List of massacres in Sri Lanka explained

The following is a list of massacres that have occurred in Sri Lanka and its predecessors. (Numbers may be approximate.)

List of massacres

See also: List of attacks on civilians attributed to Sri Lankan government forces, List of attacks on civilians attributed to the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and List of attacks attributed to the LTTE.

scope=col width=200pxMassacrescope=colDatescope=colLocationscope=colDeathsscope=col width=175pxPerpetratorsscope=col width=100px class=unsortableRefs
Madulla massacre [1] [2] [3]
Uva-WellassaThousands[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
28 May – 8 August 1915 Nationwide (official)[11] [12] [13]
1956 anti-Tamil pogrom5–16 June 1956 Nationwide Government, Sinhalese and Tamil rioters [14]
1958 anti-Tamil pogromMay – June 1958 Nationwide Government, Sinhalese and Tamil rioters [15]
Nationwide Tens of
thousands 		[16] [17] [18] [19] [20]
[21] [22] [23]
Puttalam massacre – [24] [25] [26]
1977 anti-Tamil pogromAugust 1977 Nationwide Government, Sinhalese and Tamil rioters[27]
Murunkan, Vavuniya
-August 1981 Nationwide [28]
Attacks on Tamils in Trincomalee3-[29] [30] [31]
-July 1983 Nationwide [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40]
align=center Thirunelveli, Jaffna
align=center Sinhalese prisoners aided by Sinhalese prison guards [41] [42] [43]
Sampalthoddam massacre align=center Sampalthoddam, Vavuniya–
align=center – [44]
align=center [45] [46] [47]
Spring 1984 Jaffna massacres- [48] [49] [50] [51]
1984 Vavuniya massacre+ [52]
August 1984 Mannar massacre[53]
Kaithady massacreKaithady, Jaffna[54]
1984 Point Pedro massacrePoint Pedro, Jaffna[55] ", p.1[56] [57]
Mallavi junction massacreMallavi, Mullaitivu[58]
Colombo-Jaffna coach massacreMathawachchi[59]
Jaffna grand bazaar massacreJaffna[60]
Jaffna army rampageJaffnaArmy[61]
Urumpirai killingsUrumpirai, JaffnaArmy
Mullaitivu massacreArmy[62]
Jaffna town massacreJaffnaArmy
Kasturiar Road/Power House road junction massacreJaffna[63]
Jaffna-Colombo train shooting of Tamil civiliansMeesalai, Jaffnaseveral killedArmy[64]
Kopay massacreArmy
Army rampage at ChavakachcheriChavakachcheri, JaffnaArmy[65]
Killing of 4 Tamil civilians including a 7 year old boyJaffnaArmy
Kent and Dollar Farms, Vavuniya
December 1984 massacres of TamilsSeveral places in Northern and Eastern provinces + [66]
– [67] [68] [69]
Nedunkerny massacre+ Army[70]
Semamadu massacre [71] [72]
[73]
Kumulamunai massacre According to pro-rebel NESOHR
Vavuniya army camp massacreIratperiyakulam, Vavuniya+ Army[74] [75]
[76]
+
Amarivayal, Trincomalee–
Murunkan, Mannar– [77] [78] [79] [80] [81]
Vavuniya massacreArmy[82]
Asikulam massacreAsikulam, VavuniyaGovernment armed mob
Massacre of 18 Tamil fishermenHome Guards[83]
Madawachchiya massacreMadawachchiyaHome Guards
Mullikulam massacre Mullikulam, MannarArmy
Several locations, Mullaitivu
Mulliyavalai massacre
Thiriyai massacre [84]
Windsor cinema junction massacreSeveral killed Army
Muthur massacre22-
Mullaitivu massacre 22-
Chemmani road massacre
Massacre of Tamil family in Vavuniya
Vankalai church massacre 6 January 198523Army
Army rampage in Jaffna townArmy[85]
Mullaitivu massacreMullaitivu
Pannai bridge massacreJaffna STF[86]
Puthukkudiyiruppu massacre
Maviddapuram massacreArmy[87]
Mannar massacreMannar Army[88]
Karaitivu massacreSTF[89] [90]
Myliddy massacreArmy
Nelliaddy massacreArmy
STF, state sponsored mobs[91] [92] [93] [94]
Karaveddi massacreKaraveddi, Jaffna District + Army[95]
+ [96] [97]
Jaffna massacreJaffna Army
Oorani massacreArmy[98]
Point Pedro massacre+ Army[99]
– [100] [101]
Anuradhapura massacre/Attack on Sri Maha Bodhi[102] [103]
[104] [105]
Anaikottai massacreArmy[106]
Massacre of Tamil civilians in AnuradhapuraArmy[107]
Massacre of Tamil civilians in VavuniyaVavuniya Army
Massacre of Tamil civilians in Anuradhapura army campArmy[108]
Thambiluvil massacre

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Appuhamy. Durand . The Madulla massacre by the British (9th of Dec. 1817). WWW Virtual Library Sri Lanka.
