinhala
settlement created in this manner. In the parliamentary elections of 1956, S W
R D Bandaranayake was elected as the new prime minister. He submitted to the parliament the Sinhala
Only law which was
his campaign promise.
The main Tamil political party of that time decided to protest
this law peacefully. On 05.06.1956, it launched a Satyagragha protest in front
of the old parliament building in the Gale Face beach in Colombo Colombo
The book “Emergency 58” by Tarzi Vittachi stated that 150 Tamils
were killed in this pogrom.
2. 1958 pogrom
In 1956, a peaceful protest by Tamils in Colombo
In May 1958, plans were ahead for one of the Tamil Political Party
conference to be held in Vavuniya. Tamils traveling by train from Batticaloa
and Amparai for the conference were attacked by Sinhala mobs in Polonnaruwa.
Following this incident, further violence against Tamils was let loose
throughout the island.
Women were raped and Tamil property was damaged. A priest was
burnt alive inside his Kathirvelayutha temple in Pananthura. The Sri Lankan
government looked on as the violence against Tamils continued. Many Tamil homes
were set alight. Babies were dropped in hot tar
Well known journalist Tarzi Vittachchi wrote the famous book,
Emergency 58, about this pogramme after he was expelled from the country.More
than 300 Tamils were killed in this pogromme
3. Tamil research conference massacre 10.01.1974
Tamils were preparing on a grand scale to hold a Tamil Research conference
in Jaffna Sri
Lanka at that time did not like holding this Tamil
research conference in Jaffna Colombo
and also in Jaffna
Many researchers who wanted
to travel to Jaffna
The President of the conference organizing committee, Thambaih,
did not like holding the conference in Jaffna Jaffna Jaffna India Jaffna
4. 1977 communal pogrom
In the July 1977 parliamentary elections the United National Party
received a landslide victory capturing 5/6 of the parliamentary seats amounting
to 140 seats. The party that was in government, the SLFP, received only 8
seats. Tamil Alliance group campaigning on an election platform of working
towards an independent Tamil Eelam state won 18 seats by receiving the vast
majority of the Tamil votes.
This was not well received by the Sinhala polity. In was in this
context that the Sri Lankan police in Jaffna Colombo
Tamil Alliance members of parliament raised the violence in
parliament. Yet, the then President in Colombo J R Jayawardhana did not even
declare curfew or emergency. He said that he does not like to rule the country
under an Emergency Regulation.
The Sansoni Commission investigated the 1977 communal violence and
submitted its report in 1980. The Sansoni commission reported that the police
acted irresponsibly during the violence. Sansoni report said that more than 300
civilians were killed during this pogrom. However, statistics collected by
other nongovernmental organizations put the number killed at more than 1500.
These reports also said that many were injured with knife, iron bars, and logs.
The report recommended compensation to the victims. It said, “Incidents which
occurred during the specified period were of such an extreme nature and so
widespread that an exception should be made as regards the payment of compensation”.
The committee appointed by the government on this recommendation to assess the compensation
never sat.
5. 1981 communal pogrom
This pogrom surrounds the events in which the Jaffna Jaffna Jaffna Nachchimar Temple
Following this the police burnt down the large Jaffna
The thugs went into the home of Member of Parliament, Yogeswaran,
and inquired about the location of his house. Realizing what the thugs were
after, Yogeswaran, escaped through the back door with his family. His house was
burnt by the Sinhala thugs. Yogeswaran in a statement published in India Today
of June 1981 said that those who burnt down his house were Sinhalese. The same
thugs burnt down the office of the Tamil Alliance party. Several other homes
and public buildings were set alight.
The Jaffna Jaffna
6. Burning of the Jaffna
The library housed more than 97,000 rare books and was unique in
the entire island. For its time, it was a library well designed for study and
was sought by students and academics as well as by foreign diplomats. On 1 June
1981 at 10.00 pm, all three armed forces of the Sri Lankan government entered
the library premises and chased away the security guard. They broke open the
library door and started burning books. A rare collection of 97,000 books were
burnt in a few minutes. The building was also set alight.
