Page 1
Tanmj7
TIME
TAMIL TIMES Wol. No. B Jume 1984 Price 65p ISSN 0266-4488
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Published monthly by TAMIL TIMESLTD P.O. BOX 3O4 LOOTWW 13 - 9 GN United Kingdom
CONTENTS
Editorial.............. 1..................... 2
MOSSad COTIES to Sri Lanka ................................. 3
SLFP, LSSP Condemn Israel Tission............................ 4
Terroris Act — ICJ .................. 5
MIRJE Condemn army havoc. 9
Harta in North & East.............. 10
Ethnic Consciousness in Sri Lanka............................, 11
First the Tamils, then the Muslims......... . . . . . . . 15
Media File................................ 17 | Letters to the Editor............ ... 20
Australasian Federation Of Tamils..., ..., ... 21
Racist attack or Undergrads.............................. 22
| Wiews expressed by contributors are not
necessarily those of the editor Cur lhe
Dublishers, The publishers assume no responsibility or return of unsolicited Tanuscripts, photographs and artwork,
Printed By Asitiour Lithu (TULld, 21-22 Arkwright Road, Runcorri, Cheshire.
UK India/Sri Lanka.................. E7.50
AMNESTY
播 E. E.
Amnesty Intern: Il Limber of killi I
Lankan security to order indepe
NIRMALA
TO FRE Mwase بی ج ۱.
/
MTS Nirmal: Nit had been held u El TTT pris Ill Act fru|| is reported to hav dom on June 10 fro iIi the eastermil Tal (''al0a ,
The Sri La Tokia, 1 g of Nirmal:1'5 f*5tal Seven people, son TIT1 el Erld dres SEÇ arrived at Battical of June 10 in twI)
They sı, il that til rcIII:lInd prisoleI' | Ice inside they prison guards and section and Testut
Nirmala, along MT NithiyānāIthar Ind three Christia ir restel in NO VET tailed under the S is Act. Mr Nit escapcd to freedon al uther Tarril de broke jail in Sept
 
 
 

JUNE 1984
INTERNATIONAL ON
XTRAJU DICAL XECUTIONS
IN SRI LANKA
ational has expressed grave concern about the large
gs of civilian Tamils by the members of the Sri forces and the government's failure to condemn or
indent investigations into such killings.
ESCAPES EEDOM
hi ya 1; Tith: T1, wh4 } der till dT: ' Hli: Il Im NovembET 1982, escaped to free| III tille jail situated Illil city of Batti
verilment versi Tı pe said that six I" 1g Of Wh{}Il Were as prison guards, a jail on the night vehicles, hey had brought a for a dission and overpowered two wEIt to the femal: 2. Nirmala. With her husband 1. Iniversity Oil, I clergy'Ilei, Was her 1982 and deSri Larika TerTC)T- hiya na Inthan also | along with severtailes Wher they
.
In a 75-page Report on "Extraju ditil Killings", A II lesty II 12TE1ät imal has documented a mass of evidence including eyewitness accounts and photographs to establish beyond doubt that the Sri Lankan security forces have engaged in extrajudicial executions, Ilore since July 1983, of a large number of civilians, particularly in the northern Tamil district of Jaffna.
In a press release, Al said that "there had been a clear failure by the government toe investigate security force killings adequately. To Amnesty Inte:Tlational" 5 kT 1 wledge there had beel ICJ cari II nilal prisec Lu LiCJEls Lyf officials belie vel Tes pH onsible for the T1, Arld il lly ble area Was al ilquest ever held.
"Furtherlore, extrajudicial killings have not been officially conde11 Iled," it said, "THıEl gove I"Il II lelt F1:s Illerely stated that it "does not (Ilclone such killings of Lunarmed civilians or, in other cases, has sought to justify them by stating that civilians were killed during all 'exchange of fire" with "terrorists, without however permitting in quest pT) Celings to he held,
Coinciding with the release if its Repert (1 June 18, the AI has Lurged President Jaya Wardene and his gowernment to take effective preventive meas I resto stop deliberate killing of Civili: Ils by its seo' Lurity for's, t) restrict the powers of arrest and dete[1 tidorl Lurıder" [:LIt"r"et1t erIıet"geI1:y Tegulations, and to bring to justice those responsible th Tilgh an impartial inv Eestigt i OI 1.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Page 2
2TAMILTIMES
Sri Lanka's new Minister of National Security, Mr Lalith Athulathmudali, has announced that he is setting up an entirely new wing of the armed forces to be mobilised into service during periods of internal strife in Sri Lanka.
Initially, 4,000 troops will be Commissioned into this new force, which will function as the fourth wing of the armed services independent of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
it does not require a shrewd analysis by a military strategist to identify the true insignia of this "fourth column'. It is no secret that a fourth wing has been functioning since President Jayawardene came into power, though it had no statutory status.
Hasn't one heard of the "bicycle chain battalion' which broke up pickets, attacked trade unionists and killed Somapala? People have not forgotten how these goon Squads attacked people like Professor Sarathchandra.
Didn't the "fourth wing', not yet given statutory status but receiving ministerial protection, go down to Jaffna during the District Development Council elections in May 1981 to snatch ballot boxes which were later discovered under the beds of two Cabinet ministers who were staying at Subash Hotel, Jaffna? Didn't they later gang up with the marauders of the Sri Lankan
STATUTORY STATU
BICYCLE CHA
police to burn c City centre, incl Public Library 1981? Wasn't th ent' employed opposition meet rigged referend Was it not th gade” that wa atack the resic reme Court juc police ensured phones went m of Order?
And, finally, th comprising the p Brigadiers Prem Ath u l at h m u d sanayake, gradu ified for officia recognition whe maimed thousa burnt them aliv women, burnt th troyed their fact dered their prope cedented orgy July-August 198 At al his rece ings, Athulathm announcing a 's his army was implement to wip youth Strugg oppression.
While he exhc death squads to out trace "Tamil synonym for all ter Mathew deno youth as "rabid demands that down.
LLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLCSLSLSLSLSLS
FROM PAGE 1
The Report documents in detail evidence in respect of the reported killing of some 234 Tamils in March and April this year since the appointment of a new Minister of National Security. In this regard, the AI report quotes the Government Agent of Jaffnaa, saying that 'hardly any of those killed by the army were linked with the guerrilla campaign for more autonomy for the Tamil majority', and that he 'spent more of his time trying to trace the people missing or detained.'
Photographs reproduced in the Report are pictures of unidentified
bodies reportedly b on April 10 or 11. identification of th circumstances in wh killed has become ex the AI Report states impeding identificat tions into the circum deaths occurred, c cern that these deat of extrajudicial killi ity forces.
Dealing with the by the armed forc April this year, the “Amnesty Internatic
LSSLGLSGSLS
 

JUNE 984
S FOR SRI LANKA’S N BATTALON
OWn the Jaffna Jding the Jafna in May-June is ‘goon regimto break up ings during the um campaign? his “Devil's BriS engaged to iences of Supiges when the that their telesysteriously out
is “fourth wing" rivate armies of adasa, Mathew, a li a n d D i sIated and qual
and statutory they killed and nds of Tamils, re, raped their eir homes, desories and plunrty in an unpreof violence in 3. nt public meetudali has been ecret plan' that Soon going to be out the Tami ling against
rts his military wipe out with
terrorists' - a Tamils - Minisun Ces the Tami mad dogs' and they be shot
urnt by the army Pointing out that e dead and the ich persons were tremely difficult, : "Such burnings, ion and investigastances in which an enhance conls were the result ngs by the Secur
illing of civilians es in March and AI Report states: nal has received
And President Jayawardene declares that they are not even human beings. And yet, Athulath m u da I i, Mathew and Jayawardene are tolerant, compassionate and pious Buddhists
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Premadasa has become the champion of the anti-Indian warmongering lobby, firing verbal missile after missile at India and Indira Gandhi from the safe and secure environs of Sri Lanka's super-salubrious new parliamentary complex, detonating, “Il challenge’, ‘Do you dare”, "invade us if you will" type of bravado, representing more the lumpen diehards from the backyards of his Kehelwatte electorate than the lofty office of Prime Minister which rests uneasily upon him.
Having signally failed in their attempt to round up the Tamil militants, President Jayawardene and his new Minister of National Security are getting ready to launch a campaign of mass massacre of the Tamil youth population in the hope that at least One in a 100 SO massacred Will be a Tamil militant.
That is the 'secret plan' that Athulathmudali has been threatening to implement. That is the solution the despotic regime of President Jayawardene is offering to the trampled Tamils
of Sri Lanka.
H
Several eyewitness accounts of the shootings on 28 March 1984 resulting in the death of eight persons at Chunmakam market and one at Mallakam. These accounts identify Air Force personnel getting down from a truck and a van, who opened fire at random, shooting into the crowded market at civilians.
“Like om previous occasions, inquest proceedings were reportedly waived in all eight cases. The government's refusal to permit inquests to be held can only enhance concerns that these were in fact unprovoked extrajudicial killings. This is especially so since, in

Page 3
JUNE 1984
Bodies in such a state ,
spite of the government's official wer. sion of the Chun na ka III, III arket incideelt, a c'()'dling to which those killed were shot dead by air force personnel in legitima te self-defence, the statements of eyewitnesses received by All nesty International would appear to indicate (III the contrary that the sevel shol dead in ChLIII akam Ill'- ket and the one man subsequently shot dead in a shop at Mallaka In died as a result of deliberate Ta Indom shooting by Air Force personnel,"
"Between 9 and 12 April 1984 a number of violentineidents tok place ill and around Jaffna and during these days dozens of Tamils were killed by the security forces - stin lates of the ni III bers killed and the cirçLIIT 1stances in which they died varying widely e wel according to official sources.
"The Minister of National Security, Mr. La lith Ath Llılıtım udali, las put the total Ilumber of persons killed between H and 12 April at 32, stuting thal 111 yw'r Te? 'te. T TO Irists". Hi y WC2 W (2 T. Amnesty International notes that : Ilother government official, the Gowernment Agent for Jaffna, is quoted as saying that "more than 50" people were killed and that "hardly any of those killed by the army were linked with the guerrilla campaign for more autonolly for the Tamil Illinority'.
"He was als) reported as saying that he spent more of his time trying to trace people missing or detained since last Week's event 5. Irı the sime press reports, Mr L. Rajasingha II. President of the Jaffna Citizens ComImittee, estiIThaled the number of PLOplc killed to be 2:34, stating that most victims were bystanders killed in ran doll shootings by soldiers after the attacks by Tallil extrellists,
"The Secretary of the Ministry of Informatic El Douglas Liyamayage, it till: 5: III e Reiters report, disIllissed the figure of 234. but als 3 Hicklow
, . To identificatiom could be Yra de
ledged that there civilians armong
loted as saying. that every person
'Tist'',
"Amnesty Intel Ilannes of 34) perso and 12 Apгil."
"It has beel poir fication of the dea ances in which p has become ext' wie W of the ärmy the bodies of sever by them, Accord state lets receiw ternational:
""My GOI I 7.3(l) a 11 ) In 11-48going for tuition Tetul Tı ıle Sc}) f
MOSSA
Months ago, Tauri reports that op Israeli Secret Ser in training Sri L: SCOTT|| L. Malla goveTTı III erit of S :un I10L (1ced the op Interests Sectin' only legitimising Sence: fCJI II Conth Israeli Secret Sel The talks and E. diplomatic rela. which were brok had been ging om BLI L, the gove I'm heavily depend (I) loans from Arab c e X cha m g C e a II" thousands of Sri | Middle Eastern careful about f Arab countries, States cane Loth cue with the dipl.
 

