posted January 25, 2002 10:12 AM            

Contents

Part 1: Important Milestones
Part 2: Jaffna Kingdom
Part 3: Kalinga Magan
Part 4: Ariyachackravathis...

Part 1: Important Milestones
1. Ceylon gained independence on February 04, 1948. However, it was not complete independence. In terms of the defense agreement entered into between Britain and Ceylon, Colombo, Trincomalee and Katunayake bases continued to remain under British control. 2. In 1948, the very year of independence, the Parliament dominated by the majority Sinhalese, enacted the Citizenship Act which reduced the political strength of the Tamils by one-half. Under this Act, one million Hill country Tamils, whom the British brought from South India 200 years before to work in the tea and rubber plantations, lost their citizenship rights.

3. In 1948 the parliament legislated that the sword wielding Lion shall be the national flag of Ceylon. To appease the Tamils and the Muslims yellow and green stripes were added to the flag.

4. In 1949 the Hill country Tamils' franchise rights were deprived by simple amendment to the order in council. The new law Ceylon Amendment Act defined that only citizens have the right to vote in elections.

5. The leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress Mr. G. G Ponnambalam voted in favor of the citizenship Act and Ceylon (Parliamentary Elections) Amendment Act. Mr. S.J.V. Chelvanayagam voted against. This caused the All Ceylon Tamil Congress which was formed in 1944 to split into two.

6. In 1949 Thanthai Chelvanayagam broke away from the Tamil Congress and formed a new party. It was named Ilankaith Tamil Arasuk Kadchi (Federal Party).

7. In 1948-50 the then Prime Minister of Ceylon D.S. Senanayake launched massive Sinhalese colonization schemes in the Eastern province, the traditional homeland of the Tamils. Gal Oya in the Batticalo District, Allai and Kanthalai in the Trincomalee District were the colonization schemes launched by him.

8. The Hill country Tamils who were able to elect 8 members to the Parliament in 1947 failed to elect even a single member at the elections held in 1952.

9. On June 14, 1956 Mr. S. W. R. D. Bandaranayake, leader of the Srilanka Freedom Party and Prime Minster, who won the Parliamentary Elections help in 1956 caused Parliament, dominated by the majority Sinhalese to enact "Sinhala Only" as the official language of Ceylon. This was a negation of the hitherto accepted language policy of treating both Sinhala and Tamils as the official languages in place of English. The imposition of Sinhala only represented the subjugation of Tamils by Sinhalese imperialism. In protest the Federal Party which opposed the Sinhala only act staged Satyagraha in Colombo.

10. On July 26, 1975 the Bandaranayake-Chelvanayagam pact was signed. The B-C pact envisaged decentralization of powers to the North and East through the establishment of Regional Councils. But Bandaranayake abrogated the pact under pressure from Sinhalese chauvinists.

11. In 1958 following the National convention of the Federal Party held in Vavuniya, violence was let lose against the Tamils. There were heavy losses of lives and property.

12. The government of Bandaranayake passively connived with the Sinhalese hoodlums responsible for the violence directed against the Tamils and imposed emergency rule only after 4 days of rioting.

13. In 1961 the Federal Party launched a civil disobedience campaign and Satyagraha in front of Kachcheries in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Ceylon which paralyzed civil administration. Mrs. Bandaranayake's government used the military to break the peaceful Satyragraha campaign.

14. The Senanayake-Chelvanayagam pact was signed on March 24, 1965. This pact envisaged certain degree of regional autonomy to the North and East through the establishment of District Councils. But this pact too was abandoned in the face of opposition from the Sinhalese.

15. In the elections held in May 1970 the United Front headed by the Srilanka Freedom Party, Lanka Sama Samaja Party and The Ceylon Communist Party came to power after capturing 116 out of 157 seats in Parliament. In the same year militant Tamil youths formed the Tamil Manavar Peravai to fight the impeding introduction of "Standardization" to university admissions.

16. In 1971 admission to the university based on merit was abandoned and "standardization" to university admissions through G.C.E A/L examination results was introduced. Lower qualifying marks were fixed for Sinhalese than for Tamil students, both regarding the language of instruction and the subjects themselves. The introduction of "standardization" adversely affected Tamil students' access to higher education.

17. On May 22, 1972 a new constitution was adopted. Ceylon was renamed Srilanka. All ties to Britain were severed and Srilanka was declared a Republic. Buddhism was afforded foremost recognition. Because of the New Republican Constitution the sovereignty of the Sinhalese and the sovereignty of the Tamils reverted back to the Sinhalese and Tamils. To safeguard the language and education rights of Tamils, to halt the encroachment of Tamils traditional homeland through Sinhalese colonization, to stay and hit back when attacked by the Sinhalese, Prabhakaran realized that taking up arms is the only way. He formed the New Tamil Tigers organization comprising brave, self-sacrificing and disciplined youths.

18. On January 10, 1974 nine people lost their lives when the Srilankan Sinhalese police at the instigation of Alfred Duraiappha, Mayor of Jaffna, arbitrarily broke-up the 4th Tamil Research conference held in Jaffna by baton-charging and firing.

19. In 1975 Thanthai Chelvanayagam won the by election held for the Kankesanthurai electorate by a margin of more than 16,000 votes. Chelvanayagam proclaimed that his victory was a mandate for the Tamils to establish the state of Tamil Eelam by exercising their right to self determination. In 1972 Thanthai Chelva had resigned his parliamentary seat in protest against the new constitution and challenged Mrs. Bandaranayake's government to hold a by-election to test the acceptability of the new constitution by the Tamil people.

20. On July 27, 1975 Tamil traitor Alfred Duraiappah was shot dead. This marked the first attack in the history of the armed liberation struggle. The attack was mounted by Tamil New Tigers under the leadership of V. Prabhakaran.

21. On May 5, 1975 with the object of rallying the entire Tamil nation, the "Tamil New Tigers" were re-named "Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam." V. Prabhakaran was named the Chairman and Military Commander of the LTTE.

22. On May 14, 1976 the Tamil United liberation Front (TULF) was formed. A resolution to establish an independent Tamil Eelam was adopted at the TULF convention held at Vaddukkodai. This is called the Vaddukkodai Resolution.

23. In the elections held in July, 1977 the United National Party headed by J.R.Jayawardena came to power. The Tamil United Liberation front won 18 seats on a mandate for the establishment of an Independent, Sovereign, Secular, Socialist state of Tamil Eelam, to become the official opposition party. Following the election yet another racial riot was engineered and executed against the Tamils.

24.In July 1978 Democratic Socialist Republic of Srilanka was established under a new constitution. Presidential system of government came into effect. J.R. Jayawardena became the first president.

25. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was proscribed by the Srilankan government as an illegal organization.

26. In July 1979, Parliament enacted the Prevention of terrorism Act. On July 11th emergency was declared in Tamil areas. Innocent youth were shot dead by the security forces in Jaffna.

27. In June 1981 under directions of two Sinhalese Ministers the army and the police set fire to important buildings in Jaffna town, specially the Jaffna Public Library considered one of the best in South Asia was torched. This resulted in the destruction of 44,000 valuable books. In addition printing presses and shops were also burnt down. Civilians were killed by the army . Another racial riot broke out.

28. The first Tiger fighter Lieutenant Sathiyanathan (Sankar) attained martyrdom on November 27, 1982.

29. On July 24, 1983 The Liberation Tigers mounted their first guerrilla style ambush using land mine against the Srilanka army. 13 soldiers died in this attack.

This was followed by the worst genocidal attack by the Sinhalese on the Tamils. Thousands of lives and property worth many millions were lost. Tamils girls were subjected to sexual violence.

On July 27-28, 53 Political prisoners and detainees incarcerated at the Welikada prison were brutally murdered inside the prison by Sinhalese convicts with the connivance of the Sinhalese prison guards. This is popularly known as the " Welikada Murder".

30. In 1984 an all Party conference was convened by the Srilanka government. Indra Gandhi was assassinated by her own Sikh body guards.

31. In July-August 1985 talks between the Srilankan government and Tamil militants were held in Thimbu, the capital of Bhutan. The talks ended in failure.

32. In January, 1987 an economic blockade was imposed by the Srilankan government on the Jaffna Peninsula. Minister for National Security Lalith Athulathmudail announced the launching of "Operation Liberation". The Sinhalese army attacked the Vadamarachi regions of Jaffna district. Black Tiger captain Miller executed a suicide attack on the Sinhalese army camped in Nelliady Madhya Maha Vidyalayam. Hundreds of soldiers died in the attack.