The burning of the Jaffna South Asia must be
engraved as a tragic episode in the human history.
7. 1983 communal pogrom
The precursors
Local government elections were held in the Northern district of
that time in May 1983. This turned out to be a contest between the Tamil
moderate party and the emerging Tamil nationalist sections which boycotted the
elections. 98% of the voters boycotted. Following the elections the Sri Lankan
military which by now has been sent in numbers to Jaffna
The worst hit was Trincomalee where during the month of June 1983,
every day a village was attacked and at least one civilian was murdered by the
military and Sinhala thugs supported by the military On 01.07.1983, many Tamil
Nationalist organizations called a protest against the massacres in
Trincomalee. A train from Colombo Colombo Jaffna
In Colombo
On Sunday 24th of July 1983 several persons boarded public and
private buses in Colombo Colombo
increased intensity throughout Monday. Vehicles driving on the
road were stopped. If the occupants were Tamil they were beaten and sometimes
killed. Thugs with electoral lists in their hands went from house to house,
killing Tamils and burning property owned by Tamils. The electoral lists helped
them to identify Tamil houses. Some Sinhalese people at great risk to their own
safety hid Tamil friends in their houses.
Several eye witnesses including tourists have reported that the
security personnel looked on as the violence was perpetrated. There are reports
that the Army even threatened Police not to harass the rioters. On Monday 25th
of July at 4.00 p.m. the government imposed curfew and this stayed in force
throughout Tuesday the 26th. It was again imposed on 27th from 4.00 p.m. to
5.00 a.m. In spite of the curfew attacks on Tamil people continued through out
this period.
Rest of the island
The communal violence against Tamils was not restricted to Colombo Kandy Colombo Jaffna
Welikade prison massacre
On 25th July Sinhala prisoners attacked and murdered 35 Tamil
detainees in a section of the Welikade prison in Colombo
Armed Sinhala prisoners scaled the walls and appeared in front of
the Youth Ward.Dr. Rajasundaram respected for his tireless work among the
downtrodden sections of the Tamil community was one of the detainees in the
Youth ward. He came forward and pleaded with the attackers to spare them. Door
suddenly opened and Dr Rajasundaram was dragged out and beaten to death. The
rest of the detainees broke the chairs and tables and used it to keep the
attackers at bay.
ICJ report
International Commission of Jurists issued a report on the pogrom.
It was written by Paul Sieghart. This report suggests that the riots of July
1983 began even before the reports of the killing of 13 Sri Lankan soldiers in
a claymore attack in Jaffna
Following is from Paul
Sieghart's report,
``In his address to the nation
on the 5th day of rioting president did not see it fit to utter one single word
of sympathy for the victims of the violence and destruction which he lamented.
If his concern was to reestablish communal harmony in the Island
whose national unity he was anxious to preserve by law that was a misjudgment
of monumental proportions...
But what I find most
extraordinary is that, to this day, there has been no attempt to find out the
truth through an official, public and impartial enquiry, when the situation in
the country cries out for nothing less.''
Casualty figures
Due to the absence of any public inquiry following the riots the
actual number of deaths and the cost of damage to property were never
established. 200,000 Tamils were immediately rendered refugees. Tamil
organizations that have carried out their own survey estimate that nearly 3000
Tamils were killed. All non government reports on the riots came to the
conclusion that the violence was deliberately started by the government and was
carried out through the use of thugs, controlled and organized by members of
the governing United National Party.
References:
• Sri Lanka Sri Lanka
• Detention, Torture and Murder - Sri Lanka
• Sri Lanka
• Race \& Class Vol 26 No 4 1985
8. Thirunelveli massacre 24, 25.07.1983
Thirunelveli comes under the Nallur Assistant Government
Agent Division in the Jaffna
offices are located in Thirunelveli.
On 23.07.1983 at 11.45 am, a Sri Lankan military vehicle on patrol
came under a landmine attack on Palaly
Road Palaly Road
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