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Lanka massacres that triggered civil war haunt 40 years later

Published

3 years ago

2023/07/30

Thilina Walpola

Forty years ago, anti-Tamil violence in Sri Lanka exploded, fuelling a civil war that continues to haunt survivors.

by Amal JAYASINGHE

Forty years ago, mobs in Sri Lanka burned 13 people alive, part of a week-long pogrom that turbocharged simmering ethnic unrest into all-out civil war.Known in Sri Lanka as “Black July”, the brutal violence triggered a 26-year conflict that killed about 100,000 people and set development back by decades, ending only after the Tamil rebels fighting for autonomy were massacred in 2009.

The 1983 anti-Tamil mob attacks escalated on July 29, when Mohan Panneer Selvam was just eight years old.A rampaging gang torched his home in the tea-growing central town of Hawa Eliya, burning 13 people inside, including his parents, relatives and their staff.

“My grandmother started to escape, they shot her and threw her body into the house,” Panneer Selvam said, breaking down while recalling the events narrated to him by his older sister.

He and his younger brother were away at boarding school when the riots broke out, returning as orphans to the ruins of their burned home two months later.His sister — then a child of 10 — was the sole survivor only because their mother “threw her out of the kitchen window,” he said. She was wounded and found “two or three days later” by police and sent to a camp for Tamils made homeless by the violence.

“My sister saw the burnt bodies — they put the bodies in a municipal tractor (trailer),” he told AFP. “They dumped them somewhere.”

Ethnic tensions between the mainly Buddhist Sinhalese majority and the largely Hindu and Christian Tamil minority had long simmered, and worsened after ex-colonial ruler Britain quit in 1948.The conflict erupted in July 1983, when a landmine ambush laid by Tamil rebels killed 13 Sinhalese soldiers, in the Tamil heartland of Jaffna.The government flew the bodies to Colombo for a mass burial, but relatives demanded individual funerals and rioted.

The backlash degenerated into a week of violence targeting Tamils, with the worst of the violence on July 29, dubbed “Black Friday”, when Panneer Selvam’s family was killed.According to the government, about 400 to 600 people died over the course of the massacres — mostly Tamils. But minority groups say the true toll could be in the thousands.

“The events that happened… changed the course of history,” said Tamil legislator M. A. Sumanthiran.

“We don’t regard what happened in 1983 as a riot, because it was planned violence unleashed on the Tamil people in this country. It was a pogrom.”

Some claim the army was actively involved or provided tacit support to the attacks in revenge for the loss of their 13 comrades, and several then-government officials were seen leading mobs. No one has been prosecuted.But some Sinhalese did protect Tamil neighbours.Human Rights lawyer Nimalka Fernando, who is Sinhalese, sheltered Tamil and Muslim neighbours.

“Over 40 years, it has been a journey to grapple with waves of internally displaced people, waves of refugees in my own country,” she said.

Sumanthiran said autonomy was the “political standard of the Tamil people”, noting they had always voted for a federal system — and had even demanded a separate state during elections in 1977.

“To quell that, to subdue that, violence was practised,” he said. “So ‘83 was the height of that kind of strategy by the government”

Sumanthiran says about 1.3 million Tamils fled the country after the riots, many north to neighbouring India — motivating their increasing interest in the conflict.New Delhi pressed Colombo to seek peace by granting autonomy to the Tamils, and the Sinhalese leaders’ policy “boomeranged” back in their faces, he added.

“While everything was on fire, the Indian government intervened,” Sumanthiran said.Of the estimated 100,000 killed in the war, the dead are split roughly equally between the security forces, Tamil fighters and Tamil civilians, with Sinhalese and Muslims also among the dead.

The physical scars of the war fade, and only a few of the battle-scarred buildings remain. But the legacy of events 40 years ago lives on.Today, Sumanthiran said many Tamils still dream of political autonomy.

“Successive governments after the war ended have been successful in sort of delaying it — promising and not doing,” he said. “But I don’t think they can do that for too long”.

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It is the government’s objective to create an education system that provides every child with access to modern technological opportunities — Prime Minister

Published

4 mins ago

2026/03/30

Priyan

Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, stated that it is the government’s objective to establish an education system that ensures every child has access to modern technological opportunities.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while attending the opening ceremony of the National Competition of the World Robot Olympiad (WRO), that aims to elevate the technological skills of Sri Lanka’s younger generation to international standards, held on Saturday (28) at Burhani Serendib College in Colombo.

A total of 66 teams from schools across the island participated in this year’s competition, marking a threefold increase compared to last year. The event was held under the theme “Robots Meet Culture,” and over 500 students, presented creations blending local culture with modern engineering concepts.

Expressing her views, the Prime Minister stated:

“In today’s rapidly evolving world, giving priority to the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) should be a national priority.

Platforms such as the World Robot Olympiad provide opportunities for our younger generation to develop essential skills such as logical thinking, innovation, and teamwork”,

Sri Lanka participated in the International Robot Olympiad held in Singapore in 2025, with two teams representing the country, which marked a highly significant and enriching experience for our children.

