Lest We Forget

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Lest we forget – Massacres of Tamils 1956 2002 23. Puthukkidiyiruppu Iyankovilady massacre 21.04.1985 Oddisuddan. Puthukkkudiyiruppu is situated in the Mullaithivu district 20 Kms from Mullaithivu town. On 21.04.1985, SLAFs from Mullaitivu as usual rounded up the village of Puthukkudiyiruppu. Government employees were identified among them and released. People who did labour work for daily wages were taken in a military vehicle towards Sivananthan Megambalam narrowly escaped death on that fateful day. His account of the incident is as follows: “They would come in the middle of the night and early in the morning and surround the roads, shrubs and bushes in hope of catching the locals. They would come from Mullaithivu. On the 21 st April 1985, they arrived very early in the morning and took their positions. We were still asleep. Previously if we found out that the SLA were going to come, we would go and hide in the forest and remain there without food for a few days. However that morning, we were unaware. As our house was right next to Oddisuddan Road, we were unable to run anywhere. They rounded up people and took them to Puthupalavu Shop at Putthukudiyiruppu market. They arrested me too. But because my mother came running towards them screaming and pleading to let me go – they for some unknown and lucky reason did. Once they had finished their round up, they started leaving in their army vehicles. They took the people they had arrested in the back of their armored vehicle. About half a kilometer from our house, by the side of Oddisuddan road, there were some very thick bushes. We heard a big explosion and continued to hear smaller noises. We later found out that over 30 people were taken to a lane near Oddisuddan Road and shot. Most of the people died. Thurairatnam, the head of the Multi Purpose Cooperative Society managed to escape with great difficulty and courage. The bodies were taken in one of the SLA vehicles to Oddisuddan Road and burnt with kerosene and tar.” ! Report by NESOHR, Information Collected by SNE 17
Lest we forget – Massacres of Tamils 1956 2002 24. Trincomalee massacres in 1985 On 03.05.1985, 50 civilians were killed by Sinhala mobs and the Sri Lankan military in Mahindapura and Dehiwatta. On 03.06.1985, 13 civilians were killed in a bus in Trincomalee. Thankathurai, a former Member of Parliament, aged 70 at that time, was an eye witness and the only survivor of this massacre. On 23.05.1985, eight civilians were shot dead by the Sri Lankan military in Nilaveli. More than ten people, from Anpuvalipuram, who went to collect fire wood in different directions, in May 1985 never returned home. Their bulls and carts were found later. They are suspected to have been killed by the home guards and the Sri Lankan military. On 24.05.1985, 9 civilians were shot dead in Pankulam. Two civilians who went to Thehiwaththa to purchase items were also killed on the same day. A father and his 12 year old son who went to visit relatives in Kankuveli were hacked to death by the Sri Lankan home guards and the bodies were buried the Kankuveli tank. On 26.05.1985, 40 houses and property belonging to Tamils in Poonakar in Echchilampattu were set fire. Two civilians who went hunting on the same day did not return home. Home guards in Allai-Kanthalai road are suspected to have killed the pair. On the same day, three fishermen from Kunikuda were shot dead by the Sri Lankan military while they were fishing. On 27.05.1985, a bus of belonging to the State bus service, CTB, was stopped at 52 nd Milepost in Mahinthapura and 7 Tamil civilians including driver Pushparaja were shot dead and their bodies were burnt by the Sinhala home guards. Krishnapillai who worked at Echchilampattu Village Council escaped with gun shot and burn injuries. 25. Valvai85 massacre 10.05.1985 Valvai is situated in Point Pedro region in the Jaffna district. On 10.05.1985, Sri Lankan military rounded up Valvai and arrested 24 young men. They were locked up in a community hall. A grenade was thrown on the building and all 24 young men died. At the temple water tank a further 12 civilians were shot dead. Another 34 civilians were also Report by NESOHR, Information Collected by SNE 18
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