could be in IOCelt he dead. He Was **I a T1 Tot ell y'0'LI
kilil ged w:HS a t EPT
'national has the 15 killed betweeT 4
|te!! Jut thäl idell!l- id and the circLuli1stersons were killed emely difficult in reportedly burning "al people shot dead ing to Come of the ed by Allesty III
left III alt by Llt
saying that he was but has failed to far , . . we i na de a
TAMILTIMES3
search for himl , , , My Sol's friends
reported having seen Ily SCI1 ill the
JaffIlä to WI arca on 11.4-84. HeI'E I
visited all the spots where it was reported that dead bodies were lying. But the bodies were in such a state, some partly burnt, Some charred and faces disfigured, that no identification could be made . . ."
"An Ilesty International has recoeleiweed ni ne « other statements from relatives of persons who left home between 9 and 12 April and who are still missing", relatives stating they fear these persons were killed by the army, and their bodies burnt by them."
Identifying the army
"Amnesty Int(II):till:ll his received reports that such burnings took plac! at Will JCJIldi. Chell mai and Mandativu, Ilost reports identifying the army as responsible for the burnings. However, two reports received by Airlinesty International allege that at the Chem mani Cemetery the police burnt the bodies of people shot by the army. The father of he Imal, who had left hIIle II, 9 April, and who is still "Inissing", stated that he h:ld been L(ld S. by the police themselves:
'''Subsequently, on Friday 13,484 I lodged an entry at the Jaffna Police Stations that Ily son , , . Was missing. All officer in the police dept, teld II le that Ilost of the bodies of persons shot by the army personnel were at Chern many cemetely , , ,
D coMESTO SRI LANKA
mil Tirags received eratives from the "vice were engaged 1 la 1 Security perImpitiya. When the Sri Lanka TCCETıtly eiling of the 'Israeli il Col. In his, il Was the de facto pre15 if Mossad, the rvice, personnel. lans to re-establish tions with Israel. El of 14 years äg(), for se veral months. Il el L. Which w:isi t: [[][ı tradze with cild ultries ind foreign Illings from the LankaIs Working in ultries, had to be alling foul of the Then ble Lilited c government's Tes(Illatic device of El Il
'ISTaeli Interests Sectia Il Within the US Embassy".
Device to hoodwink
The fict that Is Tatl will set Lup its full Missi II in Col. In El Linder the guise of an "interests section', which is only a device to hoodwink the Arab countries and the Muslim population I Sri LänkH. Howe Wer, MT Rinald Oppen. Public Affairs Officer of the US Embassy in Colomb, let the cat out of the bag when het old the Ceylor) Daily New's las Teported in the Sri Lanka News, May 31', 'Israel will open a *interests sectio il Sri La lika shortly. This is totally an Israeli gowernment cuperation atıld they will mot be operating from LFS FITıbässy premises QT using Américan personnel.
MT Oppen added that this was a diplomatic device set Lup by the Wienna Convention and is customarily

Page 4
4 TAMIL TIMES
used when two governments have no diplomatic or consular representation. He said that this matter had been under discussion for Some time between the governments of Israel and Sri Lanka.
He added that further details on the specifics of the relationship between the two countries should be obtained from representatives of the two governmentS.'
Although the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, Mr Sahul Hameed (himself a Muslim), refused to answer repeated questions in Parliament from opposition MPs as to whether personnel from the dreaded “Mossad” would be among those employed in the "Israeli Interests Section', President Jayawardene was more forthcoming.
Israeli assistance
He told a news conference in Hong Kong that the Sri Lankan government would accept help from the Devil himself to break the back of the terrorists. He revealed that Israeli assistance was being obtained to combat terrorism and that the Israeli Security Organisation Mossad was among those helping the Colombo government.
"We haven't been able to get the United States, Britain and India to help us. We have to get help from somewhere. We can't be political waifs, he said (as reported in Sri Lanka News, June 7).
An opposition MP observed: General Attygala has told the representative of the International Commission of Jurists, Mr Paul Sieghart, that there are only 15 or 20 hard-core 'Tigers'. All of these Tamil guerrillas put together, there can’t be more tham 150 or 200.
“Of course, they have attacked Some of our security personnel and even killed them. They have also raided some banks. What else have they done? In return, our security forces have also killed many of them and tragically many Tamil civilians to0.
"We have at least 17,000 in the police force; at least about 12,000 in the armed forces. The government has also announced the recruitment of some 4,000 home guards. They have bought gunships from Taiwan; lots of weapons from Pakistan and helicopter gunships from the United States. Now they are calling in the Israeli Mossad. All this for what? To fight a few "Tigers'! The way the government is acting, I won't be surprised if they call in the American Sixth Fleet from the Mediterranean and the Seventh Fleet from the Pacific. The government has become paranoid.'
SLFP ( “SRAE
SLFP President anaike has desc open an 'Israeli il the US Embassy it in the face of the community.
Mrs Bandarana Mr Lakshman Jay ber of Parliamer asked a question ly, the Minister o gave an answer t evasive. Now an Embassy has ci 'Israeli Interests established soon what he described power' of the US.
'Whatever the whichever the q from, it is clear th ment has given a the Arab and Islan the non-aligned W “Only a very sm aligned members tic relations with which has time violated decision Council of the Unit shown scant respe or humanitarian any event, what Lanka must fully this step is an op policy adopted by government in 19 more than 13 yea "The correctnes taken by my govel ly evident in the have accrued to country, especiall Now this opportum government is wa loss of those benef insult the countrie and gratitude, ear pled support for t Arab cause agains Sri Lanka those b 'Ministers of this ticularly those who pions of the Sinha complain that the youth have few working abroad. . cause of our pro policy that well C Lankans, the vast Sinhala Buddhists ployment in these tries.
"The Arab worl supplier and this f important at a tin war in the Gulf. Ou
LSSSLSSSSSSSLSSSSS

JUNE 1984
CONDEMNS
MISSION MOVE
Sirima Bandaribed the move to terests' section at Colombo as a slap Arab and Islamic
ike states: "When okody, SLFP Memit for Attanagalla, bout Israel recentNational Security hat was vague and official of the US onfirmed that an ' section will be in Colombo under as "the protecting
explanations and uarter they come at the UNP governslap in the face to nic community, and orld. all number of nontates have diplomaIsrael - a country and time again s of the Security ted Nations and has ct for world opinion considerations. In the people of Sri understand is that en repudiation of a 7 the United Front 70 and followed for
S. is of the decision rnment is manifestlarge benefits that the people of this y in recent years. istic and desperate ntonly risking the its and choosing to s whose friendship ned by our princihe Palestinian and t Zionism, brought enefits. s government, parclaim to be chamla Buddhists often Sinhala Buddhist opportunities for It is precisely beArab, anti-Zionist ver a lakh of Sri majority of them , have found emArab-Islamic coun
i is our main oil act is all the more te when there is a Arab oil suppliers
have often given us concessions. The Arab world is the biggest buyer of Our tea. It has been a source of aid.
"As leader of the SLFP and head of the government which orderd the closure of the Israeli Mission I denounce this decision which may only lead to bringing the Arab-Israeli conflict and all its violence to our homeland at a time when this island itself is threatened with so much violence.
“I call om all patriotic forces, regardless of race, creed and political affiliations, to oppose this step which is a blatant attack on the national interests of Sri Lanka and its people.'
LSSIPALSO COINDEMNS
The leader of the LSSP, Dr Colvin R. de Silva, in a statement said yesterday: "The government's secretive attempt to get on the road to reestablishing diplomatic relations with Israel does not surprise the LSSP. The move accords with the trend of UNP politics.
"The move towards Israel is in fact a part of the government's larger move away from non-alignment, towards alignment with American imperialism, especially in Asia. It is mot irrelevant that the Israeli Centre' is to be located within the US Embassy, the USA being Israel's "protecting power' in this matter. It is surely also significant that this move comes on the eve of President J.R. Jayewardene's official state visit to the USA.
Anti-imperialist
"Militarily, Israeli power is also a projection of US power in the Middle East. The major anti-imperialist force in the Middle East is the Arab masses, who are also in conflict with Zionism. The LSSP's firm participation in the decision of the United Front government in 1970 to sever diplomatic relations with Israel stemmed principally from that consideration.
"No reason has arisen in the meantime to change that decision. On the contrary, the behaviour of both US imperialism and Israel in the Middle East during this period has amply borne out the correctness of that decision. The alleged needs of the UNP government's offensive against the Eelamists in the North and East of Sri Lanka do not suffice to displace that decision in any manner.
“The LSSP condemns this act of the government and calls upon all progressive forces in Sri Lanka to resist it.

Page 5
JUNE 1984
SRI LANKA: A MOUNTING TRAGEDY OF ER
TERRORISMACT,
ANY CIVILISED S
CONTINUED FROM LAST ISSUE
The March 1984 Report of the International Commission of Jurists describes the Sri Lankan Prevention of Terrorism act as "an ugly blot on the statute book of any civilised country'. Having subjected the provisions of the Act to close scrutiny, the Report states:
These provisions are quite eatraordinarily wide. No legislation conferring even remotely comparable powers is in force in any other free democracy operating under the Rule of Lau, however troubled it may be by politically motivated violence. Indeed, there is only one known precedent for the power to impose restriction orders under Section 11 of the Sri Lankan PTA, and that - as Professor Leary rightly pointed out in her Report - is comparable legislation currently in force in South Africa. To a developing country of the Commonwealth like Sri Lanka, which has happily now ratified (as Professor Leary recommended) the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and has played an important role in the condemnation of the South African regime and all its contemptible works, it must be deeply wounding to have that comparison made publicly by a foreign observer, houvever distinguished and impartial. I am naturally reluctant to re-open that wound, but I have no choice but to endorse Professor Leary's conclusion. Such a provision is an ugly blot on the statute book of any civilised country.' page 33)
UK Act compared
Dismissing the Sri Lankan government's claim that the PTA was similar to those enactments in other democratic countries such as United Kingdom, Canada and Australia', and having compared the sharp differences between the UK Act and the Sri Lankan Act, the Report States:
'In fact, under the UK Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act, currently being re-enacted by the UK Parliament with some modifications,
(1) the special powers are attracted by “acts of terrorism', narrowly defined as the use of violence for political ends', including "any use of violence for the purpose of putting the public or any section of the public in fear- and
mot by a very uvid activities' as in t (2) the maacim иwhich anyоте тс out charge is 7 da months;
(3) there is no “restriction Orders (4) there is no p publication in an (5) по оте сошlс up to 20 years sentenced to less mischief to public public notices, no be forfeited for a (6) the Act only 12 months unless it.' (page 34)
'However, despit of political terroris land, even that Sta ers to makce restri
prohibit publicatic
detention without
confer have mot be. years; and the enti which can remain the currency of a p cy: it is mot a perm. UK Statute Book.
Referring to th ism from many { manner in which t had been applied Report states:
"Whenever a st confers discretion ( bers of the Eacecu viduals, or to make sions about then subject to review b parатоитt tтроrt ters or officials c their powers viti Scrutinise as critic applications for su will be put before t forces.
'According to th detention orders u restrictions orders are all to be mad who is infact the M portfolio held by the tice, however, the Deputy, the Min Security who in tum of the Secretary Defence, though I

PRORS
TAMILTIMES5
ANUGLY BOT ON SOCIETY - CU
e range of “unlawful he Sri Lankan Act; um period during y be detained withIS - as opposed to 18
роиver to тake any
over to prohibit any у тешspaper,
be sent to prison for and could mot be than 5) for causing Oroperty, or defacing r could his property ly offence; remains in force for Parliament reneus
2 the far higher level m in Northern Iretute confers no poviction orders, or to oms; the pouvers of trial which it does en eacercised for ten re Act is a measure in effect only during roclaimed emergenament feature of the
(page 35)
e 'sustained criticquarters about the he Sri Lamkan PTA | in practice', the
atute of this kind т respотsible тетtive to detain indi! other adverse deciwhich will not be y the courts, it is of ance that the Minisoncerned eacercised great care, and ally as they can the :h an eacercise which hem by the security
2 Sri Lankam PTA, nder Section 9 and
under Section 11 2 by the Minister, inister of Defence, a | President. In prac| are made by his ster for Internal n acts on the advice o the Ministry of understand that he
may also receive independent advice from the Inspector-General of Police and the Special Branch.
"I confess I did not gain the impression from either the Deputy Minister or the Secretary that they submitted the applications made to them by the security forces to any real degree of critical and independent scrutiny.
"For eacample, one individual had been held in detention under the Act without charge since the previous June - that is, for the best part of seven months by the time of my visit - because, so I was told, the police had still not been able to complete their inquiries into the case in which he was believed to be concerned. Yet, meither the Secretary mor the Deputy Minister appeared to have taken any great pains to enquire why, after so long a time, that investigation had still not been concluded.
“I am regretfully left with the impression that meither the Secretary mor the Minister in practice do much more than accede to the routine applications that are put before them, without either testing the case that is put, or laying down firm policy directives which will ensure that they do not receive requests based on unjustifiable delay.
'But it is simply not good enough to seek to overcome these administrative problems by amassing detainees who are held on mere suspicion by some police officer of “unlawful activity' and have not been charged with any offence - still less when they are being detained merely in the hope that they will become informants.' (page 37)
"The Deputy Minister is himself a former police officer. His position, as conveyed to me when we met, is thathe is sorry if anyone is inconvenienced as a result of such shortcomings, but that he cannot risk releasing people before police enquiries are fully completed. In my respectful view, that just uvill mot
άο.
Torture allegations
'A power to detain suspects for long periods without the opportunity for access by friends,family, or lawyers, or for regular judicial review, notoriously carries the danger that the detainees will be maltreated while in custody: it provides an invitation for deprivation, assault, and worse - especially if the

