List of riots and pogroms in Sri Lanka
Encyclopedia
Following is a List of riots in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka
is an island nation situated in South Asia
. It has experienced ethnic tensions between its majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils and Moors
populations since 1915 from time to time.
when a group of Muslim attacked a Buddhist pageant
with stones soon spread across the island. The British
Governor of Ceylon
Sir
Robert Chalmers
, fearing he might lose control of the colony, on advice of Brigadier General Malcolm, came down with a heavy hand on the Sinhalese community, declared martial law
on 2 June 1915 and ordered the police and the Army to shoot without a trial anyone who they deemed a rioter. It is said the numbers of Sinhalese killed this way were thousands. With the escalation of the violence looting broke out within Colombo. Capt. Pedris, responsible for the defence of the city, successfully managed to disband several rioting groups after peaceful discussions.
The vanity and jealousy towards Capt. Pedris and the rich Pedris family of both the British and their sinhalese henchmen, led by Sir Solomon Dias Bandaranike the Maha Mudaliyar
(chief native interpreter and adviser to the Governor
) culminated in false charges being drawn up against Capt. Pedris and which would result him being court martialed
. It was alleged Pedris shot at a group of Muslim and had incited people to march to the city of Colombo from Peliyagoda. Based on these accusations, he was swiftly arrested.
Following his arrest the British
, fearing open rebellion, imprisoned more than 80 prominent Sinhalese leaders. Among those imprisoned were D. S. Senanayake (the future first Prime Minister of independent Ceylon), D. R. Wijewardena, Edwin Wijeyeratne
, Dr. Cassius Pereira, E. T. De Silva, F.R. Dias Bandaranaike, H. Amarasuriya, A.H. Molamure and several others..
See also: Sri Lankan independence movement#Dharmapala, 1915 and the Ceylon National Congress
which eventually led to civil unrest.
came to power in 1977. Over 300 Tamils were killed during these riots.
Public Library, with the loss of over 100,000 books, artifacts and palm writings. Many irreplaceable historical documents and artifacts of civilization in Sri Lanka were lost forever. Some police and army members were accused of collusion in the riots. Four Sri Lankan Tamils were killed.
Pogrom
. Between 400 and 3,000 Sri Lankan Tamil civilians were killed and many more made homeless and refugees and a number of places of business destroyed.
detention centre housing. This massacre was carried out by the local Sinhala community with the help of the local Police. Local residents assaulted the inmates with clubs and knives after reports they had taken a security guard hostage. Some victims were said to have been burned alive. According to Asian Centre for Human Rights
no one has been prosecuted for these crimes against humanity.
minority were destroyed and a number of Muslims were killed.
following an attack on a Naval base by the LTTE rebel group. No reported casualties.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
is an island nation situated in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
. It has experienced ethnic tensions between its majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils and Moors
Sri Lankan Moors
The Sri Lankan Moors are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 8% of the country's total population . They are predominantly followers of Islam. The Moors trace their ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka some time between the 8th and 15th centuries...
populations since 1915 from time to time.
1915 riots
The Sinhalese-Muslim Riots (known as the 1915 riots) which began in KandyKandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
when a group of Muslim attacked a Buddhist pageant
Procession
A procession is an organized body of people advancing in a formal or ceremonial manner.-Procession elements:...
with stones soon spread across the island. The British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Governor of Ceylon
Governor of Ceylon
The British Governor of Ceylon was an official who ruled Ceylon during the British colonial period between 1798 and 1948....
Sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Robert Chalmers
Robert Chalmers, 1st Baron Chalmers
Robert Chalmers, 1st Baron Chalmers GCB PC , was a British civil servant.-Background and education:Chalmers was born in Stoke Newington, Middlesex, the son of John Chalmers and his wife Julia...
, fearing he might lose control of the colony, on advice of Brigadier General Malcolm, came down with a heavy hand on the Sinhalese community, declared martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
on 2 June 1915 and ordered the police and the Army to shoot without a trial anyone who they deemed a rioter. It is said the numbers of Sinhalese killed this way were thousands. With the escalation of the violence looting broke out within Colombo. Capt. Pedris, responsible for the defence of the city, successfully managed to disband several rioting groups after peaceful discussions.
The vanity and jealousy towards Capt. Pedris and the rich Pedris family of both the British and their sinhalese henchmen, led by Sir Solomon Dias Bandaranike the Maha Mudaliyar
Sri Lankan Mudaliyars
Mudali was a colonial title & office in Sri Lanka. The Portuguese colonials created the Mudaliyar class in the 17th century by enlisting natives of different castes form the coastal areas, who were most likely to serve the Portuguese masters with utmost loyalty. The Dutch continued the practice of...
(chief native interpreter and adviser to the Governor
Governor of Ceylon
The British Governor of Ceylon was an official who ruled Ceylon during the British colonial period between 1798 and 1948....
) culminated in false charges being drawn up against Capt. Pedris and which would result him being court martialed
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
. It was alleged Pedris shot at a group of Muslim and had incited people to march to the city of Colombo from Peliyagoda. Based on these accusations, he was swiftly arrested.