33. In July 29, 1987 Rajiv Gandhi and J.R signed the Indo-Srilanka Peace Accord without the consent of the LTTE. The LTTE leader who was taken to Delhi on the eve of signing the accord was forcibly confined at Ashoka Hotel incommunicado. Later LTTE Leader V.Prabhakaran declared at the meeting held at Suthumalai that India had signed the agreement to safeguard her own geopolitical interests. This is popularly known as the Indo-Srilanka Peace Accord. But the Tamils even today believe the Accord was a betrayal of their trust by the Indian Government.

Part 2: Jaffna Kingdom
In the previous chapter we looked into important milestones in chronological order about the history of Ceylon. Let us look at them somewhat in detail from now onwards. We learnt that Ceylon gained independence in 1948. Though Ceylon obtained independence from the British, long before that foreign colonial powers had conquered the Jaffna Kingdom comprising the North and East and the Kotte Kingdom in South West, and the Kandyan Kingdom in the Center.
Portuguese first set foot in Ceylon in 1505. At that time there were three kingdoms in Ceylon. They were the Jaffna, Kotte and the Kandyan Kingdoms.

First the Kotte Kingdom was captured by the Portuguese. Then in stages they brought the western territory of the Jaffna Kingdom under their control. Finally in 1519 they enslaved the Jaffna Kingdom by defeating the last king Sankili in the battle field. However, the defeat of Sankili didn't mean the end of resistance in Jaffna. Between June 1619 and February 1621 there were several uprisings against the Portuguese. Consequently the Portuguese lost many areas of the Jaffna Kingdom. However, the uprisings were put down due to Portuguese command of the sea which enabled them to bring in reinforcements from India and Colombo.

The Portuguese ruled Jaffna with a heavy hand. Christian missionary activity spread simultaneously with destruction of Hindu temples. In 1628 a small force from Kandy attacked Jaffna. The Tamil people who were waiting for an opportunity rose in revolt against the Portuguese. The Portuguese were forced to retreat inside the Jaffna Fort. However, the combined Tamil and Sinhalese forces were not equipped for a siege warfare. The Portuguese defeated the Tamil-Sinhalese forces by shelling them from the Fort. After that the Portuguese gradually regained control of the lost territory.

The Portuguese conquest of Jaffna was facilitated by several factors. Jaffna was easily accessible by sea. There were Portuguese outposts at Mannar and on Coromandel Coast. By the second half of the 16th century the Jaffna Kingdom had lost much of its power due to rivalry for the throne. Though the Jaffna King sought the help of Raguantha Nayakkan who ruled Madurai it did not materialize. Above all the Portuguese used Sinhalese mercenary troops to defend the Jaffna Kingdom.

It should be observed that although the Portuguese landed in Ceylon in 1505 it took them another 115 years to conquer the Jaffna Kingdom.

The Kotte Kingdom came under complete control of the Portuguese in 1597. The Kandyan Kingdom was ceded to the British in 1815.

Sankili was captured by the Portuguese and taken to Goa where he was hanged.

Though the Jaffna Kingdom fell, the areas to the south called Vanni did not accept the rule of the Portuguese. It did not pay tribute to the Kandyan Kingdom or to any other kingdom. It functioned as an autonomous entity. However, the three Vanniamai in the East (Then Tamil Eelam) viz Kodiyaram Vannimai, Palugamam Vannimai and Pannamai Vannimai sought the help of the Kandyan Kingdom for their defense. But they still functioned as autonomous regions.

Although at different times the territory of Eelam came under foreign rule, it never lost its Tamil Identity. even its borders remained intact till 1833.

The Jaffna Kingdom existed with Nallur as its capital from 1215 AD 1619 AD. The following are the names of the Kings and their period of rule of Tamil Eelam:-

1. Kalingaman alias Koolangai Singai Aryan alias Kalinga Vijeyabahu (1215 to 1240)

2. Kulasegara Pararajasegaram (1240 to 1256)

3. Kulothungan (1256 to 1279)

4. Vikramnan (1279 to 1302)

5. Varothayan (1371 to 1380)

6. Marthanda Perumalan (1325 to 1348)

7. Kunapooshanan (1348 to 1371)

8. Virothayan (1371 to 1380)

9. Jeyaveeran (1380 to 1410)

10. Kunaveeran (1410 to 1446)

11. Kanagasooriyan (1446 to 1450). From 1450 to 1467 Jaffna Kingdom came under the rule of Kotte kingdom. Troops which came under the command of Chenpagap Perumal captured Jaffna. Later he become King of Kotte under the name of King Bhuvanekabahu (VI). Kanagasooriyan fled to Tamilnadu and came back with an army and re-captured the Kingdom and again ruled from 1467 to 1478.

12. Pararajasegaran (1478 to 1519)

13. Sankili Segarajasegaran (1519 to 1561). He was born to the third wife of Pararajasegaran.

14. Pararasa Pandaram, Pararasasekaran (1561 to 1565). he is son of Sankili.

15. Kurunchi Nainar (1565 to 1570)

16. Periapillai Sekarasa Sekaran (1570 to 1582)

17. Puvirasa Pandaram II (1582 to 1591)

18. Ethirmanna Singa Pararasasekaran (1591 to 1615).

19. Sankili Kumaran (1615 to 1619).

In all Jaffna Kingdom existed for 403 years.

Part 3: Kalinga Magan
We learnt in the last chapter about the arrival of the Portuguese and the capture of the Jaffna Kingdom in 1619. Also we learnt that the Jaffna Kingdom existed for 403 years and the names of the 19 kings who ruled during the same period. For over 200 years the Jaffna Kingdom remained the single most powerful Kingdom in Ceylon. The Jaffna Kings maintained close relationship with South Indian Kingdoms and later with the Portuguese. This we can glean from Sinhala historical books, some Sinhala inscriptions and through Sinhala literary works like Kokila Sandesiya, Paravi Sandesiya, Parakum Paciritha. From the beginning of the 16th Century we can learn the history of the rulers of Jaffna lucidly and someway in detail from Portuguese sources.
There are some Tamil books, if not in great detail, but at least to some extent, that gives the history of the origin, rise and growth of the Jaffna Kingdom and the history of its rulers. One such book is the Yalpana Vaipavamalai. Others are the Vaiyapadal, Kailayamalai, Rajamurai and Parajasegaran Ula.

The Yalpana Vaipavamalai was written by Mylvagana Pulavar from Mathagal in the eighteenth century. From the forward to the book it can be understood that this book was written at the request of the Dutch authorities and the author based his written on books like Vaiyapandal, Kailayamalai, Rajamurai and Parajasegaran Ula. Both Rajamurai and Parajasegaran Ula are now extinct.

Vaiyapandal was written by Vaiyapuri Aiyar during the reign of King Segarajeskeran. This book describes events commencing from the first ruler of Jaffna. It also describes the names of the chieftains and social groups and how they came from Tamil Nadu and settled in Jaffna and Vanni. Like other Tamil works Vaiyapandal also does not give the events in chronological order.

In the thirteenth century (1215 AD) following the invasion of Kalingamagan (1215-1255 AD) the Polonaruwa Kingdom which was already in a state of decay declined in power. Magan ruled with Polonaruwa as his capital. He was then the most powerful monarch in Ceylon. After the fall of Polonaruwa the Sinhalese Kings shifted their capitals to Dambedeniya and Yapahuwa. The Vanni King Vijayabahu III captured Mayarata and ruled with Dambedeniya as his capital.

His son Parakramabahu II (1236-1270 AD) captured the hill areas and the southwest and strengthened his rule. He, like his father, entertained the ambition to capture Rajarata again and bring it under his rule. A number of Vanni chieftains are said to have been persuaded to shift their allegiance from Magan to Parakramabahu.

Following the fall of Polonaruwa there arose several minor kingdoms called Vanniars. Those areas ruled by these minor kings under the name of Vanniars were called Vannipattu or Vanni. Since some of the warriors consisted of Vanniars, the appearance of Vanniyars must have occurred during the Polonaruwa period.

The ancient Batticalo chronicle states that Magan captured Polonaruwa and then gave military control to the Vanniars.

The Konesar inscription states that Kulakkoddan appointed Vanniars as rulers of Trincomalee, Nilaveli, Kaddukkulam areas. Kulakoddan's real name was Cholkathevan.

The Chulavamsa and other chronicles say that Magan stationed troops at places like Trincomalee, Koddiyara, Kantalai, Padavia, Kaddukkulam, Illuppaikadavai, Kytes, Pulachery and ruled Rajarata from his capital Polonaruwa. Polanaruwa captured and ruled by Magan was later over-run by the Javanese.

