aluthgama report final

newly built house gifted to my daughter. There were 7 almirahs, only a broken steel
cabinet was left behind. They have taken the hall settees too. They have robbed my
daughter’s jewellery and cash.
I will show you the bathroom, they have removed the bathroom fittings as well.
(Showing the bathroom and backyard of the house, where the 6 or 7 sewing machines
were destroyed.)
They were in full uniform. They were wearing boots and helmets. They were well
armed; we were not able to do anything to them.
A woman from Adhikarigoda
It was 6.30 in the evening on 15 th June, Sunday and we were having our evening
prayers. We heard people shouting “thambilla, thambilla”. Then my brother came and
told us that there was a Sinhala mob coming to attack us. When we heard them
shouting, we stopped the prayers halfway and ran towards the mosque. We didn’t take
any of the things or cash, we just ran away. We went to the house up on the hill there.
By around 6.45 or 7 o’ clock in the evening we heard houses being ransacked and
people being attacked.
They came inside the house and took all the furniture that was there in the front room,
like the settees and chairs, in a vehicle. They come inside the rooms, opened the
almirah and took cash of 1½ lacks and 10 gold sovereigns. The rest of the things they
set on fire. (She is showing the remaining things in an almirah) There was a LCD TV,
sewing machine, and a large study table. They put everything together and set fire to
them.
After that, the riots which started at 6.30, between the Sinhalese and Muslims went on
till 11 ‘o clock at night. The Muslims were totally unprepared for this attack. The
attackers were wearing helmets and boots. They had arrack bottles filled with petrol.
They lit these bottles and threw it onto the roofs of the houses. We women were alone
as our men had gone somewhere and were unable to return.
We called the police and STF and informed them. But, till 11 O’ clock none of them
come. The STF came around 6.30 in the evening, and then our youths told them about
the rising tension in the area. But they were told - ‘all of you fight and die, we are
not bothered’ and then they left. After that, for about 5 hours they did not answer to
any of our calls nor did they come. After everything was over, our brother appeared
from somewhere. By that time they had burnt all the houses.
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