Following his arrest the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, fearing open rebellion, imprisoned more than 80 prominent Sinhalese leaders. Among those imprisoned were D. S. Senanayake (the future first Prime Minister of independent Ceylon), D. R. Wijewardena, Edwin Wijeyeratne
Edwin Wijeyeratne
Sir Edwin Aloysius Perera Wijeyeratne, KBE was a Sri Lankan politician, diplomat, and one of the founding members of United National Party. He was a Senator and Cabinet Minister of Home Affairs and Rural Development in the government of DS Senanayake...
, Dr. Cassius Pereira, E. T. De Silva, F.R. Dias Bandaranaike, H. Amarasuriya, A.H. Molamure and several others..
See also: Sri Lankan independence movement#Dharmapala, 1915 and the Ceylon National Congress
1953 hartal
Hartal 1953 was a country-wide demonstration, hartalHartal
Hartal is a term in many Indian languages for strike action, used often during the Indian Independence Movement. It is mass protest often involving a total shutdown of workplaces, offices, shops, courts of law as a form of civil disobedience...
which eventually led to civil unrest.
1956 Gal Oya riots
The first reported ethnic riots that targeted minority Sri Lankan Tamils in Gal Oya a new settlement in the Eastern Province. The total number of deaths is reportedly 150.1958 riots
1958 ethnic riots popularly known also as the 58 riots was a watershed event in the race relationship of the various ethnic communities of Sri Lanka. The total number of deaths is estimated to be 300, mostly Sri Lankan Tamils.1977 riots
The anti-Tamil riots, targeting the minority Sri Lankan Tamil people started on the August 12, 1977, less than a month after the United National PartyUnited National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
came to power in 1977. Over 300 Tamils were killed during these riots.
1981 Burning of Jaffna Library
This riot involved the destruction of the JaffnaJaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
Public Library, with the loss of over 100,000 books, artifacts and palm writings. Many irreplaceable historical documents and artifacts of civilization in Sri Lanka were lost forever. Some police and army members were accused of collusion in the riots. Four Sri Lankan Tamils were killed.
1983 riots
The ethnic riots is better known as Black JulyBlack July
Black July is the commonly used name for the anti-Tamil pogrom and attacks carried out by mobs in Sri Lanka which began on July 23, 1983. The riots occurred following a deadly ambush by a Tamil militant organization known as Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam which killed 13 Sri Lanka Army soldiers...
Pogrom
Pogrom
A pogrom is a form of violent riot, a mob attack directed against a minority group, and characterized by killings and destruction of their homes and properties, businesses, and religious centres...
. Between 400 and 3,000 Sri Lankan Tamil civilians were killed and many more made homeless and refugees and a number of places of business destroyed.
2000 Bandarawela riots
In October 2000, 27 Tamil youths were massacred and 14 others were seriously injured in the attack at BandarawelaBandarawela
Bandarawela is the second largest city in Badulla District which is 28 km away from Badulla. Due to higher altitude, Bandarawela has a mild weather condition throughout the year hence, it is popular among the citizens to spend the vacations with their family members...
detention centre housing. This massacre was carried out by the local Sinhala community with the help of the local Police. Local residents assaulted the inmates with clubs and knives after reports they had taken a security guard hostage. Some victims were said to have been burned alive. According to Asian Centre for Human Rights
Asian Centre for Human Rights
The Asian Centre for Human Rights is a NGO dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Asian region. It is headquartered in New Delhi, India...
no one has been prosecuted for these crimes against humanity.
2001 Mawanella riots
Also known as Mawanella riots, shops and property belonging to the MuslimSri Lankan Moors
The Sri Lankan Moors are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 8% of the country's total population . They are predominantly followers of Islam. The Moors trace their ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka some time between the 8th and 15th centuries...
minority were destroyed and a number of Muslims were killed.
Trincomalee
In mid 2006, a bomb blast killed 16 people, prompting a Sinhalese mob to torch Tamil-owned shops and to hunt down Tamil civilians. According to the main hospital, the blast killed 16 people, eight Tamils, five Sinhalese, two Muslims and a person who could not be identified. The reprisal attacks claimed another five: four Tamils and one Sinhalese, who were burned, stabbed and shot to death. Whether the riots were spontaneous or planned is impossible to know, although the police and the army, deployed in full force around the market, did not manage to stop them. Rohan Abeywardana, the deputy inspector general of police in charge of Trincomalee, said his forces were overpowered. Those arrested were released the next morning.Galle
On 17 October 2006 a number of Tamil owned shops were damaged and destroyed in mob violence against Tamil merchants in the port city of GalleGalle
Galle is a city situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the capital city of Southern Province of Sri Lanka and it lies in Galle District....
following an attack on a Naval base by the LTTE rebel group. No reported casualties.
See also
- Sri Lankan Civil WarSri Lankan civil warThe Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
- Human Rights in Sri LankaHuman rights in Sri LankaMajor human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as the United States Department of State and the European Union, have expressed concern about the state of human rights in Sri Lanka. Both the government of Sri Lanka and the separatist Liberation Tigers of...
- State terrorism in Sri LankaState terrorism in Sri LankaVarious non-governmental organizations and individuals have accused the Sri Lankan government of committing state terrorism. These claims allege that much of the Sri Lankan government's handling of insurgent groups dating from 1956, including the civil war against Tamil militant groups and the...
- List of attacks attributed to the LTTE