1983 anti-Tamil pogrom in Trincomalee
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| 1983 anti-Tamil pogrom in Trincomalee | |
|---|---|
 Location of Sri Lanka | |
| Location | Various locations in Trincomalee District, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka |
| Date | June–July 1983[1] (+8 GMT) |
| Target | Tamil Civilians |
| Deaths | 30+ |
| Injured | 100+ in June[2] |
| Perpetrators | Sri Lankan military, Sri Lankan Home Guards, Sri Lanka Police, Sinhalese mobs |
| Motive | Ethnic cleansing |
The 1983 anti Tamil pogrom in Trincomalee was organised violence by Sinhalese mobs and security forces, which targeted the Tamil population of Trincomalee between June and July 1983.[1][3]
At least 27 Tamils (including women and children)[4] were killed in the ensuing violence, with hundreds of Tamil homes, shops, hotels, boats and temples being destroyed.[5][6][1] These events served as a prelude to the subsequent Black July pogrom that followed the killing of 13 soldiers in 23 July, and triggered the Sri Lankan civil war.[5]
Nancy Murray, a member of the council of the Institute of Race Relations, summarised the violence as follows:
"The two-months pogrom at Trincomalee left the town in ruins, thousands homeless and over 30 dead by the end of July. There was a certain method in all this destruction. For years, the government had been sponsoring Sinhalese settlement of Eastern Districts. These settlers were too willing to take part in acts of aggression against their Tamil neighbors, as part of their expansionist drive."[1]
Since the 1930s, the Sinhalese-dominated government settled Sinhalese in the predominantly Tamil-speaking Eastern Province, claiming to restore what they saw as lost ancient Sinhala settlements,[7] as well as to reduce the Tamils' claim to local autonomy.[8] Sinhalisation of Trincomalee was seen as the key to sundering the contiguity of Tamil habitations in the North and East.[9][10] Tamil nationalists viewed this as an attempt to alter the demographics of their 'traditional Tamil homeland', thus weakening the Tamils' stake in it.[7]
Pogrom
The violence began in the first week of June and often occurred during curfew hours, where the security forces would provide 'security' to attacking Sinhalese mobs, whilst also shooting the Tamil victims who fled the scene of attacks for breaking the curfew.[11]
The typical pattern of violence involved security forces conducting 'search' operations in a particular Tamil area and apprehending a few young men under 'suspicion,' in order to ensure that the area was left defenceless. Subsequently, organized Sinhalese mobs would seize the opportunity to move in and set properties on fire.[12][5] They would also attack Tamil villages at night, where they would burn, rape and pillage.[11]
In light of the worsening situation, A. Amirthalingam visited Trincomalee on 1 July to investigate. He returned to Colombo the following day and sent President J. R. Jayewardene the following telegram:[13][11]
"Just returned after personally studying situation in Trincomalee. Reports of violence by both sides absolutely incorrect. Over sixteen people killed – all Tamils. About forty people in hospital seriously injured by cutting and shooting – over thirty-five Tamils. One hundred and fifty houses burnt – over ninety five percent Tamil houses. Nearly a thousand people dehoused and in refugee camps – not one Sinhalese. Services conduct search in Tamil areas terrorizing people and this followed immediately by thugs attacking the Tamil people and setting fire to the houses."[13]
The violence further escalated in July, when naval personnel were observed carrying cotton swabs and cans of oil, which they openly employed to commit arson in premises owned by Tamils. Tamil civilians, including children between the ages of 1–4, were also shot and hacked to death.[12]
By the close of the violence on August 10, A. Amirthalingam recounted the events of the last 2 months in a further letter addressed to J. R. Jayewardene. He stated that the Black July pogrom against Tamils "did not break out suddenly" as a result of the killing of 13 soldiers in Jaffna on July 23, but was "actually started on a planned basis" which began with the attacks on Tamils in Trincomalee on June 3. He further stated that this violence in Trincomalee went on with "ebb and flow for over two months" and that "27 Tamils have been killed during this period as against one Sinhalese".[6]
He further detailed the role of the security forces in the violence:
"About 150 Navy personnel went on a rampage and destroyed about 200 Tamil business places and houses in Trincomalee town in six hours on the night of the 26th July. With the assistance of the police and army about 200 houses of Tamils were burnt in the Trincomalee District and 1,500 persons who were rendered homeless had to seek shelter as refugees in school buildings. There seems to be a calculated move to drive the Tamils out of Trincomalee by terrorising them."[6]