Page 6
6 TAMILTIMES
suspects may be detained by their interrogators in police stations or army camps, and more especially still if no real control is eacercised over the periods for which they are detained.
"That point has been frequently and forcibly made about the Sri Lankan PTA by the ICJ, Amnesty Intermational, атd тату others. Aттestу іт particular has investigated and reported a number of well-documented allegations of the torture of detainees under the PTA, which the Sri Lankan government has later denied in general terms. But so long as suspects can be held ітсоттитicado for loтg periods by their interrogators, those allegations will continue to be made - and, the world being what it is, some of them will be well-founded, even if the use of violence in the course of interrogation is not official policy at the highest level. "There were, for eacample, the cases in 1981 where the Sri Lankan Court of Appeal found as a fact that detainees had been assaulted. And there is the still uneacplained death in army custody in April 1983 of K.T. Navaratnaraiah, who was found by the investigating Magistrate to have died of numerous eacternal and internal injuries inflicted by blows and weapons - though no one has to this day been charged with his murder, even though the Magistrate returned a verdict of homicide.” (page 38) ,
As serting that the PTA and Emergency Regulations derogate from many of the rights under the International Covenant in Civil and Political Rights, the Report states:
"On the face of it, the Sri Lankan PTA derogates from many of the rights which Sri Lanka is bound, as a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights since 11 June 1980, to respect and ensure for all its inhabitants: the right to liberty and
p
security of pers from arbitrary (Article 9); freed choice of reside right to a free t defence (Article iот ата express rights of assemi association (Arti to take part in 25). The Emerge derogate from m (page 46) .
Pointing out th derogations und Covenants, ther emergency in f. officially proclai the PTA is in op times of no “oj emergency', the
Since there is provisions of the S gate gravely from viduals guarante Covenant's Subst lows in my view breach of its inte so long as that statute book in its emergency has laimed in the coa
Size & Scale Of"
Challenging the Lankan governm the current level trated by the Tal there is in fact a threatening the l and proceeding to scale of terrorism
“General Attygo and distinguishe formerly in comm an army, and has charge of the entin
TAML
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Name (Mr/Mrs/Miss") ................
Address LCCCCCC 00CCSC LSLSL CC 00 C CLCL CSL LLLLL LL SLS LSLSLSL0SSLS LS LS S S SLS

yn and the freedom trrest and detention т of торететt aта ce (Article 12); the ial and the rights of 4), freedom of opinom (Article 19); the ly (Article 21) and le 22); and the right ublic affairs (Article cy Regulations also any of these rights.'
at in order to justify 2r the International must both be an act and it must be med, and noting that eration even during ficially proclaimed
Report states: no dispute that the 'ri Lankan PTA der0in the rights of indid under many of the intive Articles, it folthat Sri Lanka is in national obligations Act remains om its present form, and no been officially procantry.' (page 49)
terrorism'
claim by the Sri ent that "so long as of terrorism perpemil Tigers persists, "public emergency ife of the nation”, assess the "size and ', the Report states:
la, ат experiетсеd soldier vho vas and of the Sri Lanknow been in Overall e security operation
RM
mentioned .50 (UK/Sri tmention*
JUNE 1984 TTT
against the Tamil Tigers for more than siac months, told me that he believed that their hard core numbered no more than about 25 or 30, with perhaps another 100 to 150 on their periphery. This tallies with the number of around 200 which Professor Leary was given in 1981 by the then Secretary to the Department of Justice.
"The damage done by the Tigers is more accurately ascertainable: according to the official figures from the time they began their bloody work in April 1978 to October 1983 they had killed 87 people, of whom 51 were police officers or soldiers, 9 politicians, 13 potential witnesses, and 14 others; they have also inflicted damage to property, and robbed several banks.
At the same time, there has been equally tragic loss of life in reprisal. In July 1979, sia: Tamil youths disappeared: tuvo vere later found dead and mutilated; one died in a prison hospital; and the remaining three have never been found.
Following the report on this affair by a Parliamentary Select Committee under the chairmanship of Mr Lalith Athula thim udali MP, t h e t h e m Minister for Trade and Shippping, grave suspicion continues to rest on the police. Five more Tamilis qubere killed when the police uvent om a rampage in Jaffna om the night of 3/4 June 1981. The representative of Sri Lanka appearing before the UN Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities in Geneva in August 1983 admitted that, of the Tamils who lost their lives during the communal violence of July and August of that year, 37 had been killed by members of the security forces: the government has since revised that figure upuyards, to 51.
A further 53 Tamils were murdered at that time in Welikada prison in Colombo, where they were held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, either in detention or on remand. That makes a total, from official sources alone, of at least 112 individuals killed either by members of the State's own security forces, or while in the State's custody. (page 51)
Disappearance of detainees
"Unofficial reports increase that number. According to Mr Moore's report of July 1983, not less than 23 individuals had died in custody since July 1979, and a further four had 'disappeared. The Tamil leader and Member of Parliament, Mr Amirthalingam, has said that 51 Tamils have been killed over an unspecified period in 'unreported incidents'. It may of course be that some of these lives were taken by the security forces in actual or

Page 7
JUNE 1984
perceived self-defence, but as there has never been a public and independent inquiry into most of these deaths, that must remain a matter for speculation. And it certainly cannot be the eacplanation for the death in army custody, from multiple eacternal and internal injuries inflicted by blows and weapons, of K.T. Navarat narajah on 10 April 1983, where the investigating Magistrate brought in a verdict of homicide om 31 May 1983 (three days before Emergency Regulation 15A was made), but no one has yet been charged.
Every single death by violence must be lamented whoever perpetrates it. There can be no eaccuse for it, and all governments must do what they can to prevent it. But no nation anywhere in the world can ever hope to be entirely free of violence: in every society there will be at least a few who commit murder from greed, passion, rage, mental deraтgeтетt — or, soтetiтеѕ, тisguided political motives. The question is at what level such killings take on the quality of a "public emergency threatening the life of the nation'.
The Sri Lankan authorities have consistently taken the view that the current level of violence perpetrated by the Tamil Tigers does constitute such a public emergency. I am satisfied that they hold that view honestly, and are тоtivated by a geтиіте сопcerтfor the life of Sri Lankan citizens, and not by any malign, political or other eactraneous concerns. Nonetheless, I am forced to the conclusion that they are mistaken in that judgement.
"The Tamil Tigers are, it is conceded, Only a tiny group of violent youths in a fundamentally peaceful population of nearly 15 million. They have taken on average, around 16 lives a year, almost all among people whom they either see as their armed oppressors, or as traitors to their own community, and entirely within a few small areas in the island. (By comparison, the toll of deaths from terrorism in Northern Iretата оретthe sате period - 217 тетbers of the security forces, and 275 civilians - has averaged 90 per аттит іт a populatiот јиst one teтth of the size of Sri Lanka: that is, a rate per capita 57 times as high.) Unlike other and better known terrorist groups in other parts of the world, the Tamil Tigers are relatively unsophisticated, as Mr Moore eacplains in his report. While one must have every sympathy for their victims, and for the problems of those who carry the burden of responsibility for safeguarding the lives and safety of the island's population, I cannot see that this level of violence can properly be described (in the words of the European Court of
Human Rights) situation of crisis affects the whole stitutes a threat to the community of COmposed’— mort, within that definit the PTA or of Em 15A are anything disproportionate sented, and far m required by the eaci tion.’
PTA unjustified
“On all these gro driven to the conc PTA and Emergen are unjustified in that emergency r Lатка сат отly t occasions when ti large-scale outbred as those of July/A and then only for that situation has control. It could ni been justified at th dum in December life of Parliament election, when it publications oppo (page 53)
Attack on the ju
Referring to at ary and specifical granted personall Jayawardeme to who had been fou ing the fundame named citizens in Report accuses t has on the basis o fallen well short o bility' and holds h
Referring to t attack on the resic who found the pol in the Vivienne C (violation of her provided for in the ty', the Report sta of the Supreme C this case found til surrounded by un obscenities at ther ing experience an in sight. They tri police, but found til ly out of order.'
Casting doubt Minister's underta rigorous investiga dents', the Report ments, ". . . and arrived in public the disorders. had mised in a concer
LSLSLSSLSLSSLSLSSLSLSSLSGSSLSLLLLLL

as “an eacceptional Or emergency which population and conthe organised life of which the State is at, even if it did fall on, the provisions of ergency Regulation Other than grossly to the threat preOre than is 'strictly gencies of the situa
unds, I am therefore lusion that both the cy Regulation 15A law and in fact, and ule throughout Sri e justified on those here are acute and ks of violence such Lugust of last year, a brief period until been brought under pt, on that test, have e time of the referen
1982 to eacted the
vithout a general
uvas used to ban sing the proposal.”
diciary
tacks on the judicily to the promotions y by President J.R. two police officers nd "guilty' of violatntal rights of two different cases, the hat “the President” f his own admission f that high responsiis act "inexcusable'. he organised mob lences of the judges ice officer involved Goonewardene case fundamental rights 2 Constitution) guiltes that 'the Judges ourt who had heard heir private houses ruly mobs, shouting n. It was a frightend no policeman was ed to telephone the he lines mysterious
about the Prime king to carry out 'a tion of these incisarcastically comalthough the mobs service buses and clearly been orgated fashion, no one
TAMILTIMES7
seems to have managed to this day to un e arth any one responsible ; apparently, the relevant records of the bus station concerned have somehow been lost'. On this matter, the Report concludes: "Such events are hardly calculated to encourage the judiciary to remain independent, or to enhance public respect for its members, their judgments, or the Rule of Law.'
immunity from all suits
In regard to the President's role in relation to the judiciary, the Report States:
"The conclusion is inescapable that he was deliberately seeking to teach the judges a lesson, in order to make them more pliable to the Eacecutive's wishes. If that is so, these were grossly improper acts; but for the immunity from all suits which the President enjoys under Article 35(1) of the Constitution, they might well have been criminal offences under Article 16(2).” (page 60)
"The President's powers under the Constitution are eacceptionally wide for a free democracy under the Rule of Law, and a heavy duty is therefore cast upon him to eacercise them only with a very high degree of responsibility; never capriciously, and never in a fashion which will undermine confidence in the national institutions which the Constitution itself creates - above all, the Supreme Court as guardian of the fundamental rights declared and recognised by the Constitution itself. I find it a matter of regret that, in this instance, the President has, om the basis of his own admissions, fallen well short of that high responsibility. What he did may be understandable, but it is not eaccusable.' (page 61)
Monkeying with the Constitution
Pointing out that a Constitution of a country should be immune from cynical change for short-term party political advantage', the Report reminds "the underlying principle that constitutions Should never be amended for mere party political advantage by a party that happens to wield enough power, and that it is vital to avoid the dangers of what de Tocqeville long ago called “the tyranny of the majority'. The Report accuses "both the major political parties in Sri Lanka (UNP and SLFP) of having "failed to observe that important principle”.
Observing that the 'situation has deteriorated even further' under the UNP, the Report charges President Jayawardene of enacting the Third Amendment to enable him to go pre

Page 8
8 TAMILTIMES
maturely to the country for his reelection as President', and pushing through the Fourth Amendment to extend the life of Parliament by six years in "order to maintain his overwhelming parliamentary majority at a time when he may have had reason to think that its popular support was beginning to wane”.
Worst of all, the Sixth Amendment (banning parties which advocated 'separatism') was rushed through Parliament at a time of high tension and violence, with the effect of removing from it the major remaining opposition to President Jayawardene’s administration, depriving the Tamil community of the full part in the democratic process to which it is entitled.'
Summing up on the many constitutional amendments enacted by President Jayawardene, the Report states:
"Taken together vith the successful attempt, through the device of a Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry, to decapitate the SLFP opposition by depriving its popular leader, Mrs Bandaranaike, of all opportunities for campaigning for public office . . . these manoeuvres bear every appearance of being designed to keep Mr Jayawardene and his UNP in power at all costs, regardless of the wishes of any section of the electorate.
"That is an understandable motive for any political party, whose leaders may well be genuinely convinced that Only chaos and national disaster would follow their fall from power. But what is quite illegitimate is to use the device of constitutional amendments for that purpose, merely because the accident of electoral counting happens to have produced a sufficient majority in Parliament to achieve that end. To amend constitutions in those circumstances is to degrade their status to that of Ordinary laws, subject to adventitious Parliamentary majorities, when the whole purpose of such an instrument is that it should be immune to ѕисһ татоеиvres.
"One painful lesson that has had to be learnt by the few nations that have Succeeded in maintaining free democracies for any length of time is that constitutions must never be amended eaccept by a wide consensus among political interests which may legitimately disagree on many things, but can come together on constitutional changes when these are really essential. That is a lesson which both the major parties in Sri Lankan politics have so far failed to learn while they were in power; that failure has often rebounded on them when they have found themselves out of power; and it has also been the cause of some of Sri
Lanka's current t prove to be the c troubles hereafter
Conclusion
“Sri Lanka: A M Errors' is essenti one concerned wi man rights. As fa government and dene are concern constitutes a deva It is rarely that al had enjoyed the ho charges his host V of monumental pr improper acts' an offences; of havin of that high res office, and "inexcu guest in this ins Sieghart, chairma
section of the Inte
THE AN
Finally, in Orde absolute nation passed the Ani Emergency Co. Act.
' Under this neu cows and goats from grazing in tham three. Nei flock, nor beess constituted un
As they had not plaттітg ретте иvasps атd ѕира with summary Their homes we subversive eacte property. Monk were warmed to their moisy mor until an officia Licence uvas iss appropriate Mi
Unimonitored p broadcasts pose threats in times Ететgeтcy.
Similarly, wood Stop tapping th messages from to chempaka tr All messages w. thorough pre-sc relevant autho
Java Sparrows droves (for rum
* Cecil R.

