Prawn farm massacre
Encyclopedia
The Prawn farm massacre, also known as the 1987 Kokkadichcholai massacre, took place on January 27, 1987 in the village of Kokkadichcholai
, Sri Lanka
. At least 83 people who worked at the farm were killed.
The Special Task Force
, an elite special forces
unit of the Sri Lanka Police specialising in counter-terrorist and counter-insurgency operations, is accused to have perpetrated the massacre
. The foreign owner of the farm sued the government and eventually the victims were paid some monetary compensation.
As part of the ongoing Sri Lankan civil war
, a shrimp culture farm was owned by Serendip Seafood Limited, a business located in Mahiladiththivu and owned by Hong Kong based American investors in conjunction with local partners was attacked and destroyed in 1987. It employed a large number of local workers.
One of the prominent local partners was Sam Tambimuttu, a lawyer and a member of the minor political party Eelam Peoples Liberation Front (EPRLF). He was also a member of parliament (MP).
At the time of the incident EPRLF was aligned with the government in its war against the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) group. Eventually many members of the organization worked with the government as paramilitary
support (see Razeek Group).
In the mid 1980s the company purchased land from local residents near the farm. It was believed that the price per acre
was Rs 2500, though local residents allege that they received Rs 500 per acre as a consequence of Tambimuttu's mishandling of the money. The American partner, upon hearing the incident, ousted Sam from the partnership. Sam was deeply angered by this incident. Consequently, he told the Special Task Force
that there was a connection between the prawn farm and the LTTE. Subsequently the Special Task Force
raided the farm. However, they could not find any connection with the LTTE there.
gathered up the employees outside and checked their identity cards.
The employees were rounded up, herded onto a semi-trailer
, taken to a road junction and shot dead. Seven of the victims were boys aged 12 to 14. Forty others who had sought refuge in the farm were also shot and killed. The bodies were later burnt on piles of old tyres obtained by the security forces from the town's bus depot.
The relatives of the victims alleged that STF personnel invaded a house near the farm, threatening the residents not to speak about the massacre or report it to anyone. The relatives further added that the bodies were put into a semi-trailer and driven out of town.
body) and the company's former Manager and the present Consultant, Mr. Bruce Cyr (an American national) rebutted the government's denial and confirmed that the massacre did in fact take place.
They also contradicted the government's claim that those killed were either terrorists or that they died in the crossfire. Rejecting the government's Media Centre claim, the Managing Director, Mr. Santhiapillai, said, "I totally reject the Media Centre's charge that the 22 Serendib Sea foods staff members (plus 12 still missing) who were shot by the security forces were terrorists, The Centre must find some other more intelligent and plausible ways of handling such incidents."
Kokkadichcholai
Kokkadichcholai is a village in Batticaloa District within the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka.-Geography:It is located west of the provincial town of Batticaloa across from the lagoon that separates the Batticaloa district's hinterland from the populated coastal area...
, Sri Lanka
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...
. At least 83 people who worked at the farm were killed.
The Special Task Force
Special Task Force
The Special Task Force is an elite special forces unit of the Sri Lanka Police Service specializing in Counter-Terrorist and Counter-Insurgency operations. It was formed in 1983 not as a military force but rather as a highly specialised police unit...
, an elite special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
unit of the Sri Lanka Police specialising in counter-terrorist and counter-insurgency operations, is accused to have perpetrated the massacre
Massacre
A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
. The foreign owner of the farm sued the government and eventually the victims were paid some monetary compensation.
Background
Sri Lankan civil war
The 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...
, a shrimp culture farm was owned by Serendip Seafood Limited, a business located in Mahiladiththivu and owned by Hong Kong based American investors in conjunction with local partners was attacked and destroyed in 1987. It employed a large number of local workers.
One of the prominent local partners was Sam Tambimuttu, a lawyer and a member of the minor political party Eelam Peoples Liberation Front (EPRLF). He was also a member of parliament (MP).
At the time of the incident EPRLF was aligned with the government in its war against the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
(LTTE) group. Eventually many members of the organization worked with the government as paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
support (see Razeek Group).
In the mid 1980s the company purchased land from local residents near the farm. It was believed that the price per acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
was Rs 2500, though local residents allege that they received Rs 500 per acre as a consequence of Tambimuttu's mishandling of the money. The American partner, upon hearing the incident, ousted Sam from the partnership. Sam was deeply angered by this incident. Consequently, he told the Special Task Force
Special Task Force
The Special Task Force is an elite special forces unit of the Sri Lanka Police Service specializing in Counter-Terrorist and Counter-Insurgency operations. It was formed in 1983 not as a military force but rather as a highly specialised police unit...
that there was a connection between the prawn farm and the LTTE. Subsequently the Special Task Force
Special Task Force
The Special Task Force is an elite special forces unit of the Sri Lanka Police Service specializing in Counter-Terrorist and Counter-Insurgency operations. It was formed in 1983 not as a military force but rather as a highly specialised police unit...
raided the farm. However, they could not find any connection with the LTTE there.
Incident
Relatives of the victims claimed that on January 27, 1987, a number of helicopters circled the area. The military entered the village from Vellaveli, Kondavedduvan, Kaluvanchikudi and Kallandy camps in military trucks. At a nearby junction, a military vehicle was parked and the Special Task Force officers exited the vehicle and walked into the prawn farm. The Special Task ForceSpecial Task Force
The Special Task Force is an elite special forces unit of the Sri Lanka Police Service specializing in Counter-Terrorist and Counter-Insurgency operations. It was formed in 1983 not as a military force but rather as a highly specialised police unit...
gathered up the employees outside and checked their identity cards.
The employees were rounded up, herded onto a semi-trailer
Semi-trailer
A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. A large proportion of its weight is supported by a road tractor, a detachable front axle assembly known as a dolly, or the tail of another trailer...
, taken to a road junction and shot dead. Seven of the victims were boys aged 12 to 14. Forty others who had sought refuge in the farm were also shot and killed. The bodies were later burnt on piles of old tyres obtained by the security forces from the town's bus depot.
The relatives of the victims alleged that STF personnel invaded a house near the farm, threatening the residents not to speak about the massacre or report it to anyone. The relatives further added that the bodies were put into a semi-trailer and driven out of town.
Reaction
The government denied the massacre at the farm, but the Managing Director of Serendip Seafood Limited, Mr. Victor Santhiapillai, who was a former Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (a United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
body) and the company's former Manager and the present Consultant, Mr. Bruce Cyr (an American national) rebutted the government's denial and confirmed that the massacre did in fact take place.
They also contradicted the government's claim that those killed were either terrorists or that they died in the crossfire. Rejecting the government's Media Centre claim, the Managing Director, Mr. Santhiapillai, said, "I totally reject the Media Centre's charge that the 22 Serendib Sea foods staff members (plus 12 still missing) who were shot by the security forces were terrorists, The Centre must find some other more intelligent and plausible ways of handling such incidents."
See also
- List of massacres in Sri Lanka
- List of attacks attributed to Sri Lankan government forces
- List of attacks attributed to the LTTE