Part 4: Ariyachackravathis...
The King of Java by the name Chandrabanu twice invaded Ceylon from Malaya. On both occasions his invasion ended in failure. Later he raised an army from Chola Nadu and Pandiya Nadu and captured territory in North Ceylon ruled by Magan. After consolidating his position he again attacked the Dambedeniya kingdom ruled by Parakramabahu II. Chandrabanu demanded the surrender of Buddha's Tooth relic and the kingship to him failing which he informed Parakramabahu II to be ready for war. According to Chulavamsa Parakramabaku II refused to accede to the demands made by Chandrabanu and was successful in halting the invading Army which had penetrated upto Yapahuva and completely freeing him self from his (Chandrabanu) domination. Yet Chandrabanu's rule covered the Jaffna Peninsula, Vanni in the North and Trincomalee. The place names such as Chavakachcheri, Chavankoddai and Chavakakoddai came into existence as a result of the rule of Chavakas in the 13th century.

Around this time the Pandian empire under the rule of Maravarman Sunderapandyan became very powerful. during his reign the domination of the Kingdom in North Ceylon by Pandias was further strengthened.

When Chandrabanu refused to pay tribute to the Indian empire, Maravarman Suderapandian defeated Chandrabanu and brought his Kingdom under his domain.

Among those chieftains who were left behind by the Pandias to rule over Jaffna one Pandimalavan emerged very powerful. After Chandrabanu, his son accepted the suzerainty of the Pandias and ruled for some time. After him, it is claimed that when there was no successor to throne Pandimalavan who hailed from the village of Ponpatti went to Madurai and brought Prince Singairiyan and crowned him king of Jaffna. The rule by Ariyachakravarthis were established in Jaffna as a sequel to invasion of Ceylon by Pandias under the leadership of army general Ariyachackravarthi about A.D 1284.

According to inscriptions, during the rule of Maravarman Kulasegaran (AD 1268-1310), Ariyachakravarthis served both as army generals and ministers under him.

According to the astrological book Segarajasekeramalai the ancestors of Jaffna Kings served as army generals and ministers under Pandias. They are said to be Brahmins who belonged to Kasiyappa ancestry and descendants of five-hundred and twelve "Panchagrama Vethiyar" of Ramesvaram temple.

The Aryachackravarthis are not in fact Aryans in the ethnic sense, but they referred to themselves as such because of matrimonial relationship established with brahmins in Rameshvarmam.

The Chulavamsam referring to the invasion of Pandias following the death of Bhuvanakabahu 1 (AD 1272- 1281) states that Pandian Kings despatched troops under the command of a Tamil army general. Although he was not an Aryan he was considered both popular and influential. Further it states that the invading force destroyed the fortified city of Yapahuva and carried away the Budha's Tooth relic and other priceless valuables.

Consequent to the invasion by Pandias under the command of Aryachckravarthi the Sinhalese kingdom got further weakened. Yapahuva lost its status as capital city. Also there was infighting for the throne between Bhuvanakabahu II (son of Bhuvanakabahu I), and Parakramabahu III (son of Vijayabahu IV, AD 1271-1272) As a result the Sinhalese Kingdom got divided. Bhuvanakabahu made Kurunagala his capital and ruled from there. Parakramabahu III went to Madurai and retrieved the Tooth Relic that was taken away by the Pandian king and installed same at Polonarwa where he established his rule.

The Ariyachakravarthi mentioned by Chulavamsam or some other descendant of him must have by passage of time crowned himself king of Jaffna. The name Ariyachakravarthi does not refer to real name but one denoting ancestry.

posted January 25, 2002 10:20 AM         

* Terrorist Chief Prabakaran orders his children back to school.
* Terrorist Chief Prabakaran condemns others children to the killing fields.
* Terrorist Chief Prabakaran’s children get best results for OL exams, others children get mentioned at the Martyrs Day.
* Terrorist Chief Prabakaran condemns some Tamil civilians to lamppost shootings.
* Terrorist Chief Prabakaran rewards Tamils with brains with a bullet across it.
* Terrorist Chief Prabakaran cracks a joke saying he is ‘Freedom Fighting’
* Terrorist Chief Prabakaran rules over the monkeys in the Vanni jungle
* Terrorist Chief Prabakaran’s achievements to date = still ZERO
Business as usual………..

posted January 25, 2002 01:52 PM            

[ ATA ] [ 14:19 GMT, Jul. 10, 2000 ]
By: Australian Tamil Association

Summary

Killing unarmed and defenceless civilians has become a norm among the armed Sinhala forces. Safety and dignity of Tamils in their own land became no more concern to the "peace-talking" Sinhala government. Tamil civilians voiced their plights to the foreign diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka and overseas. A particularly sad irony of Tamils is that, while the Sri Lankan government has been successful in obtaining many deadly weapons, the international community's silence will be considered as a clear signal to the government to continue with its ethnic purging of Tamils. The Sri Lankan government has ratified the Geneva Conventions standards must be followed in civil wars. However, it does not follow these standards, but continuing with the carnage against the Tamils. The letters from the trapped Tamils in army controlled areas are appealing to the conscientious peacemakers to demand the Sri Lankan government to withdraw its armed forces from the Tamils' land, if the government is serious enough to resolve the conflict through the proposed devolution of power. Tamils do not want to be involved in fruitless and time wasting peace talks with the unfaithful Sri Lankan government.

Tamils have tried sincerely and democratically for many decades to live under a democratic and a unitary state. It has been a dismal failure. The war for the homeland (Tamil Nation) is not against the rights of the Sinhalese, neither to do damage to their rights nor to snatch away unjustly what rightly belongs (Sinhala Nation) to them. But it is a popular (democratic) war for security, dignity and self-determination of Tamils.

Full Article;

Distressing and Dangerous Struggle

Chadrika's "WAR & PEACE"

Occupying Sinhala armed forces in Tamil, areas obtain the power and passion to kill the Tamils in their own will. Killing unarmed and defenceless civilians has become a norm among the armed Sinhala forces. It becomes evident that the Sri Lankan armed forces do not respect international standards for the conduct of warfare, particularly those designed to protect people who are not, or are no longer taking an active part in the war. Tamils are executed inhumanely with distinct discrimination by the Sinhala armed forces.

The human loss and sufferings by the Tamil people, especially in Jaffna and Wanni, deserve an unequivocal attention of the international community and the armchair peacemakers. Letters posted to their overseas relatives by the suffering and distressed civilians in Jaffna shows that the hapless civilians have been trapped by the armed forces with no route to their > escape. The horrific, but life threatening experiences illustrated in the letters show that the Sri Lankan army does not respect the lives of the civilians because they are Tamils. The letters substantiate the fact that the Sri Lankan army is using a strategy of "To Kill Tigers, Kill All Tamils, including women, children and elderly". Unarmed civilians are being deliberately killed as revenge for the recent debacles by the Sri Lankan armed forces. The letters reveal that innocent people are killed at point blank range while taking refuges inside bomb-shelters, bunkers and public places like Churches and Temples.

The government forces are using all possible war crime tactics to kill Tamils, regardless of their age, gender and plea for their lives. Safety and dignity of Tamil people in their own land became no more concern to the "peace-talking" Sinhala government and its armed forces. Since the escalation of the conflict from this April, hundreds of thousands of people have been randomly displaced and scattered. The displaced people are in helpless situation and many lost the whereabouts of their family members. Several older people were left behind and they are dying of the carpet bombing and shelling. The fates of numerous fragile, old and sick people were not known yet.

Nearly 75% of the internally displaced civilians are women and children. The sole idea of purposive killing of the civilians is to make the civilian population a controllable and powerless group in the army occupied areas. Not to mention, the government, indeed, is also using rival groups of the Tamil Tigers to attack the supporters and sympathizers of the freedom fight. The international community and other groups that are supporting the devolution proposal as the panacea for all evil "crimes against the humanity" carried out by the Sinhala army against the hapless civilians need to speak out for these voiceless people.

Shortsighted Diplomatic Sympathy

With every offensive action taken against the Tamils by the previous and the current Sinhala Sri Lankan governments, Tamil civilians voiced their plights to the foreign diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka and overseas. Not a single country has come forward to openly raise the plights of the Tamil civilians directly with the Sri Lankan government.

