THREAD: The following details the acts of violence inflicted on the Tamil People throughout the #BlackJuly Genocide. Readers are encouraged to practice caution while reading and reflecting. 
Note: While we’re unable to provide full accounts of the violence by piecing together different incidents we hope to provide a better understanding of how the events unfolded.
The period of July 24-July 29, 1983, known as “Black July” in Sri Lanka, is considered to have galvanized the Tamil People behind the armed movements fighting for a separate state against the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL).
On July 20th, 1983, the Sri Lankan government imposed foreign and local press censorship to prohibit the reporting of communal unrest on the island. Days later, the Tamil community was set ablaze.
The brutal attacks targeted Tamils across the island. Tirunelveli came under attack from July 23rd-25th where Sri Lankan military persons entered the homes of civilians and opened fire killing 51 persons and set homes alight.
On July 25th, 1983 the #GoSL implemented a 15 hour curfew in Colombo and other parts of the island as mobs set fire to business, homes, and vehicles.
130 sailors of the Sri Lanka’s navy left their posting in Trincomalee and entered the villages, “250 miles north-east of Colombo and set fire to 175 houses in a Tamil neighborhood, killing one and wounding 10 others”.
sciencespo.fr/mass-violence-…
sciencespo.fr/mass-violence-…
cw: Sexual Violence
Tamil survivors recalled their mothers being worried that the mobs would find and rape their daughters, and pregnant mothers recount stories of losing their child in miscarriages and stillbirths due to the long distances they ran on foot to flee violence.
Tamil survivors recalled their mothers being worried that the mobs would find and rape their daughters, and pregnant mothers recount stories of losing their child in miscarriages and stillbirths due to the long distances they ran on foot to flee violence.
At least 53 Tamil detainees arrested under the #PTA were killed inside Welikada Jail in Colombo following the nationwide violence. Former TELO leaders Selvarajah Yogachandran (Kuttimani) and Nadaraja Thangavelu (Thangadurai) were of the reported 53 deaths.
Bloodbath extends beyond Colombo’s epicentre as ruthless mobs attack Tamils across the North and East.
On July 26th, Tamils in Badulla end their religious festivities early as instructed by police officials. That same night, a crowd set fire to a Tamil owned shop, although the shop survived, no arrests were made by the presenting officer Lamlat Perera, Head Quaters Inspector
On July 27th, 1983, 15 persons were killed at the Ramanathan residence, owner of Yogam Stores in Badulla. During the event it was documented that some 200 armed thugs equipped with guns and petrol bombs surrounded his house shouting “kill the Tamils, hunt the Tigers”.
Of the 15 bodies 9 were tortured to death with 6 dying of gunshots. The bodies were gathered in a heap and cremated along with vehicles in front of the Ramanathan residence. The house was looted and burnt some time later.
Ian Ritchie, a business tourist returned from his stay in #lka to report “...the worst violence, I understand was in Colombo, but the authorities were playing it down...I saw buildings and shops being set on fire, and gangs were also looting the shops and overturning cars.”
In Badulla, Tamil owned “Gowrie Stores” is set aflame using a petrol bomb by some 15 personnel who arrived some time earlier. Four individuals not involved in enticing the incident sustained what was reported as serious burns. No arrests were made.
July 27th, 1983 curfew was lifted at 5 AM, Rajendra, a Tamil driver was stabbed to death in Magastota. His home was subsequently looted and burned. Final rites were prohibited from being carried forward by police due to ties to UNP council members in the area.
On the same day, a government issued radio announcement was made that there were no incidents of violence occurring in Matale Town. On July 29th, 1983, the SL Army in civil attire arrived in town without order.
The first act of violence was the removal of a Tamil owned bus which was subsequently placed in front of the Muthumariamman Temple cart where both were set on fire. There after looting and further arson commenced.
The Tamil Youth of Matale entered Zahira college for refuge. Around 50 Muslim youth armed with weapons aided in protecting the youth from the Sinhalese thugs. The Muslim community offered shelter and resources until government refuge was established.
In Kandy, Tamil shops owned by Tamils were destroyed. Whereas shops rented by Tamils belonging to the Sinhalese were left untouched. Similarly, The Kandy Fire Brigade aided in seeing to that the fire did not spread to Sinhalese shops in Kandy.
A Tamil elderly retired teacher who owned a cigar shop was stoned to death with his body set on fire inside his shop which was located adjacent to the Dalada Maligawa which houses the Tooth Relic of the Budddha.
A Tamil youth was caught by thugs near the Dalada Maligawa, he was drenched in petrol and attempted to be utilized as a human torch. He jumped into the nearby lake where he was stoned to death according to witnesses. Another corpse was also found in the lake on July 28th, 1983.
Three bus loads of Upcountry Tamils were reported to be displaced arriving in Kandy fearing ongoing attacks, they were sent to camps for refuge.
The internal displacement of Tamils continued throughout the island. Another Survivor, Maria Arulanandam shared that following the visit by thugs to her home, they left for Jaffna via ship on July 31st, 1983.
“More than 200,00 children are now homeless in Sri Lanka.” reads the Save The Children donation notice in The Times UK. The mass state sanctioned violence rendered Tamils as Internally Displaced Persons.
“Some of the refugees wear bandages and plasters. 'We were beaten', they say simply. One man with a pad of gauze and plaster on his scalp was brought to me. He went to the hospital and they did this to him there”.
As many as 8,000 Sinhalese chased away the Tamil inhabitants of several villages and appropriated 3,000 tents sent by international relief agencies. Meanwhile, the army and police lent a hand: shooting one man dead and arresting up to 170 Tamils under the terms of the PTA.
The President waited five days into the violent pogrom to release a statement where he said that the attacks were “not a product of urban mobs but a mass movement of the generality of the Sinhalese people." This emboldened Sinhala mobs and reignited further violence. /end
