The Tamil Tigers never admitted responsibility for the deaths and, because they were defeated by government forces in May , seem unlikely to have the opportunity to do so. Efforts for reconciliation have gathered pace since the civil war came to an end, but the aftermath of the Batticaloa killings means there remains much mutual distrust between Tamils, who are mostly Hindus, and Muslims.
Mr Thangarajah says the question of land ownership was a major issue in eastern Sri Lanka during the early s and still remains a major cause of friction between the communities - even though today some of that antipathy appears to be disappearing. While Tamil youths were largely drawn towards militancy throughout the mids, the Muslim community did not hurl itself into the fight for a separate homeland with the same enthusiasm - even though they spoke the same language.
The largest Tamil political party in Sri Lanka, the Tamil National Alliance TNA - widely seen as sympathetic towards the rebels - has now condemned the killings as "totally unacceptable".
Some of their actions were quite irrational, and the mosque massacres were one such example of that. Some infants and elderly people passed away soon after reaching Kalpitiya. If that was the pathetic plight of Muslims on Mannar Island the situation of Muslims in the Mannar district mainland was equally wretched.
Each family was allowed possessions in five travel bags, rupees in cash and one gold sovereign. The Muslims were checked in three places —Madhu,Pandivirichaan and a location near Vavuniya town.
But near Vavuniya many of the items including thermos flasks were arbitrarily looted. This segment of Muslims arrived on foot to Vavuniya. The expulsion went on in other parts of the Northern Wanni mainland.
The following day on Oct 23rd all Muslims living in Kilinochchi district were ordered to go out within five days. According to the census Muslims comprised 4. Muslims in Vavuniya district comprised 6. The bulk of these people were living in Govt controlled areas. Even as the expulsions were taking place in Wanni the Jaffna Muslims were unperturbed. According to the census Muslims in the Jaffna district were 1.
A portion of these in Chavakachcheri had been already chased out. But the Jaffna town area Muslims could not see any danger befalling them. These were things happening to others for different reasons. Jaffna Muslims saw themselves as integral to Jaffna. Nothing could happen to them from their Tamil brethren. They were given an incredibly short deadline to leave Jaffna. Some came to Canada also.
I have met and interacted with several of these persons in Toronto and quite a few are now close friends. I have listened to them relating harrowing tales of their horrible experiences during the expulsion and after.
Their accounts saddened and depressed me greatly. It was about A terse announcement was repeated incessantly that representatives of each Muslim family should assemble at the Jinnah stadium of Osmania College by twelve noon. Armed tigers began patrolling the streets. Some began a house to house announcement in the thickly populated lanes and by — lanes. The people abandoned whatever they were doing and hurried to the grounds. At Aanchaneyar later went by another name Ilamparithy.
Aanchaneyar or Ilamparithy had a brief message. Failure to do so meant punishment. No further explanation was given. When people started to question him Ilamparithy lost his cool. He barked loudly that the Muslims should simply follow orders or face consequences.
He then fired his gun several times in the air. A few of his bodyguards followed suit. The message was clear. The people thought initially that the army was going to invade Jaffna and that the LTTE was asking everyone to leave.
Only belatedly did they realise that only the Muslims were being ordered to leave. With more and more armed tigers coming into the area the perturbed Muslims began packing.
Initially they were not told of any restrictions on the things they could carry. So people packed clothes, valuables, jewels and money. Buses, vans and lorries were made available for transport by the tigers. Many Muslims made their private transport arrangements too. The Muslims streaming out of their homes were now given a fresh order.
As the hapless people lined up they were in for a terrible shock. Male and female cadres of the LTTE began demanding that the Muslim people hand over all their money, belongings and jewellery to them. Each person would be allowed only rupees each. Each person would be allowed only one set of clothes. Feeble protests were raised. The brandishing of sophisticated weapons and threats in aggressive tones quickly silenced them.
The suitcases with clothes and other belongings were confiscated. They were opened first and selected clothes taken out. If a person wore trousers an extra set of trouser and shirt was given. If a person wore a sarong an extra sarong and shirt was given. All the money and documents including title deeds to property,cheque books and national identity cards were confiscated.
Women and girls were stripped of jewels. Some women cadres were brutal even pulling out ear studs with blood spurting in the ear lobes. The children were not spared. Not a watch was left. Jaffna Muslims reported later that Karikalan from Batticaloa was supervising the entire operation. At least 35 wealthy Muslim businessmen were abducted.
They were detained by the LTTE. Some Muslim jewellers were tortured for details of hidden gold. One jeweller was killed by the beatings in front of the others. Later huge sums of money were demanded for their release. Some paid up to 3 million.
The abducted persons were released in stages over the years. Some of the dazed Muslims too thought that their expulsion was only temporary. It took months for them to understand the true state of affairs. As time went on some of the once rich — now pauperised — Muslims found themselves unable to adjust to the new situation.
They have declined greatly over the years. Muslims must also draw attention, time and again to the advance warnings given to the authorities by the community as early as late, long before the alleged RAW reports in April of the emergence of some radicals within the community. That authorities since then were continuously monitoring most of those elements are entirely true! But how the Indians got ahead of the Sri Lankan detectives and how the RAW had access to the Easter bombers are beyond our understanding!
Pakistan assisted Sri Lankan forces in multiple ways, while Libya also helped! Pakistan played a very significant role in assisting the armed forces in many ways, while the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya also reportedly assisted. Many other Muslim interest groups also facilitated the then-government and the armed forces in too numerous ways to be included here.
This is a war crime by any yardstick. A Muslim man assisting the forces during a flood disaster. Share This Post Tweet.
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