LTTE : Fighting for the TAMIL rights

A particularly sad irony of Tamils is that, while the Sri Lankan government has been successful in obtaining many deadly weapons, the international community's silence will be considered as a clear signal to the Sri Lankan government to continue with its ethnic cleansing of Tamils. A greater failure on the part of the peace-loving diplomats and the international community is that they have allowed themselves at political level to be manipulated and exploited by the Sri Lankan government.
It is miracle that Tamils are surviving the 18 years of war and economic embargo by the occupying armed forces anymore. Sooner of later, there will be a civilian revolt against the Sri Lankan armed forces. There will be a day that the civilians become liberated. It is only a matter of time and time will tell the tale. People are frustrated with the "war for peace" strategy of the Chandrika government.

People are sick and tired of unaccomplished promises by the Sinhala government. They want a solution soon. They do not want any solution other than a place free of armed occupation of the Sinhala government. Years of continuous sufferings, threats, intimidations and deaths by those living under the occupied areas have pushed them to the corner, to seek protection in their right of self-determination and the right for a secured homeland.
Tamils living overseas are afraid that genuine sufferings by the majority of the Tamils are being branded as lies, exaggeration, propaganda and terrorists tactics. The demand for the self-determination is not based on some sentimental memories of a Tamil kingdom and homeland, but more on the collective experience of the last 50 years of sufferings, including 18 years of civil war, including the living without the basic human needs and necessities. Tamils have tried sincerely and democratically for many decades to live under a unitary state. It has been a dismal failure. The demand for the homeland (Tamil Nation) is not against the rights of the Sinhalese, neither to do damage to their rights nor to snatch away unjustly what rightly belongs to them (Sinhala Nation).

Every Tamil who fled from the war torn Sri Lanka, and is living overseas had experience of the civil war in one way or another for being a Tamil in Sri Lanka. This is a fact. Every Tamil has a story to tell the members of the international community, career diplomats and the peace-lovers and peacemakers. Any claim of atrocities can only be verified by a fact-finding mission and free news media. Unfortunately, the Sri Lankan government is playing with the lives of the Tamils behind the iron curtains - the media censorship. The Sri Lankan government is playing with the lives of the people in isolation so that there will be no opportunity to tell the stories of the voiceless civilian Tamil people.

This is a crime against humanity without witness. Had the international community expressed its honest opinion and reactions openly 18 years ago Sri Lanka would have become a model for peaceful multiracial country today? But it is too late to save the unitary Sri Lanka. However, there is an urgent need to protect the Tamil civilians from the potentially withdrawing armed forces. The withdrawal mood of the armed forces is forcing them to make "crime against the humanity". The international community has an obligation to speak out while it is entertaining the Sri Lankan government with its futile exercise of the proposal for devolution of power.
Violations of International War Conventions

Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 as well as in the Second Additional Protocol of 1977 to the 1949 Geneva Conventions have established standards that must be followed by governments involved in (civil) war. Sri Lanka has ratified these Geneva Conventions. However, it does not follow these standards, but continue with the carnage against the Tamils. The government is using Tamil civilians as the object of attack and human shields in its war against the LTTE. Killings of civilians and destruction of infrastructures and cultural heritage have become the norm in the north of Sri Lanka.

It is worthy to mention that the current Sri Lankan government has recently admitted that education, employment, and basic well being to Tamils in Sri Lanka during the past 40 years have been denied. It has also said that decades of discrimination, government sponsored racial riots, extra-judicial execution, persecution, economic blockade and other basic human rights violations have driven the Tamils to demand an autonomous Tamil State where they can live in equality, peace and safety. However, it became very clear that words were there but no actions at all. The Sri Lankan government certainly has demonstrated that it does not want to resolve the ethnic issue through a negotiated peaceful process.

Destruction

Sri Lankan government forces are engaged in a pattern of indiscriminate aerial and artillery bombardment of areas heavily populated by Tamil civilians. These are the deliberate attacks on civilians' residential areas. Of course, these are not accidental incidents or coincident. The bombardment of civilians and their properties as a means of conducting hostilities is prohibited by customary law as codified in Article 13(2) of Protocol II, which prohibits attacks on civilians.

On several occasions, Sri Lankan government forces have attacked medical facilities and hospitals. The forces have also attacked places of worship in which civilians have taken refuge. Since 1983 the Sri Lankan government has claimed thousands of innocent Tamil lives and made several thousands of Tamil refugees, not only overseas but also within Tamils' homeland. The Sri Lankan armed forces have also destroyed schools, universities, libraries, and buildings of historical significance, industries and major economic activities in Tamil areas.

Extrajudicial Killings, Arbitrary Arrests and Torture

Civilians are extrajudicially executed in north-eastern Sri Lanka. The letters also said that killings have occurred during cordon-and-search operations when individual members of the security forces resorted to killing as an alternative to arrest. The Sri Lankan government had killed at least a son, a father, a brother, a sister, a mother, an aunt or an uncle in every Tamil family in the north. Every family had lost their home or farm, fishing boat or business due to the government atrocities against the Tamils in the north. Arbitrary arrests, torture, including rape, disappearances and extrajudicial executions being reported from the northeast of the country and the capital (Colombo) in particular.

Certain provisions in the Emergency Regulations and Prevention of Terrorism Act in Sri Lanka continue to provide a ready context for deaths in custody, disappearance and extrajudicial executions. Innocent Tamil civilians have been arrested by the army, navy, air force, Special Task Force (a police commando unit) and the police.

Double Edge "War for Peace"

The current Sinhala government, which came to power in August 1994, initiated a dialogue with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) long after the declaration of cessation of hostilities by LTTE. Representatives of the government and the LTTE met in mid October 1994 and early January 1995 in Jaffna, the main town in the northern part of Sri Lanka. On 8 January 1995, a cessation of hostility agreement between the two parties came into force. A further two meetings between delegates of both parties took place in mid-January and mid-March. On 18 April, however, the LTTE called an end to truce because of the unwillingness of the government to implement the negotiated conditions such as establishing essential utilities as a precondition for the continuation of the peace talk.

The Sri Lankan government stated that it was necessary to resort to military offensive in order to save the lives of those who were being threatened by LTTE. However, there has been no such request by the Tamils in the north, because it is there that the military offensive is taking place. On the contrary, the evidences are mounting about the government's inhuman shelling and bombing of civilians. The government forces are rounding up civilians from refugee camps and forcing them to march ahead of government troops into LTTE gunfire or through mine fields. Civilians who refuse to march ahead are threatened with execution.

Merciless Embargo on Essential Food and Medicine The Sri Lankan government is using the "starvation of Tamils" as a method of combat. It is also using "economic blockade and siege" as methods of warfare. Children in the north are starving and dying due to lack of food and malnutrition. Although the International Red Cross (IRC) has been permitted to make some deliveries to the north, the government troops at other times have deprived civilians of food and medical supplies. Sick and wounded are not provided with care due to non-availability of medicines. Several people, including children and pregnant mothers are dying everyday without the indispensable food and medicine. Tamil civilians are experiencing undue hardship owing to a lack of essential supplies for their survival, such as food, medicines and relief work for the displaced civilians.

The number of refugees in northern Sri Lanka has doubled to over 16,000 in the past few weeks. Moreover, international aid workers estimated that the war has driven 150,000 people from their homes. Many residents of the Jaffna peninsula have sought shelter in temples, mosques and churches, but necessities such as food and medicine are short in supply. Telephone lines to the peninsula have been cut, and journalists are prohibited from travelling to the battle zone, making it difficult to assess how devastating the impact has been on the civilian population. Everyday, a large number of civilians are being killed by the Sri Lankan armed forces. In fact, the letters support that civilians are being sought by the Sri Lankan armed forces and killed in front of their family members randomly. The civilians claim that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are helpless and they are sad of the civilian's plights.

Tamil civilians are used to undertake functions like in the "labor camps". They call for a United Nation sponsored war crime tribunal to investigate the atrocities of the government armed forces against the innocent Tamils.

People are sheltering in damaged houses. Children are having nightmares even in the daytime. Children are being pushed beyond their tolerance for survival. They do not have education, food, and clothes and are malnourished. The letters are appealing to the conscientious peacemakers to demand the Sri Lankan government to withdraw its armed forces from the Tamils' land, if the government is serious enough to resolve the conflict through the proposed devolution of power. The Tamil people are convinced that the government is conducting a brutal and meaningless war against the Tamil people. They claim that the war has helped increase the hateness towards the Sinhala community as a whole. They are questioning the wisdom of the two major Sinhala political parties in talking to hand over of power in the Tamil homeland to an interim government.