The Prime Minister further emphasized that the government remains committed to building an education system that enables every child to benefit from such technological opportunities.

The event was attended by the Secretary to the Prime Minister, Pradeep Saputhanthri, officials from the Indian High Commission, government officials, and school students.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

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Heat Index likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Eastern, North-western, Northern and North-central provinces and in Monaragala district

Published

30 mins ago

2026/03/30

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 29 March 2026, valid for 30 March 2026.

The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Eastern, North-western, Northern and North-central provinces and in Monaragala district.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

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National Namal Uyana Declared a ‘National Heritage of Sri Lanka’

Published

12 hours ago

2026/03/29

Priyan

The declaration of the National Namal Uyana as a “National Heritage of Sri Lanka” with the aim of identifying, conserving and bequeathing the country’s national heritage to future generations under the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs and the commemoration of the 35th anniversary of its establishment was held under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat, on Thursday (26).

The National Namal Uyana, spanning 602 hectares within the Palagala Divisional Secretariat Division of the Anuradhapura District, is a unique site of significant national, religious, environmental and geographical value. At the request of its founder, Venerable Wanawasi Rahula Thero and with the intervention of the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, the site was formally declared a National Heritage of Sri Lanka. To mark this occasion, the commemorative plaque was unveiled by the President via virtual technology.

Speaking on the occasion, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the responsibility of safeguarding this unique environmental heritage and bequeathing it to future generations rests with all.

The President also expressed his sincere appreciation for the dedication shown by Venerable Wanawasi Rahula Thero over the years in protecting and developing the National Namal Uyana.

On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the National Namal Uyana, the first-day cover issued by the Postal Department of Sri Lanka, along with the ‘National Namal Uyana Shashthreeya Sangrahaya’, was presented to the President by Venerable Wanawasi Rahula Thero.

Delivering a special address on the occasion, Venerable Wanawasi Rahula Thero, founder of the National Namal Uyana, stated that this event would go down in history as one of the most outstanding environmental services undertaken by the present Government.

The thero also expressed his deep appreciation for the President’s decision to hold the programme at the Presidential Secretariat, rather than at the National Namal Uyana premises as originally planned for tomorrow (27), in view of the prevailing situation in the country.

He further highlighted that the people of the country has been widely embraced President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s vision and commitment for national development and emphasised the need for unity among all citizens in addressing the challenges currently facing the country and for collectively seeking effective solutions.

On this occasion, Venerable Wanawasi Rahula Thero, founder of the National Namal Uyana, also shared further remarks.

On 28 March 1991, I began my work at the National Namal Uyana, a beautiful forested area, dedicating myself with great commitment despite facing a very difficult life. During this time, local monks and members of the public levelled various accusations against me and subjected me to public criticism. Numerous articles were written against me in the press. Yet, I did not waver in my efforts.

However, during the tenure of President Chandrika Kumaratunga, I was fortunate to receive the assistance of Berty Premalal Dissanayake, through whose efforts electricity was made available. Subsequently, I have also received support from all Presidents who have held office after President Kumaratunga. I have not made any personal requests, yet opportunities have consistently been accessible to me, owing to my unwavering commitment to act with integrity.

During your tenure, the roads in the area surrounding the National Namal Uyana have been well developed and I extend my appreciation to all involved in this achievement. I also express my sincere gratitude to Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayathissa and Deputy Minister Gamagedara Dissanayake, who worked with dedication to ensure that the National Namal Uyana was formally declared a National Heritage of Sri Lanka. Similarly, I acknowledge the efforts of officials, including Roshan Gamage, who managed these activities efficiently. I also deeply appreciate the extensive support provided by both electronic and print media in promoting this initiative.

The National Namal Uyana is not my personal property; I have only acted as its guardian. For this reason, I planned for it to be entrusted to the Central Cultural Fund after my tenure and I am confident that this process is being managed effectively. I also envisaged connecting this site with Gangarama and having officials at the level of the Secretary to the President, the Secretary to the Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and the Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana oversee its continued development. Without such measures, the site could have been at risk of deterioration during my absence.

I have done my part for this country. I owe nothing to the nation. My foremost responsibility is to ensure the protection and preservation of this site. As someone born in the nearby village of Anuradhapura District, I am deeply honoured and delighted that, today, this has been officially declared a National Heritage under your auspices.

Additionally, there are two schools and two hospitals in the Palagala Divisional Secretariat Division. On behalf of the local communities, I respectfully request that one of these schools and one of these hospitals be upgraded into fully equipped facilities to better serve the people.

This occasion was attended by a distinguished group of officials, including Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr Nalinda Jayathissa, Deputy Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Gamagedara Dissanayake, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Prince Senadheera, Secretary to the Ministry of Environment, K.R. Uduwawala, Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Roshan Gamage, Director General of Archaeology, E.A. Senerath Wikramasinghe, Director General of the Central Cultural Fund, Dr. Nilan Cooray and Postmaster General S.R.W.M.R.P. Sathkumara among others