  2. Report of the Sinhala Commission, Part 1
  3. News: Müller . J. B. . Anglophiles, Eurocentric arrogance and Reality . . 6 November 2010.
  4. Web site: A Moral Audit of the British Empire. Brendon, Piers. History Today.
  5. http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2011/03/11/sri-lanka-revoke-british-governor%E2%80%99s-infamous-gazette-notification Sri Lanka is to revoke British Governor's infamous Gazette Notification
  6. http://www.dailynews.lk/local/sumanawathie-s-success-brings-lustre-back-uva-wellassa Sumanawathie's success brings lustre back to Uva Wellassa
  7. Web site: Keerthisinghe . Lakshman I. . The British duplicity in protecting human rights in Sri Lanka . Daily Mirror . 2013 . 2013-10-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131021114438/http://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/172-opinion/28002-the-british-duplicity-in-protecting-human-rights-in-sri-lanka.html . 21 October 2013 . dmy-all .
  8. https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2010/08/22/fea08.asp Human Rights came down the generations
  9. http://archives.dailynews.lk/2012/11/02/fea03.asp Uva destroyed by the Brits now soars
  10. Web site: Uva Wellassa The Great Liberation War - 1817 -1818. 23 October 2014.
  11. Book: Tambiah. Stanley Jeyaraja. Stanley Jeyaraja Tambiah. Buddhism Betrayed?: Religion, Politics, and Violence in Sri Lanka. 1992. University of Chicago Press. 0-226-78950-0. 7.
  12. Book: Gunasinghe. Newton. Winslow. Deborah. Woost. Michael D.. Economy, Culture, and Civil War in Sri Lanka. 2004. Indiana University Press. 0-253-34420-4. 99. 4: The Open Economy and Its Impact on Ethnic Relations in Sri Lanka.
  13. Book: Pieris. Anoma. Architecture and Nationalism in Sri Lanka: The Trouser Under the Cloth. 2012. Routledge. 978-0-415-63002-3. 106.
  14. Vittachi, T. Emergency '58: The Story of the Ceylon Race Riots
  15. Swamy, M. R. Naranayan. Tigers of Lanka: From Boys to Guerrillas, p. 11
  16. Book: Hughes. Dhana. Violence, Torture and Memory in Sri Lanka: Life After Terror. 2013. Routledge. 978-1-135-03815-1. 8.
  17. News: Jayasinghe. Amal. Analysis: Sworn enemy turned ally. BBC News. 3 September 2001.
  18. Book: Rampton. David. Woods. Eric Taylor. Schertzer. Robert S.. Kaufmann. Eric. Nationalism and Conflict Management. 2013. Routledge. 978-1-135-70852-8. 111–117. "Deeper Hegemony": The Politics of Sinhala Nationalist Authenticity and the Failures of Power-Sharing in Sri Lanka.
  19. Book: Perera. Jehan. Colletta. Nat J.. Lim. Teck Ghee. Kelles-Viitanen. Anita. Social Cohesion and Conflict Prevention in Asia: Managing Diversity Through Development. 2001. World Bank Publications. 978-0-8213-4874-1. 385. https://books.google.com/books?id=64Fvi7j42wMC. Approaches to Ending the Civil War in Sri Lanka: The Role of the State and Civil Society.