Civilians in the areas controlled by the LTTE suffer for lack of food and medicine because the Sri Lankan armed forces obstruct and deny the delivery of essential items to these areas. Several types of systematic military excess against the Tamil civilians are gradually unleashed by the Sinhala governments in the Tamil areas. From disruption of day-to-day living through travel and communication to employment and education are denied to the Tamils. Innocent Tamils have always been the target for predetermined discriminatory violations of Tamil rights by the Sinhala forces. Over the years, Tamils lost their equality, right to self-determination and human rights and have become the marginal ethnic representatives in the Sri Lankan political system. None of the Sinhala political leaders ever designed, developed and implemented a workable solution to rectify the root causes of the Tamil National question.

In Conclusion

The Sri Lankan government, the three armed forces (army, navy & air force), Volunteer Defence Forces, and Home Guards are involved in "ethnic purging" of Tamils. Violence, death, threats, tortures to life, health, physical and mental well being of Tamils has reached the highest point in the history of Sri Lanka. The survival of the entire Tamil ethnic group in Sri Lanka is under threat. Humanitarian organizations are not allowed to undertake relief and support work in the north. International visitors and media reporters are not allowed into the north. It is a total information blackout.

War will not help the government to find a peaceful solution. War is not going to force the LTTE because they are fighting for the specific cause (self-determination of Tamils) and the government cannot win this war of self-determination. Some urgent actions, including stopping the offensive war and lifting economic embargo by the government must be undertaken, possibly with the help and intervention of other good-will countries. These concrete actions must form the pretext for the peace talks.

The Sri Lankan government should accept the blame for this pathetic situation of Tamils in Sri Lanka. The armed forces and the Sri Lankan government should comply with the common Article 3 of the Geneva Convention of 1949, which prohibits "violence to life and persons, in particular murder of all kinds" against people taking no active part in hostilities. How much more injustice and oppression can the Tamils take? The Tamil people cannot and will not give up their self-determination. Tamils are ready to settle this matter through either war or peace. Tamils do not want to be involved in fruitless and time wasting peace talks with the unfaithful Sri Lankan government. The Tamils have sacrificed enough of their lives, land, education and employment. There is a limit for everything and the Tamils have by far reached the limit.

posted January 25, 2002 02:59 PM         

Massacres of Innocent Civilians by LTTE Terrorists. This is a list of some of the massacres that the LTTE terrorists have carried out on innocent civilians of Sri Lanka over the last sixteen years.

14 Dec 2001 Vavuniya LTTE Terrorists shot dead an off duty Tamil Policeman Inside his home. The terrorist armed with an automatic weapon shot dead the policeman while he was at his home in Vavuniya town watching television yesterday around 7.40 PM. The policeman attached to the Vavuniya Police Station is the father of five children. Earlier the policeman had been threatened by LTTE rebels asking him to leave the service but he resisted.

1 Dec 2001 Batticaloa LTTE terrorists killed the abducted Gramasevaka of Kudumbamalai and a youth at midnight Saturday at Santhiveli, north of Batticaloa. The two bodies of deceased were found tied to lampposts with chains on two byroads leading to the Batticaloa beach. They had suffered head injuries. The Gramasevaka had been abducted by LTTE terrorists along with a contractor on 04 October, 2001.

27 Nov 2001 Trincomalee The LTTE killed two civilians and injured two others in in Eastern Province. LTTE terrorists fired 81 mm mortars towards the Army detachment in the general area of Kattaparichchan, south of Trincomalee, killing one woman and injuring another on 27 November.

18 Nov 2001 Batticaloa LTTE Gunmen shot dead a Sri Lankan opposition candidate campaigning for the country's parliamentary elections next month. Police said Thambiraja Jeyakumar, a United National Party candidate, was shot dead while driving to a campaign event in eastern Batticaloa District by members of the LTTE terrorist gang.

30 Oct 2001 Muttur, Trincomalee A six-year-old girl was killed and six civilians were injured when LTTE terrorists threw four hand grenades at a civilian's house in a village in Muttur, Trincomalee District.

29 Oct 2001 Colombo A Tamil Tiger suicide bomber blew himself up in close proximity to a meeting of the acting head of state and Premier Ratnasiri Wickremanayake at Narahenpita, Colombo.The terrorist exploded the bomb after raising suspicion and being questioned by police, killing a policeman and a civilian. 17 people were wounded, five of them critically. Death toll is expected to rise.

29 Oct 2001 Polonnaruwa Two fishermen who make their living by catching fish in the Maduru Oya tank in Polonnaruwa district were shot and killed by LTTE terrorists while they were fishing this morning. The terrorists arrived at Kandegamuwa village in Maduru Oya, Polonnaruwa, from across the jungles before they fired at the fishermen indiscriminately.

7 Sep 2001 Mahindapura, Trincomalee district A group of about 140 bus passengers were indiscriminately fired upon by LTTE terrorists killing four of them. These passengers, using their one and only bus service available on the Kantalai - Verugal road, were on their way to a religious ceremony at Sri Kandaswami Hindu Kovil in Kadiraveli.Deceased civilians (www.slarmy.org)

24 Sep 2001 Jaffna Six members of a Tamil family, all civlians were killed by the LTTE terrorists using a land-mine explosion near Jaffna. The terrorists exploded the landmine as the family were travelling in a three-wheel taxi to the airport, bound for Colombo to escape the LTTE terror.

30 Aug 2001 Kalmunai, Ampara. A civilian and two police officers were killed by a bomb planted by LTTE today around 8.10 AM at Kalmunai, Ampara district. The civilian was a labourer attached to the Kalmunai Divisional Secretariat, who was injured and later succumbed to his injuries.

11 Aug 2001 Polonnaruwa LTTE shot dead two civilians in the eastern district of Polonnaruwa. The civilians are believed to have been shot in revenge for recent air attacks by the government on terrorist training camps. The civilians were shot as they were returning from a night watch in their farms.

6 June 2001 Vavniya Two Tamil youths were shot dead by members of the LTTE s pistol gang in Vavuniya early this morning. The shootings took place in two separate incidents, in the areas of Veppamkulam Urmilathottam and Rasendrakulam at 2AM and 8 AM today.

3 Mar 2001 Welioya LTTE terrorists abducts and kills four farmers. The Killings took place when the terrorists abducted a group of six farmers in Welioya near Trincomalee. One farmer was killed immediately and the other three were killed by the terrorists later and the bodies were discovered by an army search party. The killings took place while the LTTE was supposedly observing a 'unilateral cease-fire'. The dead farmers were later identified as P. Dharmadasa, W. Premachandra, U. Tikiri Banda and B. Raipal.One of the dead farmers lie in a coffin

12 Jan 2001 Jaffna An LTTE terrorist throws a hand granade in a crowded market in Jaffna, killing three Tamil civilians. The intended target of the terrorist is unclear.

19 Oct 2000 Colombo An LTTE suicide bomber blew himself up killing 5 people and and wounded 23 people, including three American women, shortly before Sri Lanka’s president installed her new cabinet in Colombo. The U.S. Embassy confirmed three Americans were injured. The bomber triggered explosives wrapped on his body after a police patrol challenged him near Town Hall about a mile from President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s residence.

10 Sep 2000 Batticaloa LTTE Terrorists Kill Two Parliamentary Candidates Ahead of Elections. The victims were named as Chellian Perimpanayagam, a former mayor of Batticaloa town and S Manoharpillai also a PA party memeber.

14 June 2000 WattlaColombo A Tamil Tiger suicide bomber killed himself and two others on the outskirts of the Sri Lankan capital Colombo Wednesday but failed to hit his target, a crowded air force bus. The attacker was knocked down by a cyclist as he tried to jump in front of the military bus, police said.

8 June 2000 Batticaloa andTrincomalee A prominent TELO member of Arayampathi, Batticaloa was shot dead by LTTE terrorists yesterday morning near the Education Department office. In Trincomalee on 6 June around 9 PM, Marimuthu Manikkarasa age 33, was forcibly taken out of his residence at Killiweddi, Mutur and killed by the LTTE for refusing to join the organisation.

7 June 2000 Rathmalana LTTE terrorists explodes a suidide bomb in Rathmalana, killing the 65 year old Industry Minister C. V. Gooneratne, as he collected money for soldiers. Twenty two other civilians were also killled in the attack.. His wife was critically injured.