JUNE 1984
publes, and may yet Luse of even worse
(pages 86, 87)
Ounting Tragedy of ll reading for anyh questions of huas the Sri Lankan 'resident Jayawared, the ICJ Report stating indictment.
invited guest, who spitality of his host, rith * misjudgement oportions', 'grossly ounting to criminal g "fallen well short ponsibility' of his Sable’ conduct. The tance is Mr Paul n of Justice (British rmational Commis
sion of Jurists).
The fact that his status as a guest of the Sri Lankan President did not make even the slightest impact upon his sturdy independence and objectivity only serves to enhance the quality of the Report and the character of its author.
As for President Jayawardene, he must be regretting that Mr Paul Sieghart is not a judge of the Sri Lankan Supreme Court. If he was, by now the President would have got his steamroller majority in Parliament to appoint a Select Committee to investigate the conduct of Mr Sieghart. Also, it would have been highly probable that organised mobs would have attacked him in his private residence. He could not have been able to seek police assistance, for his telephone would have been mysteriously out of Order
IMAL & INSECT ACT 1984
by CECIL RAJENDRA" rtoensure Cats (suspected of conspiracy) alsecurity they had to be indoors by 9 o'clock. nal & Insect Cicadas and crickets received ntrol & Discipline notification to turn their
amplifiers down. Ducks could mot quack mor turkeys gobble Act, buff#; d during restricted hours. Need I were prohibite say, all dogs - alsotions, herds of more daschunds, terriers, pointers ther could birds and even littie chihahuas. warm. . . This erencied. awful assembly. obtained prior In the interests of security, issiот, тиd- penguins and 2ebras were
lows were issued Notices to Quit. re declared isions to private eys and Mynahs stop relaying ning Orisons Broadcasting led by the nistry.
ublications & d the gravest of a National
peckers had to xir morse-code осотиt tree-top 'ፀ. re subject to a rutiny by the
ties.
pere armrested in ошr-тотgeriтg).
ordered to discard their nonregulation uniforms. The deer had to surrender their dangerous antlers. Tigers and all carnivors with retracted claus were sent directly to prison for concealing lethal weapons.
And by virtue of Article Four, paragraph 2(b), sub-Section siacteen, under no circumstances were elephants allowed to break uvind betuveem the hours of siar andsiac. Their farts could easily be interpreted as gunshot. Might Spark off a riot. . .
A month after the Act was properly gazetted the birds and insects started migrating south, the animals went north and an eerie silence handcuffed the forests.
There was now Total Security.
jendra is Malaysia's most acclaimed poet

Page 9
JUNE 1984
MIRJE CONI DEMINS MUR DER
The Movement for Inter-Racial Justice and Equality has issued a statement deploring the killing of over 200 men and women and setting ablaze a large number of properties in the northern Tamil city of Jaffna in Sri Lanka.
The statement entitled "STOPTHE REPRESSION OF THE PEOPLE IN THE NORTH AND GRANT A JUST, POLITICAL SOLUTION TO THE NATIONAL QUESTION" accuses the government of "militaristic policies' which "may unavoidably push even the thousands of people who hitherto have remained neutral, into taking extreme action', and calls upon the government to appoint an independent commission of inquiry.
The following is the full text of the MIRJE statement:
'We deplore the military attacks
launched by the government, in the
past few weeks, against the Tamil people living in the North and East of the Island. Up until now, it has been reported that more than two hundred men and women, young and old, have been killed. The government itself has admitted that strong measures have been taken to suppress the "Terrorists'. However, as a result, the havoc created in Jaffna is of no Small scale.
“Informed sources also report the gutting of shops and such highly outrageous incidents as the burning of dead bodies on the streets amidst thousands of onlookers. Further, the arresting of a large number of young men and women and the withholding of information regarding their whereabouts has become common practice.
“Government claims that many Terrorists have been killed in confrontations whilst the armed forces have suffered no casualties, appear to be a mystery. When it is questionable whether one can identify terrorists in the midst of ordinary people, the prowess of our Army to so accurately spot terrorists could well be a skill possessed by no other army in the world.
"However, the militaristic policies pursued by the government in the North, may unavoidably push even the thousands of people who hitherto have remained neutral into taking extreme action. That a mass of outraged ordinary people had come out on the streets and attacked the Naga Vihara and the Sinhala Maha Vidyalaya might be just the initial manifestation of this.
"It is pertinent that at no time i. possible for any long, subjugating ary might. The g unable to preven Tamil pogroms '83. Apart from even failed to blooded murder custody.
"The governme armed forces u Suppress "terror created a milital Jaffna. The Roul convened to find has been prolo fashion making ing to a decision. disillusioning ev Some hope of from the RTC, D, to prove that the real interest and to solve the Ta tion?
“Narrow racist ger be allowed to and valuable p attempts to push ism whilst spouti cultural heritage
“Therefore, we political parties take steps to pro solution through sions sincerely Tamil national q question.
“We wish to po responsibility of humanity to ce. mence fruitful di Secure a solution way for interequality.
“Furthermore, does not condone cent people we appointment of a mission of inquir a large scale mas occurred and to
Two persons ar
Two young per Sa and Mr Tha arrested by the May 3rd 1984. A distributed copie lished by the M Racial Justice an calling for an end North and for a j to the National
SSSSS

TAMILTIMES9
ARMY's Havoc of 8. ARSON
here to bear in mind history has it been
ruler to reign for a people with militovernment has been the successive antiof 1977, '79, '81 and everything else, it prevent the coldof 53 prisoners in its
nt has now given the nlimited powers to ismʼ and in effect y administration in ld Table Conference a political solution, nged in uncertain t incapable of comThis has resulted in en those who had a positive outcome oes not all this Serve authorities have no no real political will mil National Ques
hysteria can mo londestroy human life
roperty. Similarly,
people into barbarng speeches of great s must be defeated. say that all relevant should at least now vide a just political determined discusacknowledging the lestion as a political
int out that it is the those who value ase fire and comscussion in order to that will pave the 'acial justice and
if the government the killing of innoearnestly urge the n independent comy to investigate how sacre of this nature punish those guilty.'
rested
sons, Mr Karunadambiah, have been Panwila Police on pparently, they had s of a leaflet pubovement for Interd Equality (MIRJE) to repression in the 1st political solution Question.
Those two persons have been held in police custody for nearly two weeks and the Officer-in-Charge at the Panwila Police Station has stated that he was holding them on the instructions of his superior officers. All attempts to ascertain who had given such orders and on what grounds, including several inquiries to the Office of the Inspector-General of police, have been unsuccessful.
While Mr Athulalmudali, Minister of National Security, in his speech at the Electricity Board lamented the absence of public discussion on the nature of the political solution that could be adopted, the action of the police in arresting these two young persons shows that any attempt to express an opinion on this questions would run the risk of repressive action by the state.
Mr R. Prins Rajasuriya, has, on behalf of the MIRJE, appealed to all organisations and individuals who value democratic rights to urge the government to release these two persons immediately.
WASU RELEASED
Vasudeva Nanayakkara, the leader of the Nava Sama Samaja Party and its secretary Dr Wickremabahu Karunaratne have been released from detention.
In the middle of the July 1983 antiTamil violence, the NSSP along with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Communist Party (Moscow) were proscribed by the government which ordered that their leaders be arrested and detained under the emergency. The JVP and NSSP leaders went into hiding on August 2, 1983, fearing that they might suffer the same fate as the 53 Tamil prisoners who were brutally murdered within the prison.
The government offered a reward of Rs.150,000 for any information leading to the arrest of Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Rohana Wijeweera (the JVP leader) and other leaders of these parties. However, they successfully evaded detection.
However, at the end of May, the two NSSP leaders, Vasudeva and Karunaratne, on their own surfaced and surrendered to the police and they were promptly detained.
Now they have both been released without any charges being framed against them.

Page 10
10 TAMILTIMES
"
HARTANN
MUSLMS KL
The 'hartal' organised by the TamilMuslim United Front to protest against the opening up of the "Israeli Interests' Section' in Colombo and the use of the Israeli Secret Service Mossad in Sri Lanka turned out to be a huge success.
The hartal was conducted in the north on 8 and 11 June and in the east from 8 to 11 June. All activities came to a grinding halt with the total paralysing of the transport services, and shops and schools closed.
There were well-attended demonStrations and in the eastern town of Kathankudy, where Muslims are a
majority, the arm break up a demon the crowd, killing
of people. All-Indi that a number of M and others injured
Mounting oppos
The opening of has resulted in m particularly amo population and Sev ches have been st
At Puttalam, a ci of the island, 3,000
SRI LANKA’S COMPANY
Whatever else President Jayawardene of Sri Lanka may be accused of, not even his worst enemies say he Suffers from a lack of certain ingeniousness. His handling of the Tamil problem in the northern provinces may have proved very clumsy.
He may have aggravated the problem by appearing to sail under the flag of Sinhala chauvinists rather than as the President of the whole island, its Tamil part included.
But when it comes to fighting terrorists, Jayawardene knows that nobody could do it better than Israel, a State born in terrorism, and living by terrorism.
The Sri Lanka government has formally announced the setting up of a limited Israeli presence in the capital Colombo to help fight the guerrillas in northern areas amid mounting criticism from the opposition parties and protests in the country. "We will get help from the devil if we can, said President Jayawardene in Hong Kong the other day in reply to a question whether Sri Lanka had sought Israel's help to fight the Tamil separatists.
Of course, there is nothing new in the move, for Tamil separatists have been hinting at an Israeli presence in the island directed against them ever since last year's ethnic riots.
According to PLO Ambassador in Colombo Khaireddin Abdul Rahman, more than 50 members of Mossad, Israel's intelligence organisation, are already in Sri Lanka helping the island's armed forces.
Sri Lanka, it may be moted, suspended diplomatic ties with Israel 14 years ago, calling it to withdraw from the occupied Arab territories. But, according to Foreign Minister Shahul Hameed, the Vienna Convention provides for such an arrangement when
VEY’VE EN ANTHECA
two countries havi relations wanted to with each other.
But what Presid and his foreign m. forget and what the except at great peri is the fact that neith the 'business' invol one, even though wi to deny terroris Israelis both as inc State.
It is Sri Lanka's b should have diplom a country either ope back door. It is agai ment in Colombo w open the most se organ of the state to outsider.
But what the A fairness, can't refr out is the danger in try, which makes hostility to Arabs : rying out acts of v individual Arabs ir Europe whenever it war against them allowed yet anothel
 

oRTH a EAsr
JUNE 1984
DANDO AINJURED
- in an attempt to stration - shot into und injuring scores Radio announced uslims were killed in this incident.
tion
he Israeli mission unting opposition, ngst the Muslim eral protest maraged.
y in the west coast Muslims marched
through the city centre, following their traditional Friday prayers.
As a result of violence against the Muslims in Badulla, there was a reported clash between some Muslim people and gangs of Sinhalese.
Dr M.C.M. Kaleel, a long-standing member of parliament and former Cabinet Minister of the present ruling party, has strongly condemned the re-establishment of relations with Israel. Dr Badud in Mohamed, another former minister and an influential Muslim leader, took a leading role in organising the hartal in the Eastern Province.
TE BEST!
N.
NG TERROR
By courtesy of "Far Eastern Economic Review', 14 June 1984
ng no diplomatic conduct business
ent Jayawardene inister choose to Arab states can't, to their interests, er the country mor ved is an ordinary would be the last credentials to ividuals and as a
usiness whether it atic relations with nly or through the up to the governtether they should nsitive and vital penetration by an
ab States, in all in from pointing volved in a counno Secret of its nd has been car2ngeance against isolated spots in is not engaged in s a nation, being base from which
to Operate.
Israel has killed many top Arab diplomats and Palestinian leaders through terrorist acts in various European capitals. So any attempts to have the sphere of Israeli influence extended is sure to conflict with the Arab interests and Sri Lanka's can be no exception.
In fact, considering the close economic and commercial relations between Sri Lanka and the Arab world, the danger is far greater and the implications of a Zionist presence more sinister, President Jayawardene may not mind spooning with the devil and proclaiming it unabashedly to the outside World.
But the Arabs have to, because for them it is a question of survival. So, Sooner or later, he will have to make a choice between Israel and the Arabs and, in case he avoids making one, it will be the Arabs' painful duty to do it for him and in this they will be guided by the maxim that a country is best known by the company it keeps. Or is it by the company that keeps it? (This article is reprinted from the Editorial Comment of the Saud Arabian 'ARAB NEWS”, 2.6.84)

