Lest We Forget

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Lest we forget – Massacres of Tamils 1956 2002 This incident took place at 9.00 am. People had displaced from the place and were unaware of what has happened to their relatives. They returned to their homes only on 07.09.1990. People recovered the half burnt bodies of their dead relatives. 60. Poththuvil massacre 30.07.1990 In 1990 hostilities between the Sri Lankan military and the LTTE resumed. In the east the Sri Lankan military, Sinhala thugs, and their homes guards started to attack Tamil civilians. On 10.06.1990, as a result of attacks by the military and Muslim groups, people displaced to the Komari refugee camp. People returned to their homes on 30.07.1990, trusting the promises made by the Sri Lankan military and government officials. Returning people found that their homes were broken into and many valuables were stolen. Homes were also destroyed. As a result the people displaced again to Poththuvil Methodist Mahavidyalayam. Young men and women among the refugees at the Pothuvil Methodist Mahavidyalayam were forced to go out for work to support their families. 12 of them were arrested by the military and the Muslim groups and taken to the Poththuvil Police Station. Those arrested were taken to the open space near the Police Station few at a time and were burnt alive. Except for a few who escaped all the rest of those arrested were burnt alive by 01.08.1990. 125 young people died in this atrocity by the military and the Muslim groups. 61. Tiraikerny massacre 06.08.1990 Tiraikerny was originally a coconut estate of about 300 acres in the idyllic region of Amparai. The ownership at the time sympathized with the hardships of the landless peasantry, both Muslims and Tamils, at Palamunai, Oluvil, Meenodaikattu and Addalaichenai, and the estate was given to the people at a very nominal price of Rs.200/ - per acre. Various community figures, such as Nagappar Subramaniyam and Periya Kanapathipillai Upathiyar of Karaitivu, worked hard in developing the village and making it into a successful agricultural area. Report by NESOHR, Information Collected by SNE 49
Lest we forget – Massacres of Tamils 1956 2002 On the 06.08.1990, the peace and hard work of the villagers was destroyed. Hundreds of Muslims stormed into the village and set ablaze the homes of the Tamils and attacked the Tamil villagers and threw their mutilated bodies into the near by Hindu Temple. Statements recorded from victims and witnesses to this outrageous crime reveal that there was no provocation from the Tamils for such an attack. A woman witness revealed the background of the events, the intention and purposes leading to the attack and how it was executed: “I was married in 1976 and had three children - two sons, and a daughter. Around 6 0' clock in the morning, on the 6 th August 1990; I heard the cries of women from the direction of my Muslim neighbour's house. Since we had maintained a friendly relationship with our Muslim neighbours, I rushed to the house from which the Muslim women raised cries. I found several women in that house and every one was in tears, weeping over the death of some member of the family. The women said that their men who went to the paddy field at Alimadakadu had been cut to pieces and slain. No one knew who the killers were. I spent about half an hour with the grieving family, I shared their sorrow but returned home to attend to the household chores before the children left for school. A few minutes after I returned home, and was busy with my work, I heard people shouting. Together with my husband I rushed to the gate to see what was wrong. We found men, women and children moving away from their homes in a state of excitement. They were in a state of great confusion, agitated with fear and worry. They told us that they were running away from an angry mob composed of Muslims who had vowed to destroy Thiraikerny. They were going to the Pillaiyar Temple as it is dangerous to remain in homes. The Tamils who were running away, warned us saying “do not stay here; the mob is heavily armed according to information received from friendly Muslims”. My husband was shaken by the news. When the entire population in the village was moving out, we saw no wisdom in staying at home. Leaving all our possessions in our house and keeping the doors open, we left home with the children and took refuge in the Pillaiyar Temple. Soon the Muslims appeared on the road at a distance. Riotous gangsters numbering more than 150 men, armed with knives, swords, sickles and clubs and seemingly possessed by wild and violent anger, shouted slogans against the Tamils, and called out the Muslims to unite to fight the Tamils. We were in bewilderment and spent every minute in fear. People prayed for Divine intervention to save the people from the apparent danger. As we looked up we saw clouds of smoke rising up the sky. The smoke came from the burning houses of the Tamils. As the goons were approaching the Temple, the people ran towards the Periyathambiran Temple and the mob followed. The people having resigned their fate watched with fear every movement of the menacing crowd of attackers. In a split of a second - no sooner the mob reached the Temple premise, an armored car, drove into the temple premise. There were six soldiers in uniform in the vehicle. Report by NESOHR, Information Collected by SNE 50
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Lest We Forget

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