17 May 2000 Batticaloa A powerful bomb exploded by LTTE terrorists ripped through a Buddhist feast in eastern Sri Lanka killing 29 people, including 6 children, and wounded 80. The explosion occurred near a temple in Batticaloa on Wednesday where people were witnessing an illuminated coloured structure to mark the Buddhist feast of Wesak, the holiest day in the Buddhist calendar.

15 May 2000 Jaffna Anther Tamil lawmaker was gunned down Monday night by Tamil Tiger terrorists. Police said an LTTE terrorist shot dead Santhanam Kandeepan, a member of the Jaffna municipal council, in the peninsula's Arasadi area, while he was standing outside his house

15 May 2000 Jaffna LTTE terrorists kill six civilians in random shelling of densely populated areas around Jaffna due to the frustration of not being able to dislodge the government troops defending Jaffnaa.

10 Mar 2000 Colombo LTTE Terrorists attacked civilians, exploding bombs and firing rockets during the Colombo evening rush hour. Twenty civilians and four police officers were killed and 64 others were wounded on a busy street in Colombo. The terrorists missed their target, a motorcade of Cabinet ministers .

2 Mar 2000 Jaffna Two LTTE terrorists shot dead Anton Sivalingam of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) in the Main Street of Jaffna. He was a member of the Jaffna Municipal Council.

12 Feb 2000 Colombo LTTE explodes two bombs in public transport busses killing three and injuring over fifty civilians. One of the bombs ripped through a public bus in Colombo when it was taking on passengers before leaving for a distant town at midnight, police said. The bus was gutted by fire. The other blast hit a moving bus at Wattala town just north of the capital.

30 Jan 2000 Polgahawela, Kurunagala Two people were killed and at least 14 people were wounded when the LTTE terrorists exploded another bomb in a bus heading for the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Sunday. The bomb, planted at the back of the bus travelling towards Colombo, exploded when it was in Polgahawela.

27 Jan 2000 Vavuniya At least 11 civilians were killed and over 70 wounded when the LTTE terrorists exploded a bomb in a letter box at the main post office in the northern Sri Lankan town of Vavuniya. Officials said a parcel bomb went off inside the post office, which is opposite a police station, at 1100 hours local time, totally destroying it.

24 Jan 2000 Jaffna The LTTE terrorists executes 14 civilians. The civilians were executed by the LTTE as they were suspected to have given secret information to the army about the whereabouts of terrorist movements.

14 Jan 2000 Jaffna A local official and his bodyguard were shot dead in the northern Jaffna by LTTE terrorists. An LTTE terrorist fired on Vaduvalu Vijeyaratnam, head of a local council, when he was riding his motorcycle late Friday. Vijeyaratnam died immediately, and his bodyguard, who also received bullet wounds, died later in hospital.

05 Jan 2000 Central Colombo An LTTE suicide bomber explodes a bomb outside the Prime Ministers office killing 13 civilians, 3 police officers and wounding a further 27. The attack was an assignation attempt on the Prime Minister, who was not in the office at the time.

18 Dec 99 Colombo and Gampaha Two LTTE suicide bombers explodes bombs in two election rallies days before the presidential elections, killing 31 civilians and injuring over 180. The attacked was an assignation attempt on the precedent who survived the attack but was blinded in one eye due to shrapnel injuries she received. At least three senior ministers and some foreign journalists, including a Japanese television crew and a Reuters photographer, were among the injured at the ruling party's rally.

15 Dec 99 Chavakachcheri, Jaffna LTTE terrorists launched a mortar attack on the civilian populated areas of Chavakachcheri, Jaffna killing one civilian and wounding another eight.

10 Dec 99 Manar,North West Sri Lanka A group of LTTE terrorists fired on a bus carrying civilians in the north-western Mannar district killing three and injuring four civilians. There were around 40 civilians travelling in the bus at the time of the incident according to eyewitnesses and approximately 15 terrorists took part in the attack,

18 Sep 99 Ampara,Northern Sri Lanka. LTTE terrorists struck at three villages of Punchi Seegiriya, Kalpengala and Bedirekka of Ampara. During the attack at least 58 Sinhalese villagers, including 17 women, 2 pregnant mothers and 14 children, were hacked to death with machetes and knives by LTTE terrorists. The victims were dragged from their sleep and butchered. Those who tried to seek refuge in the nearby dense jungles were chased and killed. Some of the villagers who fled their burning homes as gunmen fired at them were chased and hacked to death in rice fields. Others were killed as they slept.

05 Mar 98 Maradana,Colombo. A Tamil Tiger terrorist on a suicide mission blew up a mini bus packed with explosives at a busy intersection in Colombo on Thursday, killing 34 civilians, including two school children. Over 300 were wounded. The bomb was exploded outside a school.

17 May 98 Jaffna,Northern Sri Lanka. The mayor of Jaffna, Mrs. Sarojini Yogeswaran, was shot dead by LTTE terrorists Around 10.30 AM on 17th May 1998. At the time of the shooting the mayor was at her residence in Jaffna.

13 Apr 98 Jaffna,Northern Sri Lanka An LTTE Terrorist lobbed a grenade into a crowded market in Jaffna and at least one person was killed and 19 wounded. Many civilians in the former terrorist stronghold were shopping just ahead of the traditional New Year. The dead person was a Tamil woman.A pregnant woman was among the seriously injured.

09 Mar 98 Eravur Town,Batticaloa Four civilians and a policeman were killed when a bomb aboard a tractor-trailer loaded with rice bags exploded in eastern Sri Lanka on Monday. At least 26 people were also wounded in the blast near Eravur town in the eastern Batticaloa district, which was triggered by LTTE terrorists.

05 Mar 98 Maradana,Colombo. An LTTE terrorist on a suicide mission exploded a massive bomb hidden in a mini bus at a busy intersection in Colombo on Thursday, killing 34 civilians. Over 300 were wounded. The bomb was exploded outside a school and at least two vans carrying schoolchildren were caught up in the explosion, and schoolbags stained with blood were seen scattered in the blast area. Seven school children were among the dead.

06 Feb 98 Colombo Nine civilians were killed when a female LTTE suicide bomber detonated explosives strapped to her body at a military checkpoint in Colombo. The blast left charred limbs, including the head of the suicide bomber, littering the area.

25 Jan 98 Kandy,Central Sri Lanka LTTE Terrorists drove a lorry packed with explosives through roadblocks and set off a huge truck bomb outside the Sri Lanka's holiest Buddhist shrine in central Kandy, killing 13 people and wounding 23. Two toddlers were among the dead. The temple, which houses a sacred tooth of Lord Buddha suffered serious damage from the bomb blast.

31 Jan 96 Colombo- Fort, Central Bank. A lorry laden with explosives, exploded by a LTTE suicide killer at the Central Bank whilst two other LTTE cadres fired at the people. A total of 86 people were killed and 1,338 injured. All buildings on either side of the Janadhipathi Mawatha including Central Bank, Ceylinco, American Express, ABN Bank, Air Lanka, etc, were damaged.

11 Nov 95 Slave Island, Colombo. A suicidal bomber exploded a bomb near the Railway track, causing the death of 15 children, 01 Policeman and 01 Army Soldier.

02 Nov 95 Malakalugolla, Kegaluyaya, Siyambalanduwa, Moneragala. Terrorists entered into the village and hacked to death 05 children at the age of 1 1/2yrs. 2 1/2 yrs.03 yrs. 13 yrs. and 15 yrs. They also set fire to two huts, where the children were living.

26 Oct 95 Tammennawa, Heraththam, millawa, Talgahawewa. Terrorists have attacked the villages and killed 26 civilians (16 males and 10 females) and injured 27 civilians.

25 Oct 95 Panama, AMP. Terrorists had attacked and shot to death 12 Sinhalese farmers, who have gone into the jungle to collect firewood. Two dead bodies were found on the same day and the rest of the dead bodies left near the STF Camp, Panama.

23 Oct 95 Athimale, Kotiyagala,kille Moneragala. Terrorists have attacked the villages and killed 19 civialins (07 males, 08 females and 04 children).

21 Oct 95 N/of Padaviya, Welioya. A group of armed terrorists have entered into the area and attacked Galtalawa villages, killing19 civilians (10 males and 09 females).

07 Aug 95 Torrington Sq. Colombo. A bomb hidden in a hand cart, loaded with King Coconuts, was exploded by a suicide killer, in front of Western Province Chief Minister's Office, resulting the death of 21 civilians (18 males and 03 females) and injured 44 civilains.

25 May 95 Kallarawa, TCO. Terrorists have attacked the fishing village and hacked and shot to death 42 civilians (22 males, 12 females and 08 civilians).