Page 11
JUNE 1984
ETHNIC CONFLICT IN SRI LANKA -- 1883-1
ETHNC CONSCOUSN SRI LANKA CONTINUITYANI
Exactly one hundred years ago, in 1883, the Buddhists and Catholics were fighting each other on the streets of Colombo; in July 1983, there occurred the worst ethnic conflagration in the recent history of Sri Lanka, directed, this time, against the Tamils. These events and the experiences of similar outbursts against other minorities, prompt us to enquire into the persistence of such incidents in the colonial and post-colonial periods, and the reasons for both the growth of ethnic consciousness among all classes and the decline of class consciousness among the working people of all ethnic groups.
In Sri Lanka, there are differences between groups of people of a religious, linguistic and ethnic nature. The majority are Buddhist by religion and Sinhala by ethnicity, but the non-Sinhala minorities form 26% and the non-Buddhists 33% of the population. In the last one hundred years, violence has been directed against what have been called the 'un-Sinhala' (a sinhala) and "un-Buddhist' (abaudha) elements in Sri Lanka society.
This study is concerned with briefly examining the continuing manifestations of Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism in relation to all other minority groups, and the form this has taken, in the past, against various religious and ethnic minorities and the hegemony of this ideology today among all social classes in Sri Lanka.
Recent themes
The literature and propaganda directed against the Tamils from the 1970s form an important source of information in analysing the recent phase of Sinhala Buddhist consciousness. I have taken some of the frequent themes of this literature and will show that similar ideas have existed in earlier periods, when the Sinhala Buddhists were in conflict with other non-Tamil, minority groups. The themes can be broadly classified as follows:
1. The doctrine of the primacy and superiority of the Sinhala 'race' as the original, true inhabitants of the island, linked to the myth that the Sinhalese were "Aryan' migrants from Bengal.
A recent publication states: "The Sinhalese race has a clearly documented unbroken history of over 2,500 years. There is no history older than the history of the
By Kumari J.
Sinhalese in S Lanka belongs not based on r handed down fr Ancient rock i tions in gold,
dagobas, huge
dha sculptured tanks and irri bear unshakea heritage of the Sinhala country
Translated frol Who is the Tige
2. Associated w. concept based o leaguered land - Sinhalese are rea region, with no 0 Sri Lanka, unlik groups which ha other countries.
“The Sinhales motherland oth The Indian trad Borah traders, ers, the Sindhi Tamil workers mine from whic and invest it i: lands which the of their children in India. All of foot in India a Lanka. Their Lanka is as a
not have any sy Sinha le se cu Buddhism or Sinhalese peopl
From Sinhala (The unseen Sinhalese), 1970
3. The concept t has been placed tionship to Buddh Appeals to save “infidels' or non Sorted to and in for a 'dharma yu protect Buddhist preserve the Buc been made.
“The link betwe and Buddhism
Separable that maxim, “Ther without the Sinhalese witho is an undeniable of the Sinhales ture. The histor the history of )

983 (1)
ESS IN
) CHANGE
ayawardena
ri Lanka. That Sri o the Sinhala race is mythology or fables om mouth to mouth. nscriptions, inscriphuge vihares, and statues of Lord Budout of rocks, huge gation systems all ble witness to the Sinhala race and 7 . . ." m Kauda Kotiya? - 2r? - undated 1980? ith this is another n the idea of a be- the feeling that the illy a minority in the ther country except the other minority ve ethnic links with
e have no other er than Sri Lanka. le upion leaders, the
other Indian tradtraders and most use Sri Lanka as a h they obtain money n large houses and by buy in the names and close relatives,
them live with one nd the other in Sri only loyalty to Sri gold-mine. They do mpathy towards the lture, language, the traditional le.' yage A disi Hatari enemy of the ).
hat the Sinhala race in a special relalism as its protector. Buddhism from the -Buddhists are rerecent years, calls dhaya' (holy war) to monuments and to ldhist religion have
en the Sinhala race is so close and in
it had led to the e is no Buddhism Sinha lese and no ut Buddhism.” This fact. The literature e is Buddhist literay of the Sinhalese is Buddhism. The lan
TAMILTIMES 11
These articles are based on a paper presented to a seminar of the Social Scientists Association and the Institute of Social Studies (The Hague) by Dr Kumari Jayawardena, Associate Professor, Colombo University, in December 1983. Reproduced by courtesy of the LANKA GUARDIAN.
guage of the Sinhalese is enriched by the doctrine of the Buddha. The "Era' of the Sinhalese is the "Buddha Era'. The culture of the Sinhalese is Buddhist culture. The flag of the Sinhalese is the Sinhala Buddhist flag'.
“With the establishment of Buddhism, the Sinhala culture and civilisation took om a new orientation. The life of the Sinhalese began to be guided by Buddhism . . . Yet from a few years ago, there has been an organised movement of anti-Sinhala, anti-Buddhist barbarians to destroy our invaluable archeological ruins and Buddhist shrines . . . '
"Is is undoubtable that the future generations, as well as our forefathers who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of their race and for the glory of their religion, shall curse us for our silence. At least, now in the name of our race, in the name of our forefathers and in the name of the unborn generations, let us all direct our attention to this situation.'
Translated from Sinhaluni, Budu
Sasuna Bera Geminuy! (Sinhallese, save the Buddhist Region!), 1981.
It is on these concepts that the
Sinhala Buddhist ideology assumes that Sri Lanka is the land of Sinhala Buddhists and that all other groups living in it are "aliens', who are out to exploit the country and its peoples for their own gain, in the process of sullying the "purity' and "integrity' of the Sinhala Buddhist people. That this charge is now laid against the Tamils is evident from this recent quotation:
"Not only is this non-Sinhala minority group trying to destroy the rights of the Sinhalese people to their motherland in the most unjust manner but they also perpetrated numerous other injustices on the unsuspecting, innocent Sinhala masses.'
Translated from Kauda Kotiya? (op cit)
Other "injustices'
Two of these other "injustices' have figured largely in the fashioning of the Sinhala-Buddhist consciousness
as it exists today.
A. The perception that foreign or minority-owned business ventures have retarded the development of

Page 12
12 TAMILTIMES
Sinhala business; calls are therefore made for privileges for the Sinhala merchants and for measures against 'alien traders' -
"If this is a genuine national government, it should appoint a Commission to look into the unfortunate situation of the Sinhala traders as a result of the influence of the Indians, and take remedial measures. Also, in order to save the Sinhalese from the dangers created by foreigners, Indians, controlling trade and large plantations in this country, should be driven out forthWith.”
"In the central market in Colombo, in the Pettah, the local Sinhalese traders today do not own even 5% of the trade. Power is almost entirely in the hands of Indians, Borahs and Sindhis.” "The export-import trade is completely in the hands of foreigners. A person who travels from Colombo Fort to Wellawatte could see how many Sinhdi shops there are on either side of the Galle Road. Every single one of these trading establishments was started after an independent government was set up in Sri Lanka in 1948.”
Translated from Sinhalayage Adisi Hatura, 1970. w
B. There is a very prevalent view that the non-Sinhalese have an unfair share of government jobs, university
places, etc. Sugge fore made that re.
versity should be ethnic quotas. To c ment suggesting th the university illic
"From the time th versity was set people of this cou opportunity of st engineering and t Who then were Peradenyia Univ Tamils?
"The cry that the
ties are the natu Sinhalese was ra: nemt persons a Methananda, Dr
K.M.P.Rajaratma issue in public. B. they were labell monks such as B lawansa and Dev awansa, pointed
which was being majority comml ridiculed and har majority commu how they have b Translated from
Hora Para (Illici University), 1970.
". . . the import question whethe Medium students Medical, Enginee
DIVERSIONARY AGAINST CHRISTIA
The anti-Christian Movement and the Sinhala Bourgeoisie
Ethnic and religious conflicts in Sri Lanka were among the factors which retarded the formation of a strong anti-imperialist consciousness, capable of uniting all ethnic groups in a joint liberation struggle. During the colonial period, such conflicts also, on many occasions, weakened the class consciousness of the working people, directing their energies in the wrong directions - against minorities, rather than against the class enemy.
While religious and cultural revival have often been the basis of incipient nationalist movements in the Third World, Buddhist revivalism in Sri Lanka (in the late 19th and early 20th century), used slogans of religion, culture and temperance, to mobilise people in anti-Christian agitation, attention was focussed om the privileges and alleged misdeeds of the Christian minority, instead of the colonial regime itself. Since, in addition, the majority of Christians were poor people, both Sinhala and
Tamil, the movem torted expression ment, directed aw problem.
However, it is a f Sri Lanka, while Christians (Catholi formed less than 1 tion, the Christial the political life 0 held very privilege ety. To give a few Legislative Coun 1912, the Low-Cour resentatives, who the government, V ception) Protestan percentage of the entrepreneurs, pI and government S Christians - the p1 ary schools.
Social advantage
The economic, p advantages held b especially resente e m e r g e n t Sin l bourgeoisie, who f ment of Buddhi

stions are therecruitment to Union a System of ite a popular docuat Tamils entered itly - Le Peradenya Uniup, the ordinary ntry have lost the udying medicine, he other sciences. the students of ersity? They were
educational faciliral rights of the ised by such emiS Messrs. L.H. F.R. Jayasuriya, , who raised the 2cause of this cry, ed racists. When addegama Wima"amottawe Amarout the injustice perpetrated on the unity, they were 'assed. Today the nity has realised een deceived.'
Visvavidyalayata t Entry into the
ant and serious r all the Tamil
who entered the ring, Science and
JUNE 1984
other Faculties did so by the god fortune of receiving improper excess marks comes compellingly into our minds. This is not only a burning question; it is also a question that painfully sears and violently explodes within the hearts of our Sinhala students, parents and teachers.' -
From Diabolical Conspiracy - undated (1980?).
To understand these recent expressions of Sinhala Buddhist sentiment and to show in what way antiminority feeling has been expressed over the years, some historical probing is relevant. Such an overview will show that although the ideology has remained more or less constant, the minority groups targetted for attack have been different over the years.
It will also be noted that ethnic and religious hostility has expanded at various periods among different classes in Sri Lanka. Although such animosity has always had a strong petty-bourgeois basis, this consciousness has also manifested itself at times among the Sinhala bourgeoisie and the working class. For this purpose, I first examine specific periods of conflict between the Sinhala Buddhists and four different minorities, namely, Christian, Muslim, Malayali and Tamil, and will try and relate these events to prevailing class tensions and conflicts.
' MOWEMENTS NS AND MUSLIMS
ent became a disof "national" sentiray from the real
act that in colonial foreign and local cs and Protestant) .0% of the populain elite dominated f the country and d positions in Sociexamples, in the cil, from 1833 to try Sinhalese repwere appointed by were (with one ext Christian; a high Sinhala and Tamil ofessional people ervants were also coducts of mission
eS
olitical and social y Christians were ed by the newly n a la Buddhist inanced the movest revival. The
T
Buddhist petty bourgeoisie of small traders, white-collar workers, writers, journalists and teachers, with the support of the Buddhist monks, also opposed the hegemony of Christians in colonial society. These groups spearheaded the revivalist movement to promote Buddhist education, challenge missionary influence and to arouse national and patriotic feelings among the Sinhala Buddhists.
Bureaucrats and missionaries were attacked for their religion and the campaign was directed against the "Christian power rather than against British colonialism. Even if this was a tactic to avoid charges of sedition, it had the effect of arousing the Buddhists to a "Holy War' instead of an anti-colonial struggle.
The anti-Christian movement was also linked with the rise of religious fervour and the belief that Sri Lanka and the 'dhammdvipa', island of the faith, with a historic destiny to protect Buddhism, this mission having been entrusted to the "Aryan' Sinhala people by the Buddha himself. In this context, one can note that the creation of an ideology based on "tradi