  20. Web site: April 1971. Peace and Conflict Timeline. 16 August 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714233109/http://pact.lk/april-1971/. 14 July 2014.
  21. Book: Rajasingham, K. T.. Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DA26Df04.html. Chapter 24: Tamil militancy - a manifestation. 3 September 2011. 3 May 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090503231851/http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DA26Df04.html.
  22. Book: Hoole. Rajan. Rajan Hoole. Sri Lanka: the Arrogance of Power: Myths, Decadence and Murder. 2001. . http://www.uthr.org/Book/CHA02.htm. Chapter 2: Antecedents of July 1983 and the Foundations of Impunity. 978-955-9447-04-7.
  23. News: 35th anniversary of Tamil Conference victims held in Jaffna. TamilNet. 11 January 2009.
  24. Book: Wilson. A. Jeyaratnam. A. Jeyaratnam Wilson. S.J.V.Chelvanayakam and the Crisis of Sri Lankan Tamil Nationalism, 1947-1977. 1994. C. Hurst & Co.. 112. 16 August 2015. 29 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180529203731/http://noolaham.net/project/87/8603/8603.pdf. dead.
  25. Web site: Asia Report N°134 - Sri Lanka's Muslims: Caught in the Crossfire. International Crisis Group. 4. 29 May 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923225409/http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/asia/south-asia/sri-lanka/134_sri_lanka_s_muslims_caught_in_the_crossfire.pdf. 23 September 2015. dmy-all.
  26. News: Jeyaraj. D. B. S.. Ashraff's mystique still lingers among Eastern Muslims. The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 20 September 2014.
  27. Kearney, R.N.. 1985. Ethnic Conflict and the Tamil Separatist Movement in Sri Lanka. Asian Survey. 25. 9. 898–917. 10.2307/2644418. 2644418.
  28. Brian Eads - The Cover Up That Failed - The Prohibited Report From Colombo, London Observer - 20 September 1981
  29. [The Guardian]
  30. Tamil Times, June 1983 - Racial attacks on Tamils continue, bombs flung at MP's house, p4
  31. Tamil Times, August 1983 - JUNE DIARY OF ATROCITIES IN TRINCOMALEE, p10
  32. Web site: ICJ Review no. 31 (December 1983). live. 24. https://web.archive.org/web/20140328101610/http://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/ICJ-Review-31-1983-eng.pdf . 28 March 2014.
  33. Book: Rubin, Barnett R. . Cycles of Violence: Human Rights in Sri Lanka Since the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement . 1987 . Human Rights Watch . 978-0-938579-43-4 . en.
  34. T. Sabaratnam, Pirapaharan, Volume 2, Chapter 5 – The Second Massacre (2003)
  35. Daily Mirror, KKS Perera, Reflecting… 40th Anniversary of 'Black July': Have We Truly Learned from History? https://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/Reflecting-40th-Anniversary-of-Black-July-Have-We-Truly-Learned-from-History/172-262724
  36. Daily News, Being 'in and out' of the UNP Controversial Cyril Mathew Wednesday, December 6, 2017, https://archives1.dailynews.lk/2017/12/06/features/136507/controversial-cyril-mathew
  37. [The Week (Indian magazine)|The Week]
  38. L.Piyadasa, 1984, Sri Lanka: The Holocaust and After, London:Marram books, p.81, 86
  39. M.S Venkatachalam, 1987, Genocide in Sri Lanka, Delhi:Gian Publishing House, p.67
  40. News: July 1983: Ranil Wickremasinghe Followed Cyril Mathew. Colombo Telegraph. 3 September 2013. Rajan. Hoole. 16 October 2017.
  41. Web site: ASA/37/15/94 When Will Justice Be Done?. Amnesty International. 1 July 1994.
  42. Book: Hoole, Rajan. Sri Lanka: The Arrogance of Power - Myths, Decadence & Murder. 2001. . 978-955-9447-04-7. http://www.uthr.org/Book/CHA10.htm. Chapter 10: The Welikade Prison Massacres. Rajan Hoole.