16 Mar 94 Kudiramalai, Puttalam. Approximately 10 boats that had gone for fishing close to Kudiramalai Point were attacked by terrorists, killing 17 Sinhalese fishermen and injuring 03.

15 Oct 92 Palliyagodella, Ahamedpura, Abapura, Pamburana, Polonaruwa. About 200-300 armed terrorists attacked the Muslim villages and had shot and hacked to death a total of 172 civilians. (171 of them were Muslims) 12 Policemen and 08 Soldiers. And a total of 83 others were injured.

01 Oct 92 Konwewa. Whilst terrorists attacking the Konwewa detachment, Welioya fired and thrown grenades into the bunkers of villagers, killing 15 civilians and injuring 09 others.

01 Sep 92 Saindamaradu. A bomb fixed to a push cycle carrying an ICe Cream container, Kalmunai, exploded the Market, killing 22 Muslims and injuring 67 others.

30 Aug 02 TCO Town.A bomb planted in, privte bus at the bus stand exploded, killing 09 civilians andi injuring 34 (including 04 Soldiers and 02 RPCC).

21 Jul 92 Parangiyamadu. Terrorists have shot the Colombo/BCO train ordered the BCOpassengers to get down and opened fire at the Muslimpassengers. 07 Muslims killed and...Muslims injured. They also exploded the engine of the train.

15 Jul 92 Kirankulam, B'co. Terrorists attacked a civilian bus proceeding from Kathankudy towards Kalmunai, killing 19 Muslims and injuring 07 Muslims.

06 Jul 92 Parayanakulam, VNA. Terrorists publicly shot dead 10 Tamil lorry drivers and a woman alleging that they have passed information to SF.

02 Jun 92 2 09th Mile Post, AMP. A group of terrorists stopped a private bus, No.60 - 9799 proceeding from A pattu to Pottuvil and opened fire, killing 14 civilians 01 PC and injuring 02 civilians, 01 PC.

29 Apr 92 Alinchipotana, PLN. Terrorists attacked the Alinchipotana village, causing the death of 56 Muslims and injuring 15.

10 Apr 92 Maharagama. A car bomb exploded, causing the death of 08 civilians. 01 PC and 23 civilians injured.

10.24.92 AMP Town. A bomb exploded in a private bus 30-7088 causing the death of 25 civilians and injuring 33 civilians. Also one PC killed and 2 Army personnel wounded.

26 Jan 92 Between, Arantalawa and Boroppola, AMP. Private Bus plying between Maha Oya and Ampara got caughtto a land mine. Due to explosion, 09 civilians and 01 Airman were killed 17 civilians and 09 Airmen were wounded.

19 Sep 91 Palliyagodella, PLN. Terrorists had launched and attack on a Muslim village, killing 13 Muslims and injuring 06 others.

06 Jul 91 Karapola, PLN. Nine Sinhala fishermen fishing at Karapola lake and the owner of the Manampitiyavadiya who came there in his Delica van No.84-7071 were abducted by terrorists and 09 of them were killed. One fisherman escaped and informed Manampitiya detachment.

27 Jun 91 Lahugala, AMP. When a private bus 60-9765 was proceeding towards Monaragala to Pottuvil with a load of passengers, terrorists exploded two claymore mines and opened fire at the passengers. 16 civilians killed and 08 civilians wounded.

12 Jun 91 Koddadicholai, BCO. Bomb explosion in Manmunai ferry in Kokkadicholai, killing 04 Army Personnel and 10 civilians.

20 May 91 Malwatta, Sammanthurai, AMP. Terrorists fired at a group of Muslims who were returning from the paddy-field in a tractor, 09 Muslims killed and 02 injured.

20 Apr 91 Niyadela. Terrorists attacked village and hacked and shot to death 21 men women and children. Two others were injured, 03 houses, a car and a MC were set on fire. When the terrorists were fleeing they killed another villager in the adjacent village.

24 Mar 91 Fish Market, Akkaraipattu. Bomb explosion at Fish Marekt, Akkaraipattu, killing 09 Muslims and injuring 32 others.

14 Apr 91 Ethimalai, Monaragala. About 15-20 terrorists hacked to death 17 Sihalese villagers and injured another. Also set fire to 06 houses.

03 Apr 91 Keviliya, Foul Point, TCO. Terrorists on two boats surrendered 06 vallams and opened fire at the fishermen. Some fishermen jumped into the sea and swam. Four vallams were set on fire.Ten dead bodies and 11 injured were found. 16 are still missing.The missing perosns are either taken away by the terrorists or droywned after being shot.

23 Jan 91 Bogamuyaya, Maha Oya,AMP. Armed terrorists hacked to death 25 Sinhalese villagers and injuring others. Subsequently, 04 injured persons had succumbed to their injuries.

01 Nov 90 Halambawewa, Sinhapura, Weli Oya. Terrorists attacked the village and killed 10 Sinhalese.,

27 Oct 90 Thanthirimala,i A'pura. Armed terrorist shot dead 05 Sinhalese.

23 Oct 90 Thanthirimalai, A'pura. Armed terrorists killed 08 Sinhalese villagers and 02 Home Guards.

11 Oct 90 Arugambay, AMP. Two terrorists shot dead 09 Muslims who were collecting firewood.,

02 Oct 90 Vahalkada,Armed Padaviya. terrorists shot dead 07 Sinhalese villages and set fire to 39 houses.

30.9.90 Peraweltalawa, Maha Oya, AMP. Terrorists hacked to death 09 Sinhalese villagers.

24 Sep 90 Gajabapura, Weli Oya. Armed terrorists set fire to five houses and killed 04 Sinhalese.

21 Sep 90 Pudukudiyirippu, AMP. Terrorists attacked the village, killing 15 and injuring 11.

19 Sep 90 Kotmale Colony, Uhana, AMP. When some persons were travelling in a tractor, terrorists attacked them killing 05 and injuring 02 others.

13 Aug 90 Awarantalawa, VNA. A Muslim village adjoining a Sinhalese village wasattacked by terrorists, killing 09 Muslims and 01 Sinhalese, 03 others were injured.

11 Aug 90 Div.3 & 6, Terr Eravur. orists attacked Div. 3 & 6, Eravur, killing 116 Muslims and injuring 20 others.

08 Aug 90 Meegaswewa A'pura. Private coach 60-228 proceeding from Morawewa to Horowpothana with a load of passengers were attacked by terrorists, killing 26 Sinhalese including a soldier and 07 others were injured.

07 Aug 90 Bandaraduwa, Uhana, AMP. About 40 armed terrorists had gone to a Sinhalese village and killed 30 Sinhalese and injured four.

06 Aug 90 Ampara. Terrorists killed 33 Muslim farmers working in the paddy field.

05 Aug 90 Muliyankadu, AMP. Terrorists killed 17 Muslim farmers working in a paddy field .

03.8.90 Jumma & Hussinia Mosques, Kathankudy, BCO. Terrorists opened fire at Muslims who were in praying in two Mosques, killing 103 and 70 wounded.

31 Jul 90 Podankadu, Peraru,Kantalai TCO. 10 Tamil civilians were killed by unidentified gunmen.

30 Jul 90 Akkaraipattu, BCO. Terrorists shot dead 14 Muslims in the town .

26 Jul 90 Thammanna,Armed elawaka, Medavachchiya. terrorists hacked and shot to death 19 Sinhalese and set fire to 30 houses.

25 Jul 90 Wan Ela, TCO. Terrorists hacked to death 09 Sinhalese villagers who were cutting firewood.

24 Jul 90 Damminna, Aralaganwila, Polonnaruwa. Armed terrorists hacked to death 08 Sinhalese villagers.

23 Jul 90 Veeracholai, BCO. Terrorists had killed 08 persons and hang them on trees. Suspected that the bodies were of Muslims.

17 Aug 89 Nochchikulam, VNA. Eight civlians were killed and 04 others were injured due to an IED explosion.

27 Feb 89 Borawewa, Polonnaruwa. Armed terrorists shot dead 37 Sinhalese villagers.

22 Feb 89 Tract No 13, Sinhapura, Weli Oya, Terrorists had attacked Tract No. 13 and 06 Sinhalese were killed and another 07 were injured.

11 Feb 89 Dutuwewa, Horowpathana. Armed terrorists shot dead 34 Sinhalese villagers.

02 Feb 89 Bogamuyaya, Maha Oya, AMP. Armed terrorists hacked to death 11 Sinhalese villagers.

14 Nov 88 Paniketiyawa, Gomaran- kadawela,TCO. Armed terrorists shot dead 28 Sinhalese including two Security Forces personnel .

