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<strong>Lest</strong> we forget – Massacres of Tamils 1956 2002<br />
There was no one left in the village, they had all run away. I put all the bodies in a<br />
cart, and took them to a forest. I dug a big pit. I tipped over the cart and all the<br />
bodies fell into the pit. I covered them all up with sand.<br />
My elder aunty, who had come to the village as a refugee, told me that she was with<br />
my family at the time. This is her account of what happened. She ran to warn them<br />
to hide and then ran away and hid in the banana trees in our house.<br />
Before the army got there, they (my family) all took out their identity cards. The<br />
army did not even look at their identity cards. The army took their guns and shot<br />
everyone. She could hear people pleading to not be killed and then there was<br />
silence. The army set the house alight and left.<br />
When she went back to house to see if anyone was even remotely alive, so that she<br />
could try and save any of them – they were all dead. Everyone had been shot or cut.<br />
As the house was burning, she did not stay there any longer than she had to”.<br />
53. Thonithiddamadu massacre 27.05.1987<br />
Thonithiddamadu village is situated in<br />
the Vaharai Assistant Government<br />
Agent Division in the Batticaloa<br />
district. This is a Tamil majority<br />
village. The main economic activities<br />
of the villagers are farming and<br />
fishing. This village had nurtured and<br />
safeguarded its own ancient art forms<br />
and culture. This village is one of<br />
those villages in Batticaloa that is<br />
bounded by Sinhala villages. People went to the neighbouring Sinhala villages to<br />
purchase their daily needs.<br />
On 25.05.1987, the Sri Lankan military opened fire in the Thonithiddamadu village.<br />
Frightened people kept to their homes.<br />
On 27.05.1987 at 2.00am at night, the military entered the village and shot and<br />
killed people who were asleep. Thirteen people were killed in this massacre.<br />
54. Alvai temple shelling 29.05.1987<br />
Alvai village is situated in Jaffna<br />
district. The Muthtumariamman temple<br />
in Alvai is one of the famous temples in<br />
Jaffna.<br />
On 29.05.1987, the Sri Lankan military<br />
launched its operation liberation attack<br />
on Jaffna. Attacks were carried out from<br />
the Palaly military camp, and from air<br />
Report by NESOHR,<br />
Information Collected by SNE<br />
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