1985 anti-Tamil pogrom in Karaitivu
| 1985 anti-Tamil pogrom in Karaitivu | |
|---|---|
  Karaitivu Karaitivu (Sri Lanka) | |
| Location | Karaitivu, Ampara District, Sri Lanka |
| Coordinates | 7°22′0″N 81°50′0″E / 7.36667°N 81.83333°E |
| Date | 12 April 1985 – 14 April 1985 |
Attack type | Massacre, arson, rape |
| Weapons | Guns, knives, stones, burning. |
| Deaths | 11 Tamil civilians |
| Injured | 40 hospitalised, several raped, 2000 homes burned, 15,000 rendered homeless |
| Perpetrators | Sri Lankan Muslim mobs, Sri Lankan security forces |
The 1985 anti-Tamil pogrom in Karaitivu refers to the organised violence directed at the Tamil civilian population of Karaitivu, Ampara by Sri Lankan Muslim mobs aided by Sri Lankan security forces.[1][2][note 1]
In April 1985, President J. R. Jayewardene sent M. H. Mohamed, along with his supporters to attack Tamils in the village of Karaitivu (Ampara).[4][3] A mob of 3000 Sri Lankan Muslim youth with the support of the security forces killed several Tamils, raped several women and burned over 2000 Tamil homes, rendering 15,000 Tamils homeless.[5][4][6][7] Shops were also looted and several Hindu temples destroyed including a temple of Pattini, where the idols were broken.[8]
According to Muslim journalist Qadri Ismail, 11 people were killed and 40 hospitalised during the ensuing violence between 12 April and 14 April. He also visited the area a month earlier and noted there was no evidence that the Muslims had felt sufficiently threatened to resort to such violence, which would only bring them insecurity.[3] However, others have accused the Tamil militant groups of having behaved aggressively towards Muslims in the months leading up to the violence. Extortion and abductions of Muslims by the militants in the Eastern Province had occurred since 1984. Though this was similar to how militants extracted money from Tamils in the north, eastern Muslims more openly opposed these actions, providing the government with an opportunity to incite Muslims against Tamils.[9]
On 12 April 1985, Muslim minister A.L.A. Majeed accused an outside force of instigating the attacks:
"The Tamils and Muslims have been living peacefully for hundreds of years. I wish to bring to your notice that certain sinister forces and self-interested parties are trying to bring about a violent clash between Tamils and Muslims. Therefore, Muslims should be vigilant. We learn that certain fake politicians are doing their damnedest to provoke a violent ethnic conflict between the Tamils and the Muslims in the Eastern province which will only result in the loss of life and property."[6][3]
Similarly, Minister Savumiamoorthy Thondaman told the parliament that "7 lorries and 2 jeeps filled with thugs had gone from Colombo to the Eastern Province to provoke trouble".[3]
On 17 April 1985, a further 27 Tamil civilians in the area were murdered by the STF.[5]
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Ismail, Qadri (1985). "Sri Lanka's Ethnic Conflict and Muslims". Economic and Political Weekly. 20 (19): 830–833. ISSN 0012-9976. JSTOR 4374389.
- ^ Miller, Phil (2020). Keenie Meenie: the British mercenaries who got away with war crimes. London: Pluto Press. pp. 158–164. ISBN 978-1-78680-584-3.
- ^ a b c d e Hoole, Rajan (14 November 2014). "The East Erupts: Mossad Again?". Colombo Telegraph. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ a b Imtiyaz, A. R.M.; Hoole, S. R.H. (2011). "Some Critical Notes on the Non-Tamil Identity of the Muslims of Sri Lanka, and on Tamil–Muslim Relations". South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies. 34 (2): 208–231. doi:10.1080/00856401.2011.587504. S2CID 39675436.
- ^ a b "POLICE COMMANDOS JOIN IN VIOLENCE". Tamil Times. April 1985. pp. 1–19.
- ^ a b "VIOLENCE IN EAST SRI LANKA PLANNED AND INSTIGATED". Tamil Times. May 1985. p. 4.
- ^ "Tamil-Muslim clashes or State-directed violence against Tamils?" (PDF). Tamil Information. Vol. 1, no. 8. 15 May 1985. p. 3.
- ^ Tharmalingam, K.N. (November 2003). "New Year's Bloody Dawn: Karativu 1985". Northeastern Herald.
- ^ Nuhman, M. A> (2007). Sri Lankan Muslims: Ethnic Identity Within Cultural Diversity (PDF). International Centre for Ethnic Studies. pp. 152–153. ISBN 9789555801096.