09 Oct 88 Mahakongas- kada, Medavachchiya. Armed terrorists shot dead 44 Sinhalese villagers and set fire to 11 houses.

10 Sep 88 16th Colony, Central Camp, AMP. Armed terrorists shot dead 07 Sinhalese and 04 Tamils.

25 Aug 88 Marawila, Polonnaruwa. Terrorists had killed 11 civilians by cutting their necks.

28 Jul 88 Ethawetunu- wewa, Weli Oya. Armed terrorists hacked to death 16 Sinhalese villagers.

01 May 88 Sittaru, Kantalai, TCO. Terrorists exploded a land mine on a CTB bus and killed 12 Sinhalese, 09 Muslims and 05 others, who were not identified.

08 Apr 88 Horowpathana, Meegaswewa, A'pura. Armed terrorists killed 14 Sinhalese.

31 Mar 88 Saindamaradu, Kalmunai. Terrorists attacked the village, killing 10 Muslims and 07 Tamils.

29 Mar 88 Wewalketiya, A'pura. There was a bomb explosion inside a CTB bus 29 Sri 9037 which was proceeding from Horopathana to Medavachchiya, killing 09 passengers and injuring 14 others.

22 Mar 88 Medavachchi- kulam, VNA. Armed terrorists shot dead 09 Sinhalese villagers.

17 Mar 88 Deegavapiya, Damana, AMP. Terrorists hacked to death 13 Sinhalese villagers.

15 Mar 88 Kivulakade, Morawewa, TCO. Two groups of terrorists entered the village and killed 07 Sinhalese villagers.

14 Mar 88 Kantalai, Trincomalee. Armed terrorists shot dead 13 Sinhalese villagers at Galmetiyawa.

11 Mar 88 Suhadagama, Horowpothana. A group of armed terrorists had attacked private Bus 22 Sri 2128 atSuhadagama with small arms and grenades, killing 19 passengers and injuring 09 others.

05 Mar 88 Sittaru, Kantala.i Terrorists exploded a land mine on a civilian lorry, killing 08 Sinhalese and 16 Muslims.

02 Mar 88 Morawewa, Trincomalee. Armed terrorists shot dead 14 Sinhalese villagers.

31 Dec 87 Mahadivulwewa, Trincomalee. Armed terrorists shot dead 10 villagers and burnt 15 houses.

15 Dec 87 Devalagodella, Somawathiya, Polonnaruwa. Terrorists had attacked Devalagodella and Somawathiya village, killing 09 villagers.

12 Nov 87 Cheddikulam, VNA. A van transporting passengers was blasted by land mine explosion, killing 12 Tamil persons and 13 PLOTE members.

09 Nov 87 Maradana, Colombo. Terrorist bomb explosion in a vehicle, 23 civilians killed, 106 injured, 15 vehicles damaged.

16 Oct 87 Pulimoddai, Trincomalee. Armed terrorists had stopped a private bus, taken out Sinhala persons and killed 11 of them including 03 PCC. (LTTE).

15 Oct 87 Ella Kantali Rd, Trincomalee. Armed terrorists shot dead 14 Sinhalese passengers travelling in two lorries.

10 Oct 87 Gantalawa, Kantalai. Armed terrorists shot dead 10 Sinhalese villagers.

07 Oct 87 Pottuvil, Monaragala Rd, Amparai. Armed terrorists shot dead 25 Sinhalese passengers, who were travelling in CTB bus. They also killed 05 Motor Cyclist who came along the same route.

06 Oct 87 Thalawai, Eravur. Armed terrorists shot dead 25 Sinhalese settlers.

12 Jun 87 Godapotta,About Medirigiriya, Polonnaruwa. 175 villagers had collected to discuss about a new temple.Terrorists had surrounded the temple and attacked them killing 08 villagers & a soldier, 06 were injured (LTTE).

11 Jun 87 Veppankulam. Private Van No. 38 Sri 496 proceeding from Horowpathana to Trinco was blasted by a pressure mine killing one soldier and 13 civilians (LTTE).

02 Jun 87 Arantalawa, Amparai. Armed terrorists shot dead 30 Buddhist Priests and 04 Sinhalese civilians and injured 15 Buddhist Priests.

29 May 87 Kadawathamadu, Polonnaruwa. Armed terrorists shot dead 07 Sinhalese villagers.

21 Apr 87 Central Bus, Stand, Pettah. Terrorists bomb explosion killed 110 civilians,02 Policemen and an Army soldier 298 others were injured.

20 Apr 87 Jayanthipura, Trincoamlee. Armed terrorists shot dead 15 Sinhalese villagers.

17 Apr 87 TCO/Habarana Rd.Trincoamlee. Armed terrorists shot dead 127 Sinhalese including 31 police and Security Forces personnel who were travelling in buses to Trincomalee.

22 Mar 87 Serunewa, Horowpathana. Armed terrorists shot dead 26 Sinhalese villagers.

07 Mar 87 Awarantalawa, Vavuniya. Terrorists exploded a land mine when troops were proceeding, killing 7 soldiers, 4 NAF soldiers and 6 civilians (LTTE).

07 Feb 87 Arantalawa, Amparai. Armed terrorists killed 28 Sinhalese villagers by slashing their necks.

24 Jul 86 Issenbessagala, Medawachchiya. When CTB bus No. 28 Sri 6899 was proceeding from Vavuniya to A'pura with a load of passengers at Issenbessagala, a bomb was exploded inside the bus killing 13 passengers and injuring 40 others(LTTE).

22 Jul 86 Mamaduwa, Vavuniya. Terrorists exploded a land mine on a civilian bus, killing 32 Sinhalese and injuring 20 others.

19 Jul 86 Vadigawewa, Medirigiriya, Polonnaruwa. Armed terrorists shot dead 12 Sinhalese villagers.

17 Jul 86 Sugar Corp., Kantali Some armed terrorists had entered block No. 4, Sugar Corp. Kantalai and 10 persons were shot to death, (07 Sinhalese and two Muslims and 1 Tamil) (LTTE).

13 Jul 86 Pavakkulam, Vavuniya. Four armed terrorists had come in a jeep to tract No. 16, Pavakkulam and killed 11 civilians, including two Sinhalese and 9 Tamils

08 Jul 86 Monkey Bridge, Trincoamlee. Armed terrorists shot dead 15 Sinhala villagers.

25 Jun 86 Sittaru, Kantale. Bomb explosion in a vehicle by terrorists, killed 16 Sinhalese.

11 Jun 86 Trincomalee. Two bombs exploded in two CTB buses in front of the Bank of Ceylon and the other in close proximity to the SP office, along Inner Harbour road, almost simultaneously which were on their way to Kantalai and Colombo respectively, 22 persons were killed due to the explosion. 75 others injured (LTTE).

04 Jun 86 Andankulam, Trincoamlee. Armed terrorists shot dead 17 Sinhalese villagers including Rev. Bakamune Subaddalankara Thera

25 May 86 Mahadivulwewa, Trincomalee. Armed terrorists shot dead 20 Sinhalese and set fire to 20 houses.

20 Dec 85 Mannar. 6 Madhu pilgrims who were abducted by terrorists on 12 Dec 85 have executed.

07 Nov 85 Namalwatta, Morawewa, Trincoamlee. Armed terrorists shot dead 10 Sinhalese villagers.

18 Aug 85 Namalwatta, Trincoamlee. Armed terrorists shot dead 6 Sinhalese villagers.

14 Aug 85 Awarantalawa, Vavuniya. Armed terrorists shot dead 7 Sinhalese and set fire to 40 houses.

02 Aug 85 Thrikonamadu, Polonnaruwa. Armed terrorists shot dead 3 Sinhalese Buddhist priests and 3civilians at Ruhunu Somavathiya Temple.

11 Jun 85 Dehiwatta, Muttur. 13 Sinhalese settlers shot dead by armed terrorists.

30 May 85 Mihindupura, & Dehiwatta, Muttur. Five Sinhalese settlers shot dead by armed terrorists.

14 May 85 Wilpattu. Armed terrorists shot dead 18 Sinhalese in the forest reserve.

14 May 85 Anuradhapura Armed terrorists invaded the town and shot dead 150 civilians in the religious compound. Many Buddhist monks are among the dead. This includes pilgrims who were inside the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi premises.

01 Dec 84 Kokilai Vavuniya Armed terrorists shot dead 11 Sinhalese settlers.