Page 13
JUNE 1984
tiohal' values, emphasising the ethnic, religious and cultural identity of the Sinhala Buddhists, resulted in an aggressive campaign against Christians. The battles, both nonviolent and violent, were fought at several levels.
1. Through public debates between Christians and Buddhists, as occurred in Panadura in 1873, when bhikku Migettuwatte Gumananda aroused Buddhist popular opinion by confronting Rev. David de Silva, and launching a searing attack on Christianity. 2. Through popular agitation, invective against Christians in the press, pamphlets, some "blasphemous, others scurrilous and novels where the heroes were virtuous Buddhists and the villains were Christians. Christianity was ridiculed, missionaries were referred to as 'enemies” teaching a degrading superstition' and complaints were made against ‘ignorant catechists who infest our streets'.
3. Through the formation of Buddhist organisations, especially after the arrival in Sri Lanka, in 1880, of Col- onel Olcott and Helena Blavatsky, who launched the Buddhist Theosophical Society to promote Buddhism and Buddhist education. In this period, the works of British radicals and freethinkers (Annie Besant, Charles Bradlaugh and G.W. Foote), were also circulated and the first issue of the Ceylon Freethinker, which appeared in 1883, had an article om "The Evil Results of Missionary Education'.
Violent clashes
This ideological climate and the emotions generated by the revivalist movement, led to the first violent communal riot in Sri Lanka's modern history - the riot between Buddhists and Catholics in Kotahena, Colombo, in April 1883. The militant bhikku, Migettuvatte Gunananda, whose temple was close to St Lucia's Cathedral, had organised Buddhist ceremonies which coincided with Easter Week.
The Catholics took this as a provocation and a serious riot occurred; the street fighting caused one death and 30 were injured, including 12 policemen. The resulting Commission of Inquiry claimed that the causes were the conflicting religious festivities, the leadership of Gunananda - "a bitter opponent of the Christian religion' - and the failure of the Catholics to control "the more ignorant of their flock'.
In the next phase of anti-Christian agitation during the early 20th century, revivalist leaders such as Anagarika Dharmaphala and Wallisinha Harischandra took the lead. Christian
ity was said to multitude of evi and a “golden ag ist culture was there was no drunkenness. As in 1902:
"This bright, b made into a Pa Sinhalese befor brought about b dalis . . . Christ ism are respon practices of kill ing, prostituti lying and drun ancient, histor under the dia paganism, intr( ish administrati and slowly d bureaucratic a have cut down
plant tea; have ganja, whisky, alcoholic poison loons and drinki Village; have k and made the
Dharmapala an led a campaign f the Buddhist sac adhapura and in the Buddhist pos organised a proti tions on Buddhist Was anti-Chris Harischandra was ment. The subseq his acquittal were increase of religi Buddhists. Dhar the British Kir stating:
"The Sinhala B persecuted by th ers of Your Ma. . . . they resent their holy histo cerned . . . liqu are given to thi the administrat of liquor saloons foreign churche City is what the
Articulated hos
The struggle : was thus, not a r Lankan masses rulers of the coul a campaign led Sinhala-Buddhi attempts to gain the power and p society, aroused hostility of the privileged Christ
Anti-Christian tinued to break tion and conflict
LSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLSLS

be the cause of a is affecting society ' of Sinhala Buddh
described, where rime, violence or Dharmapala wrote
autiful island was 'adise by the Aryan its destruction was y the barbaric vanianity and polythesible for the vulgar ling animals, stealn, licentiousness, kenness . . . This c, refined people, bolism of vicious duced by the Britors is now declining ying a way. The dministrators . . . primeval forests to introduced opium, arrack and other s; have opened sang taverns in every illed all industries beople indolent.'
i Harischandra also or the protection of red sites in Anur
June 1903, during on festivities, they est against restricprocessions. There tian rioting and arrested for inciteuent court case and the stimulus for an ous fervour among mapala petitioned 1g on this issue,
uddhists are being le subordinate officjesty's Government interference where ric religion is conor, opium and beef e village people by ors. . . the removal , butcher shops and is from the Sacred Buddhists demand.'
tility
against Christianity movement of the Sri against the foreign try, but was rather by sections of the sts, who in their a greater share in rivileges of colonial and articulated the nasses towards the iams. feelings have conbut into open agitaat various times in
TAMILTIMES13
Sri Lanka. One important instance was in the late 1950s, when the Buddhist Commission was set up by a number of Buddhist organisations to look into alleged acts of discrimination against Buddhists and the Buddhist religion. Many of the old debates were revived and even scurrilous pamphlets of the turn of the century, like Kanni Mariyage Hati (The Truth about the Virgin Mary) were republished. While in recent years the people have been distracted by attacks on other minorities, it is nevertheless true that the anti-Christian prejudices, though dormant, still remain strong in the consciousness of Sinhala Buddhists.
The anti-Muslim agitation of the Sinhala merchants
Competition in trade is a key ellement in understanding ethnic and communal rivalry in Sri Lanka. By the last quarter of the 19th century, the colonial economy was dominated and controlled by British as well as North and South Indian merchant capital. A bourgeoisie of Sinhala, Sri Lanka Tamil and Muslims had also arisen. While the economic base of the Muslim bourgeoisie was trade, the Sri Lankan Tamil bourgeoisie derived their wealth from plantation cultivation and from services, mainly financial to the commercial sector; their Sinhala counterparts accumulated wealth in liquor renting, graphite mining and plantations. However, the Sinhalese and Sri Lanka Tamils were not strong enough to compete with the British, Borahs, Sindhis, Parsis, Chettiars and Muslims in the export-import trade and in the large retail trade. Thus, as an alternative members of these two economically weak groups, competed for entry into the professions and government Service. However, the small Sinhala traders were to become a vociferous pressure group which directed its hostility against "alien' traders.
The weakness of the Sinhala and Sri Lanka Tamil entrepreneurs can be seen from the following figures taken from Fergusons Directory. In 1863, there were 33 leading merchants, exporters and importers, of whom 27 were Europeans, four were Indians from Bombay, the only Sri Lankans being P. B. Fernando and E. Nannytamby of Jaffna. By 1880, 54 leading merchants were listed, of whom 50 were European, two Parsis from Bombay and two Sinhalese (Charles de Soysa and Jeronis Pieris).
In the local commercial quarter (the Pettah), the trade in 1863 was dominated by 75 Nattukottal Chettiar firms (of South India) who were in the rice and cloth trade and 35 Muslim

Page 14
14 TAMIL TIMES
t umumu
traders, who dealt in various goods. No Sinhala and Sri Lanka Tamil firms were mentioned for this year. By 1880, the Pettah trade was dominated by 86 Chetty and 64 Muslim firms, with only a handful of Sinhalese traders such as H. Don Carolis (furniture) and N.S. Fermando (stationery). By the 1890s, new groups of Muslim traders from Gujurat - the Borahs, Khojas and Memons - broke into the importexport trade, and became the new merchant princes who played a collective role as junior partners of the British.
Anti-Muslim propaganda and the 1915 riots
The hostility to this foreign domination of trade was expressed by the smaller Sinhala traders; the animosity, while being against all "merchants from Bombay and peddlars from South India', as Dharmapala called them, was particularly against the Muslim traders of South India (known as Coast Moors), who were ubiquitous, being found in urban as well as rural areas, however remote. There was mot only keen competition beteween the Muslims and the Sinhala shopkeepers and traders, but consumer hostility was also aroused against the Muslim shopkeepers, when as in 1915, wartime shortages and inflation led to a general rise in the price of essentials.
During the early 20th century, the concept of “alien traders' was opposed to 'sons of the soil', was popularised in the Sinhala press, the main proponent being Anagarika Dharmapala, whose father, H. Don Carolis, was one of the few Sinhala shopowners in the Pettah; numerous Sinhala writers, dramatists, journalists and monks of this period wrote extensively, glorifying the heroic deeds of Sinhalese kings, recalling the victories against foreign invasions and also denouncing foreign traders and urging the Sinhalese to boycott their shops. In 1906, Dharmapala wrote:
"Aliens are taking away the wealth
of the country and the sons of the
soil, where are they to go? The immigrants who came here have other places to go to - the Sinhalese has no place to go. Is it just that the sons of the soil should suffer while the alien enjoys? England . . . has an Alien Prevention Bill to prevent paupers coming to her shores and the ignorant helpless Sinhalese villager is made a victim by the alien sharper who robs his ancestral land.'
During this period, Dharmapala's attacks were specifically directed against Muslim traders: in 1915 he Wrote:
"The Muhamme ple . . . by Sh became prosper The Sinhalese whose ancesters shed rivers of country free fr are in the eyes vagabonds. The Muhammedan sees the neglecte any experience il result is that thrives and the to the wall.'
Several other ideo. la petty bourgeois tive statements. T. sa Sirisena, who | Jathiya, urged th frain from . . . tra Coast Moor, the C igner'. The Lakmi writing to the Coa suitable plan sho send this damnal country,' and the mned “our invete Moorso. Some edit( carried such inf ments were prose the Sinhala Jathiy la's Sinhala B banned.
“Summary justic
martial law
It was against th the first seriou Sinhalese and Mu 1915 in many par ostensibly sparke provocations, but i the economic and the period. Many rioting or in the meted out by Brit civilians under m
Several middl temperance lead oned, including fa Sinhala traders ir Pedris (son of D.D thy Pettah mercha tialled and shot or ing crowds in the Muslim shops; E ma (son of H. Dom ( after his death S. muted, and N.S jesekera, Pedris's som of the Petta Fernando, also re( ence which was c The reaction of mapala to these r Writing a month a said:
'What the Gern tisher . . . the M the Sinhalese. H

ans, an alien peoylockean methods bus like the Jews. soms of the soil, for 2,358 years had blood to keep the m alien invaders of the British only alien South Indian omes to Ceylon, d villager, without trade . . . and the he Muhammedan on of the soil goes
ogues of the Sinhaie made provocahe novelist Piyadaedited the Sinhala Sinhalese to "reinsactions with the ochin and the foreta, a Sinhala daily, st Moors, said: "A uld be adopted to ble lot out of the
Dinamina conderate enemies, the }rs of papers which lammatory Statecuted and in 1915, 'a and Dharmapaauddha ya were
e' under
is background that s riots between slims occurred in ts of the country, off by religious n reality reflecting political tensions of hundreds died in summary justice' ish troops against artial law.
e-class Buddhist ers were imprismily members of the Pettah. D.E. . Pedris, the wealnt) was court-mara charge of incitPettah to attack mund HewavitarSarolis) died in jail intence Was COm. Fernando Wibrother-in-law and h Stationer, N.S. eived a death sentommuted.
Anagarika Dharots was revealing. fter the events, he
an is to the Briuhammedian is to is an alien to the
JUNE 1984
Sinhalese by religion, race and lànguage. To the Sinhalese without Buddhism death is preferable. The British officials may shoot, hang, quarter, imprison or do anything to the Sinhalese but there will always be bad blood between the Moors and the Sinha lese. The peaceful Sinhalese have at last shown that they can no longer bear the insults of the alien. The whole nation in One day has risen against the Moor People. The causes are economic and spiritual.'
Open conflict
In subsequent years, open conflict between Buddhists and Muslims died down, but the anti-minority feelings of the Sinhala traders persisted in the consciousness of the Sinhala Buddhists. This was recently seen not only by largely localised outbursts of violence against Muslims, such as occurred in Putalam and Galle in 1981, but also by the content of much Sinhala chauvinist propganda of recent times. However, it is noteworthy that antagonism has continued to be less on religious lines and more om the basis of trade rivalry.
We see that many of the themes of the anti-Tamil propaganda of the 1970s and 1980s had their origin in the consciousness of an earlier periodd, when they were used against Christians and Muslims. The most persistent have been the assertions of Sinhala racial superiority and the special role of the Sinhalese to protect Buddhism, the hostility to “alien traders', the concern for the 'sons of the soil', and the much-repeated lament, which was voiced in the Ceylon Nation at the turn of the century, that "the Sinhalese are isolated; they are between the Devil and the deep sea; they have no other land to go to, they have no ethnological relationship with any other existing race or country.'
It will be observed that the ideologies on which antagonism towards the Christians and the Muslims were nourished primarily served pettybourgeois interests. But such ideologies, in specific circumstances, become the dominant ideology and attract other classes as well.
In spite of the growth of solidarity and joint action by its different ethnic components, the emerging workingclass in Sri Lanka also at times fell prey to this Sinhala Buddhist ideology. The conflicts with minorities in which the working class, as a result, became involved, will be discussed in the next article.
To be continued