  43. News: Sri Lanka's Welikada prison clash leaves 27 dead. BBC News. 10 November 2012.
  44. Book: Massacres of Tamils (1956-2008). 2009. NESOHR/Manitham Publications. . 978-81-909737-0-0. 15.
  45. News: 10 Die in Sri Lanka As Troops Fire at Crowd. . Associated Press. 29 March 1984.
  46. Book: Rajasingham, K. T.. Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DC09Df04.html. Chapter 30: Whirlpool of violence. 16 August 2015. 16 April 2002. https://web.archive.org/web/20020416181258/http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DC09Df04.html.
  47. Web site: Satyendra. Nadesan. The Chunnakam Massacre. Tamil Nation. 15 April 1984.
  48. Tamil Times, May 1984 - Murders most foul, p.7
  49. Tamil Times, April 1984 - Burning and killing to save Buddhism, p2
  50. Tamil Times, April 1984 - Lankan army on shooting spree, several killed, women & children included, pp.5-6
  51. Tamil Times, June 1984 - Amnesty international on extrajudicial executions in Sri Lanka, pp.1-3
  52. Tamil Times - September 1984, Mortuary 'overflowing' with dead bodies, p12
  53. Tamil Times - September 1984, 5,000 civilians flee, following army rampage, p12
  54. Tamil Times - September 1984, 9 killed, 25 injured at Kaithady, p12
  55. Eelanadu, 3 September 1984, "திக்கம் சம்பவம்: 6 அதிரடிபடை வீரர்கள் பலி! பல வீடுகள், கடைகள் எரிப்பு
  56. Tamil Times, September 1984, "Point Pedro devastated — College Library gutted", p.14
  57. [Saturday Review (Sri Lankan newspaper)|Saturday Review]
  58. Tamil Times - October 1984, Tamil travails, p.10
  59. The Hindu, S. Parthasarathy, December 1984, Unarmed and under siege
  60. Gamini Navaratne (1988) How we beat the bombs and censors in Jaffna, Index on Censorship, 17:4, 26-27, DOI: 10.1080/03064228808534397
  61. Tamil Times - November 1984, ARMY ATROCITIES ON THE INCREASE RAMPAGE OF MURDER & ARSON, p9
  62. Tamil Times - December 1984, Tamil travails, state terrorism stepped up, p15
  63. [Saturday Review (Sri Lankan newspaper)|Saturday Review]
  64. Tamil Times - January 1985, state terrorism: grotesque, ghastly genocide p.14
  65. Tamil Times - January 1985, state terrorism: grotesque, ghastly genocide p.15
  66. Tamil Times - December 1984, TAMIL AREAS UNDER SIEGE - 1000s KILLED, MANY MORE ARRESTED, p1
  67. News: Sabaratnam. T.. The ignored side of Balraj story. The Bottom Line (Sri Lanka). 28 May 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080530091649/http://www.thebottomline.lk/2008/05/28/asiseeit_col.htm. 30 May 2008.
  68. Web site: Janaka Perera. LankaNewspapers.com. 7 October 2008.
  69. Book: Rajasingham, K. T.. Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DC16Df02.html. Chapter 31: Indira Gandhi - a casualty of terror. 15 August 2015. 15 June 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20060615040549/http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DC16Df02.html.
  70. Tamil Times - December 1984, Wanted for murder, p2
  71. Web site: Vavuniya residents mark another massacre . 2023-08-08 . Tamil Guardian.
  72. Web site: 2022-12-06 . 29 Tamil civilians killed in Vavuniya village remembered . 2023-08-08 . The Leader . en-gb.
  73. Tamil Times - January 1985, 64 killed at Chettikulam, p16
  74. Amnesty International, September 1986, Pattern of 'Disappearances' as security forces systematically violate human rights
  75. Book: Rubin, Barnett R. . Cycles of Violence: Human Rights in Sri Lanka Since the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement . 1987 . Human Rights Watch . 978-0-938579-43-4 . 112–114 . en.
