aluthgama report final

not help him. He had gone once more and he was told “Malli, these are things that you
created, so sort it out yourselves.” (Malli Umbalah karagaththu deval umbalabala ganilla.)
Later when the mobs had left and the fire had been put out they had moved the women and
children to the mosque. After they left, the house had been broken into, cupboards opened
and money and jewellery taken.
In the burnt house and shop, the mob had gathered clothes and books and other inflammatory
material, placed them in the middle of a room and set them on fire. Movable goods of
value—including a new washing machine that was still in its packing --were carried off. The
photocopy machine and scanner in the shop were destroyed with axes. One of the affected
persons made a remark that we were to hear often on our visits - “Meka mankolla kamak,
jathi vadayak nevey.” “This is highway robbery – there is nothing ethnic/religious about
this.”
A retired government official who lived in the area stated the following:
The curfew was in force. And also, when the house on the other side of the road was
being set on fire, the STF was going on bikes. I showed them, that they were burning
the house. Even before that, when the incidents were starting, the STF went by in a
vehicle. But, they didn’t take any notice. Even the police were not bothered. After
everything was over, our Sinhala neighbors came and said that we have lived here for
52 years and never had any problems and they were feeling bad. I am now 55 years.
(He also stated that it was with the help of neighbours that he was able to put out the fire.)
Another individual recounted the manner in which the STF visited their houses after the
violence had broken out and told them to go to the mosque, that they would provide security
to the houses. The STF persons had said they were not able to guarantee the security of the
individuals but that they would protect the houses. Therefore the people had left for the
mosque. When they returned and saw their destroyed houses they felt that they had been
duped into clearing the area so that the mobs could have a free hand to loot their valuables
and burn their homes.
Speaking of the looting this person said,
We had collected some jewelry for our daughter’s wedding and there was a nine
sovereign chain made for her. All that jewelry was looted by them. And, there were
some ceramic sets from abroad. They have taken half of that lot and the remainder
they have smashed and broken and thrown on the floor. There was an alpha safe,
where we kept our valuables. They have broken that open and taken the things.
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