Page 15
JUNE 1984
FIRSTTHETAMILs,
It was no secret to any politically minded person that when the pogrom against the Tamils was unleashed in Sri Lanka, it was only a matter of time before the Sinhala chauvinist regime of President Jayawardene, in its march towards fascism, would signal the subjugation of the other minorities.
Even before the blood of the Tamils had dried from the streets of Sri Lanka, the Muslim community of Sri Lanka has been singled out for the next orgy of violence and anarchy.
It is a fact that during the darkest
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Not only did H cense the chauvil the government, ated their plan to community.
Within a matter mencement of this when the Presid H.W. Jayawarden vate practice, whic have a place eithe or the bureaucrac to meet the Indian undertake a tour o tries as the Presid to explain the Tam leaders of those c
Foreign jaunts
This was in spite was President Jay the first time in Lanka, had delega Foreign Affairs, u Prime Minister, to instructions to 0 cut down on their to allow Mr Han Foreign Affairs pr of their ministries,
These instructi out, with the rest Lankan Parliam taunted by the Op ing to Sri Lanka suit.
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TAMIL MJ o
IOW THE MUSLIMS
3, when President her Cabinet" met to ned trail of sections nt and to find a e pogrom, A.C.S. of Foreign Affairs, and nail the plot to bassies of the USSR Lanka and even sign and tell the le. ameed's stand inlist caucus within ut it also accelerattack the Muslim
of days, the complan was obvious ent's brother, Mr e, a lawyer in priup to then did not r in the legislature y, was handpicked
premier, and then f the ASEAN counent's special envoy hil problems to the Ountries.
of the fact that it "awardene who for the history of Sri ted the portfolio of sually held by the Mr Hameed, with ther ministers to foreign jaunts and need to deal with oblems arising out
as far as possible. ons were carried ut that in the Sri ent Hameed was position, as returnonly to change his
Not only was Hameed grounded in Colombo and virtually functioning like a Minister without Portfolio, in the Department of Immigration and Emigration which came under him, the trade union wing of the ruling party, controlled by the notoriously chauvinist Ministers Cyril Mathew and Gamini Dissanaike, began to over-assert itself, eroding his powers and reducing him to the status of a puppet.
Posters and handbills began to appear all over the country threatening to put an end to the powerful trade and commerce bases held by the Muslims. Muslim citizens began receiving threatening letters. Rumours were let loose about impending attacks on mosques and time and again the Muslim community had to take up strategic positions at the mosque, taking turns at Jumma prayers on Fridays.
In particular, the electorate of A kura n a, repres en te d by Mr Hameed, was singled out for a concerted sabre-rattling.
Another leading Muslim Parliamentarian of the ruling Party, who had also served as a Mayor of Colombo, was openly impeached in Parliament by the UNP Prime Minister, who produced files and documents relating to matters that occurred nearly three decades ago to try to establish that Mr Jabir Cader, while serving as a UNP Mayor of Colombo, had connived with a then leading UNP
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Page 16
16 TAMILTIMES
Minister - Mr Sugathadasa, to obtain concessions to further his business interests.
The attack on the Muslims had begun.
Thus it was clearly as much a desire to devalue and disagrace the Muslim community, if not more, than to combat the Tamil guerrillas that the government invited the Israelis to function under the umbrella of the US embassy, after having recognised Palestinian rights and stuck to the policy of no diplomatic relations with Israel for one full term in office.
That was the last straw for the Muslims who were well aware that they would be the next target after the Tamils.
Hundreds of Muslims demonstrated on the streets of Colombo to express their protest against inviting the Israelis back to Sri Lanka. Thousands of Muslims demonstrated at Puttalam. Tamil students of the University of Jaffna staged a demonstration sympathising with the Muslim sentiment and protesting against inviting the Israelis. This was gathering momentum.
The scene shifted to Kaththankudy, a predominantly Muslim village in the Eastern Province. It is said that government troops opened fire at a massive demonstration by Muslims killing and wounding many.
correspondent bas
s.co.ir. T
Unofficial sourc toll at 30. A rigorol applicable even to dents, has been cli government.
* Foreign corr brought under the strict and wide-r yesterday under tions, Says a des The Times on Jun
CAMPAIG HUMANI & RIGHTS
At a general me held on May 20, the tee of Tamils ado sive resolution to the violation of h Lanka.
To SCOT, which centrated On WOI relief and rehabili persons and per which could be cl able, this decision markable change
However, the l makes it clear tha the restoration of t
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JUNE 1984
and human rights violations in Sri Lanka will not in any way impede its work in connection with relieving poverty and suffering among the Tamil people.
SCOT has set up a separate division called 'SCOT-Human Rights Council' to undertake its new functions.
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Page 17
JUNE 1984
MEDIAFL
ܠܐܵܪiܕ݁ܝ܇ܫܚܶܒ݂ܝܬ݁ܳܬ݂ܚܖ ܚܿܞܡ
PAK-Us ARMs FLoc LANKATO FIGHT TA
Sri Lanka has imported considerable quantities of ammunition between January and April which, in retrospect, could only have been in preparation for the military clampdown on the northern Tamil province of Jaffna which was to take place in April. This is clear from the type of ammunition obtained from foreign SOlrceS.
Diplomatic sources, in a fairly detailed account of the imports, said these were made available from the US and Pakistan, the overwhelming bulk from the latter.
The imports suggest a definite planning over a period of time by the Sri Lanka government to deal with the Tamil claim that the military build-up in Jaffna province followed an attack on a group of air force men by Tamil extremists.
v 08
Guns & gas
The first shipment arrived aboard the Dhaulagiri, carrying about ten cartons of revolvers and gas guns. This was on January 24. About three weeks later, 50 cases arrived carrying 7.62 and 5.56 SLR (semi-automatic self-loading rifles) blanks aboard the Lanka. Attila.
The biggest consignment of the month came with the Lanka Amila on February 20. It imcluded 50,000 RDX (research department Formula 'X' cartridge).22 tonnes and .38 STW 125, and 50,000 RDX 12-bore SG and 50,000 RDX 12-bore N0.4.
In March, there was only one consignment of tear gas grenades carried aboard the President Van Brenof.
The bulk of the ammunition import came in April. By then the all-party round table conference (RTC) had been unilaterally deserted by the ruling United National Party, and martial law was imposed in Jaffna.
Blockade bid
On April 9 a case containing pyrotechnics (flares) to light up dark areas at night before firing is resorted to was imported on the Lanka Ajitha.
The biggest consignment of the entire four-month period came on April 19 aboard the Lanka Amitha. In all, the ship carried 49,000 RDX car
by ANAND
tridges. These inc cartridges 9MM RX 9MM paralellu tridges 7.62MM (I RDX cartridges (NATO type), 80,00 with metal paint and 150.000 RDX with full jacket.
ΡΙΟΤ W
A Methodist Minis starting a new li shire after losing the recent riots in Mr Swaminath wife Joyce fled fro capital, Colomb burned down by They escaped wi they were wearing with neighbours rioters attacked t
The couple, wł minority Tamil co to hide in a darke when the rioters I them in the neig they had found u killed us. That wa other Tamils, saj
The couple ever were taken to a Jacob left for Lon
 

TAMILTIMES 17
פ( \M|LS
K. SAHAY
luded 50,000 RDX parallellum, 50,000 m, 50,000 RDX carNATO type), 5,000
7.66MM blanks 0 RDX .38 special round-bore bullet,
9MM parallellum The last reported
Our aim for 1984
"EVERY READER OFTAMIL TIMES A SUBSCRIBER
Only thus can we survive
consignment on board the Prince Markinly brought in five cartons of ammunition om April 24.
Barring the President Van Brenof and the Prince Markinly, all the other ships are understood to have sailed from Karachi.
The ammunition imports are in addition to the patrol boats that the Sri Lanka government has obtained from China to put a naval blockade around the northern and eastern provinces of the island.
(By courtesy of BLITZ, 26.5.84)
ter and his wife are fe in West Oxfordtheir home during in Sri Lanka. an Jacob and his m their home in the o, before it was Sinhalese rioters. th just the clothes and had to shelter as a gang of 100 heir house.
lo come from the mmunity, then had ned room for hours 'eturned to look for hbour's house. "If s they would have is the fate of many d Mr Jacob.
tually, escaped and efugee camp. Mrs lon where their two
"ICTIMS START NEW LIFE
children live, and Mr Jacob followed later.
Now they are setting up a new home in Carterton where Mr Jacob has just been appointed minister of the local Methodist church.
“We are very happy to be here,' said Mrs Jacob at their house in Barford Road. “We lost everything last summer when the riots broke out, but are now looking forward to starting afresh.”
The couple had returned to Sri Lanka in 1981 after a six-year spell working for the Methodist Church in London. Mr Jacob, who was secretary of the Sri Lankan Methodist conference, said: "The situation between the Tamils and the majority Sinhalese had been building up for years but the riots took everyone by surprise.'
By courtesy, “OXFORDMAIL,

Page 18
18TAMILTIMES
RACE CLASS
AJOURNAL FOR BLACK AND THIRD WORLD LIBERATION
SRI LANKA: RACISM & THE AUTHORITARIAN STATE
Sri Lanka: racism and the politics of underdevelopmentA. SIVANANDAN
Sri Lanka: the story of the holocaustN. SANMUGATHASAN
Plantation politics-RACHEL KURIAN, etal
Class formation and COInnunalism - KUMAR JAYAWARDENA
July 1983 and the national question in Sri Lanka: a bibliographical guideH.A.I. Goonetileke The State against the TamilsNancy Murray
Sri Lanka's week of shame: an eyewitness account
Human rights violations in Sri Lanka
The Mathew Doctrine (excerpts from: The Unseen enemy of the Sinhalese, Sinhalese safeguard the Buddhist order, etc.)
Sri Lanka, myths and realities - Committee for Rational Development
A special double issue of Race & Class edited by A. Sivanandan to be published in July 1984; price £3,50/$6.00 (postage free in UK. Airmail add £2/$3), available from UK bookshops or The Institute of Race Relations, 247 Pentonville Road, London, N1 6NG, UK.
Bulk rates available on request
FORSALE/LEASE:House with annexe in Bambalapitiya, Colombo. SEMINAR: Those interested in a trilingual translation seminar to translate a poet's own English translation of a Welsh poem into Sinhalese and Tamil and Similar work.
Please ring 01-278 5232.
HOUSE TO LET: Four bedroomed fully furnished house, 2 minutes walk from Abbey Wood railway station (15 mins to central London by train), Shopping centre, and bus routes. Available short term from mid-July to end of September. Could be shared by two families. Please apply Box M9 c/o Tamil Times.
ком АPP POSITVE
From the standpo. things appear dif army of occupatic the language, job p under threat, the cannot conceivabl comply with the and put the thou State out of their
The creation of : tam in the North a may not seem a able goal, but it is the Ceylon Tamil had their traditi their culture and their children sy croached upon ove should aspire in the state and resort in methods of achiev The kidnapping Americans which t 10th, however, ha peaceful outcome. only instance of k the hostages have released, uncondi harmed.
The Minister of has claimed the triumph for himsel ment. However, it Tamil Nationalists control through achieved four m: through this clevel
Statesman-like
(1) The governm Tamil Nadu were : alese people to cogovernment of SI these events in a st responsible way. I demand was made (E1/4 million) to be gOvernment 0f Tam
ly, the Tamil Nadu :
ly rejected this fant and Tamil Nadu go" for the release of t
(2) Secondly, the monstrated their co na peninsula. Signii tages were not takel Nadu but kept qu under the nose o army of occupation They were deliver, of the Roman Cat Jaffna, at Bishop's thus ensuring that found by the police and their deaths Nationalists.
(3) The question
ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