  76. Book: Sabaratnam. T.. Pirapaharan: Volume Two. Ilankai Tamil Sangam. http://www.sangam.org/articles/view2/?uid=633. Chapter 23: Manal Aru becomes Weli Oya.
  77. Web site: Report No. 1 - Chapter 2. University Teachers for Human Rights. January 1989.
  78. News: Mannar human rights activist Fr Mary Bastian remembered. TamilNet. 6 January 2004.
  79. Book: Brown. Cynthia. Playing the "Communal Card": Communal Violence and Human Rights. 1995. Human rights Watch. 978-1-56432-152-7. registration.
  80. Book: Marks, Thomas. Maoist Insurgency Since Vietnam. 1996. . 978-0-7146-4606-0. 197.
  81. News: Soldiers in Sri Lanka Are Reported to Kill 85. . Associated Press. 6 December 1984.
  82. Tamil Times - January 1985, state terrorism: grotesque, ghastly genocide p.16
  83. Tamil Times - February 1985, state terrorism p.14
  84. Tamil Times - February 1985, state terrorism p.15
  85. Tamil Times - April 1985, state terrorism. - Tamil travails under state terrorism, p.14
  86. Tamil Times - May 1985, State terrorism - Bullets for them, dynamite for their houses, p.18
  87. Tamil Times - April 1985, state terrorism. - Tamil travails under state terrorism, p.16
  88. Tamil Times - June 1985, state terrorism, more savaging of Tamils, p.16
  89. Tamil Times - April 1985, Police commandos join in violence, p.1
  90. Tamil Times - May 1985, Violence in East Sri Lanka, planned and instigated, p.4
  91. Book: Miller, Phil. Keenie Meenie: the British mercenaries who got away with war crimes. 2020. 978-1-78680-584-3. London . Pluto Press . 1135758174.
  92. Rajan Hoole – The Arrogance of Power, Chapter 20, Section 8, Border Aggression and Civilian Massacres – The East Erupts: Mossad Again? (2001)
  93. Police commandos join in violence – Tamil Times, April 1985, p18
  94. Some Critical Notes on the Non-Tamil Identity of the Muslims of Sri Lanka, and on Tamil–Muslim Relations – A. R.M. Imtiyaz a & S. R.H. Hoole, South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies (2011), p229-230
  95. Tamil Times - June 1985, state terrorism, more savaging of Tamils, p.17
  96. Web site: Special Report No. 26 - Can the East be won through Human Culling?. University Teachers for Human Rights. 3 August 2007.
  97. Daily Telegraph, 10/6/85, 100s killed in massacre of Tamils, 25,000 homeless
  98. Tamil Times - May 1985, 30 Tamils blasted with explosives, p.1
  99. Tamil Times - May 1985, Attack on Sinhala civilians condemned, p.7
  100. Web site: Report No. 2 - Chapter 4. University Teachers for Human Rights. March 1989.
  101. Book: Hoole. Rajan. Rajan Hoole. Sri Lanka: the Arrogance of Power: Myths, Decadence and Murder. 2001. . 214. 978-955-9447-04-7.
  102. News: Timeline of the Tamil conflict. BBC News. 4 September 2000.
  103. News: Sturcke. James. Conflict in Sri Lanka. The Guardian. 2 November 2007.
  104. Book: Rajasingham, K. T.. Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DC23Df05.html. Chapter 32: Limbo between war and peace. 3 September 2011. 1 October 2002. https://web.archive.org/web/20021001211016/http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DC23Df05.html.
  105. Book: Somasundaram, Daya. Scarred Minds: The Psychological Impact of War on Sri Lankan Tamils. 1998. . 978-0-7619-9267-7. 310.
  106. Tamil Times - May 1985, More Tamils killed, p.2
  107. Tamil Times - July 1985, State terrorism - gruesome massacre of Tamil civilians, p.16
  108. News: June 28, 1985 . Anuradhapura Diary: a dark day . 34–35 . Frontline.

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