NG ACHIEWED
PUBLICTY
it of Jaffna itself, erently. With an n in Jaffna town, ospects, life itself people of Jaffna be expected to VIth amendment ht of a separate minds.
miniature Pakisld East of Ceylon articularly desirnot unnatural that people who have onal homelands, the prospects of stematically enthe last 35 years, end to a separate the end to violent ing it.
of two young ook place on May had a uniquely t is, I believe, the idnapping where voluntarily been tionally and um
National Security Outcome as a if and his governis clear that the were firmly in out and have ajor advantages
exercise.
ents of India and Seen by the Sinhoperate with the i Lanka during atesman-like and nitially a ransom for Rs.50 million paid in gold to the il Nadu. Naturalgovernment firmtasy. Both Indian vernments called he hostages.
Nationalists deintrol of the Jaffficantly, the hosn across to Tamil ite near Jaffna f the Sinhalese
ed into the hands holic Bishop of House in Jaffna, they were not or army, killed blamed on the
of CIA involve
JUNE 1984
ment in the Northern and Eastern province was highlighted again. A few days before the kidnapping it had been suggested in the Sri Lankan press that the American financed land water scheme in the Jaffna peninsula - the project on which the kidnapped couple were employed - was a CIA front for the detailed mapping of the peninsula.
World press
(4) The plight of political detainees in Sri Lanka was again brought to the notice of the world press. The kidnappers' demand was for the release of 20 detainees. It was soon revealed that only 16 of the people named were at present in detention.
In view of the provisions of the PTA for the disposal of bodies without an inquest, sinister doubts arise about the missing four. Two of the remaining sixteen, who were later followed by the rest, while not condemning the kidnapping, said that they did not wish to be released under such circumstances, showing themselves to be responsible and high-minded people whom it would be inept to label terrorists.
Even the Sri Lankan papers carried the headline “Happy Ending to the Kidnap Drama'. The exercise has
succeeded in achieving useful and
positive publicity for the Tamil Nationalists of Sri Lanka.
Mae We Jafna, 1984
EELAM PEOPLES’ INFORMATION CENTRE (EPIC)
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Page 19
JUNE 1984
IN THE NAME o
The drama surrounding the kidnapping of Mr and Mrs Allen by armed youths is now over. No doubt many people, including supporters and advocates of Eelam, will have been relieved by the release of the Allens unharmed.
Although the Minister of National Security and the Government may now try to take the credit for their release, they are not likely to succeed. Clearly the government has come out worst in this whole episode. Firstly, it was a severe blow to the "tough military' image it was trying to create.
Alienation
For four long days, the youths were able to hold the Allen couple without the security forces being able to detect their hide-out. This conclusively proves, contrary to the claims of Mr Athulathmudali, that the security forces in the North cannot obtain any information from the civilian population there. The alienation of the Tamil-speaking people of the North from the UNP is now total and complete.
Secondly, the public at large cannot but fail to recognise the different attitudes of Mr Athulathmudali before and after the release of the Americans'; people will distinguish between the pompous statements and histrionics of the Minister after the Allens were released and his meek whinings during the uncertain hours and minutes that ticked away before the Monday noon deadline. In one small operation, the armed youth in Jaffna had exposed the true character of the new “National Security" Minister.
Finally, the various appeals and speeches Mr Athulathmudali made
By UPALI
during this peric spotlight the mora government. For described the kic baric”, it bommel What is more killing and burnin if not thousands of July 83. Or was than the vile murd including Dr Raj they were being tody?
And is it more incarceration with hundred persons Singarayer - man the Month by Aml and Nirmala Nit need urgent medi months and years
Kind treatment
On the other han state very clearl very well treated being held by the this context the kic Mrs Allen seems : compared to them mam acts I have li
interest that neit
mudali mor anyone ment had descrit "barbarous'.
The armed you the American cc them in a very whilst they were And they respond opinion and release the same of Mr government? For various representa Amnesty Internati Commission of Ji
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TAMILTIMES 19
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d only helped to bankruptcy of the instance, when he nappings as “baranged on him.
barbaric than the galive of hundreds innocent Tamils in it more gruesome ers of 52 detainees, asunderam, whilst held in State cus
barbaric than the out trial of several
including Father led the Prisoner of lesty International hiyananthan, who cal treatment, for
לי
d, the Allens could y that they were
whilst they were
armed youths. In inapping of Mr and a very tame affair Lonstrous and inhusted above. It is of her Mr Athulathelse in the governbed those acts as
th who kidnapped luple had treated humane manner in their custody. ed to world public d them. Can We Say Athulathmudali's instance, despite ations made by the onal, International urists and others,
Mr Athulathmudali and his government still permit the Security forces to dispose of dead bodies of persons killed by the army, navy, air force, etc., without post mortems being held to determine the cause of death, the identity of the deceased and the circumstances surrounding his or her death.
Again, despite protests from many organisations and individuals - both local and international - the government retains the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act, which permits the detention incommunicado of persons without trial in a place determined not by the Courts but by the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence
Scant regard
Mr Athulathmudali's party and the government have shown scant regard to the rule of law. And we need not confine ourselves to their policies in the North and East of the country. We only need to recall a few incidents such as “Pavidi Handa' case, the Vivienne Goone war dene’s fundamental rights case, the demonstration organised outside the houses of Supreme Court Judges, the assault on Professor Sarathchandra and others, killing of Somapala, and so on; the list is endless.
That is why, when Mr Athulathmudali appealed to the kidnappers to free the Allen couple in the name of “civilisation', it sounded like a sick joke. Mr Athulathmudali and his government have forfeited the right to speak on behalf of any civilisation or in the name of humanity or even common decency. The best service that Mr Athulathmudali and the government can do for Civilisation is to bow out now before things get even WOTSE.
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Page 20
2O TAMILTIMES
LETTERS TO TIL DITTO
TAM IN TAMMIL TIMMTES Sir,
I have been a subscriber to Tamil Times for a long time and I enjoy reading it. Like me, there are many people who anxiously wait for their copy to drop through the letterbox. Tamil Times is filling a great vacuum that existed previously.
It is my feeling, however, that the time is now ripe for a change in format and contents in order that the paper might capture a wider audience, young and old, both here and OWeSeaS.
Its survival and expansion can be best achieved by striking the right balance for all its readers, Tamils and non-Tamils, politically motivated or not. It should also cater for those Tamils who understand and speak only Tamil. It should promulgate new thoughts, actions and programmes for the long-term survival of the Tamils of Sri Lanka.
To make it more attractive it should incorporate news of all the Tamil communities around the world. Could not a piece of fiction or a book of a serious kind be serialised? Why cannot we have a women's
page? The readi asked for their v features and an such as informati self” activities, ho al and insurance
It is a well-kno nal such as yours subscriptions alo that you sponsor cultural events ar the profit from th into your Develop all help in makin mouthpiece of th tion now scattere( ners of the globe
NOBEL PE
Please permit me tion to the idea Jeyaratnam in Times, May 1984). with his suggestion late Dr Rajasunth Peace Prize. Howe ate that this sugges ialise since only liv be nominated for
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g public should be ews on these new y additional ones in about 'do it yourme computers, legquestions, etc.
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Yours faithfully, T. Visvendran, Stevenage, Herts.
ACE PRIZE
to make a correcsuggested by C. his letter (Tamil in principle I agree 1 of nominating the aram for the Nobel ver, it is unfortunstion cannot matering individuals can this coveted prize. Sachi. Sri Kantha. Urbana, USA
JUNE 1984
FIRST TAMIL CENTRE IN CANADA
It was on the 20th of May 1984, the first Tamil Centre, known as "Thamilar Centre', was opened by the Thamilar Olli Association, in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The centre is located at 2325, Centre Street, Montreal, Quebec. This centre has a theatre, a recreation hall and a Tamil library with an office for its over-all administration – providing help daily, except on Monday, from 9am to 9pm. Various programmes, like educational seminars, free language classes, Tamil movies, are being organised in the centre.
It is our wish this centre may expand to receive a good number of Tamils to sustain their cultural, educational, social and psychological needs. Your assistance of any sort is greatly welcomed to build up this centre, and right now, our efforts are geared towards building up our library. Your contribution by way of even used Tamil magazines, storybooks, Tamil literature, etc., may be sent to Thamilar Centre, 2325 Centre Street, Montreal, P.Q. H3K IJ6, Canada.
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Page 21
JUNE 1984
JAFFNA COLLEGE ALUMNI (UK)
There will be a get-together of old boys and girls of Jaffna College and their friends on
SATURDAY 28 JULY 1984
at 12.30p.m. LOLA JONES HALL GREAVES PLACE, OFF GARRATTLANE, LONDON SW17
Please keep this date free and inform friends. Lunch will be served. As tickets are limited, please book before 10th July 1984.
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M. Selvaratnam O582607662 Siva O1-464 3845 Jeyapalan O1-6796339
When replying to advertisements, please say you Savy it in TAML TIMES
AUSTRAL
Tamil associations
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The Several aSSO on April 21, 1984, Federation would ing objectives:
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consultations associations.
2). To promote c member assC commended b desirable.
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TAMILTIMES21
|ASIAN FEDERATION OF TAMILS
from Sydney, Melnberra, Adelaide, ensland, Brisbane, nia, Fiji, New Zeaw Guinea, have got ed a single orgaAustralasian FedAssociations.
Biations which met resolved that the pursue the follow
means of regular between member
ollective action by )ciations when rely the federation as
on shall receive finember groups for (a) running of the b) special projects. ed that the followWill come Within the Federation. tion of activities. nd dissemination of
e and promote unimils.
(d). To undertake projects and finance them. w (e). To provide relief to Tamil refugees. (f). Delegation of responsibilities to member associations. (g). To expose violation of human rights and to support human rights organisations. (h). To consider any other activities suggested by member associations. Professor C.J. Eliezer, Dr Bala Karalapilai, Mr Ilango Navaratnam and Mr K. Somasundaram, were elected President, Secretary, Communication Secretary and Treasurer, respectively, of the Federation. All communications should be addressed to The Secretary, P.O. Box 103, Glenhuntly 3163, Victoria, Australia.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The article under the title “A Military Thrust Towards Final Solution which appeared in the April 1984 issue of Tamil Times was a reprint of a Special Focus published and distributed by the Tamil Information Centre, London. We regret that this acknowledgement was inadvertently omitted. - Editor, Tamil Times
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Page 22
22 TAMILTIMES
HOLDAYS 84
SRI LANKA INDA AUSTRALIA SINGAPORE EUROPE
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In May 1983, tw. July violence a Tamil university jected to violence and forcibly cha time the state-co media publish alleged discovery rorist literature” claimed that Tam vocation by eras. ing on some roa However, the t and has now been of a three-memb was an organised attack designed a vert the Peradeni 'Sinhalese-only the eviction of violent means.
But the questio Why have the University of Per matter, the Minist tion, not publishe violent disturbanc during May-June The credentials missioners, Messr (Chairman), Prof. and the UNP Depu Mrs Chandra Ran able. None of the of being anti-go establishment. Ap 1983, they submi two-volume repo] 1983 - but its cont a dark secret eve
"Organised camp
The Commissio violent disturban “did not erupt spo resented an org whose features 'al ning”.
The purpose of the Commission scribed as racist' a Tamils from the c, defiance of author blatant violence, ceeded in achievi "The attacker staves, iron rod belts, knives, arn versity furniture, humerus.
"The following ( mitted: intimidati duct, unlawful as halls, abuse, wilfu ty, looting, restra
 

JUNE 1984
K ON TAMIL UNDERGRADS CSTAND PRE PLANNED
months before the gainst the Tamils, students were subby organised gangs sed away. At that Introlled Sri Lankan ed reports about of “Eelam and terin the campus and il students gave prong Sinhalese letter
signs. ruth was otherwise revealed in a report r Commission – it pre-planned racist nd intended to conya University into a Jniversity' through Tamil students by
n is:
authorities at the adeniya, or for that ry of Higher Educad the report on the *es on that campus
1983? of the three Com's K.M. de Lanerolle essor D. Calnaido, ty Mayor of Kandy, laraja, are impeccn could be accused vernment or antipointed on 18 May tted their detailed "t on 6 December ents have remained r since.
aign'
ners say that the es on the campus ntaneously but repanised campaign' show careful plan
the campaign, say !rS, “may be dend "was to evict the impus. In complete ity and acting with the attackers sucng their ends.”
carried sticks, , bicycle chains, s and legs of uniand even a human
fences were comin, disorderly conembly, stoning of damage to propernt, forcible entry,
incitement to violence, physical and psychological violence.'
The Commissioners identify a number of persons as responsible for and taking part in this racist violence. It would be interesting to know what action, if any, has been taken against them. One learns that a certain student, named as a ringleader, has since - following the example set by the government - been promoted and is now an acting Assistant Lecturer.
Scathing exposure
The main reason for the suppression of the report is, perhaps, its scathing exposure of the effeteness of the university authorities, and the manner in which they allowed the conditions that led to this violence to develop to flash-point.
“In the University of Peradeniya,” they say, "there are many authorities but no authority.'
“Or again: “The authorities do mot seem to know what student welfare means.' And, finally: "The bleak and unrewarding conditions under which 4,000 students now live are slowly but surely alienating from each other the very two sectors of this University which should be working in comradeship. V
NEWJOBS IN SAUD
Saudi Arabia's Acting Minister of Health Dr Abdul Rahman Al-Sheikh recently signed a contract for $573 million with a specialised company to carry out the construction and equipping of a health care centre in the capital city of Riyadh.
The complex will include a hospital of 1,452 beds and 2,561 residential units for employees.
There will also be a mosque, social centres, a market, a bank, shops, a post office, a kindergarten, a restaurant and other recreation facilities.
In the meantime, Marriot Hotel in Riyadh is to be converted into a maternity hospital.
Many medical, para-medical and maintenance personnel will be required for these hospitals when they were completed.
Many knowledgeable Sri Lankans here feel that experienced Sri Lankans will Standa good chance of Securing employement in this medical complex if proper contacts are made before it is too late.

Page 23
JUNE 1984
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FO'r Written detailS anC
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223 SANDPIT LANE ST
Tel: St Albans 5
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RATHBONE
55 RATHBO LONDON TELEPHONE O-6
For ernergency tickets duri Ring 0 -64
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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