D.B.S. Jeyaraj reports from Sri Lanka on a fresh round of violence that has affected the Trincomalee area.

Thirukkonamalai or Trincomalee saw large scale violence being unleashed against Tamils following a series of claymore mine explosions directed against security personnel deployed in the district. While the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam organization was suspected of being responsible for the claymore attacks, members of the armed forces and Police along with gangs of Sinhala speaking hoodlums were behind the systematic assault on Tamil lives and property.

The anti - Tamil violence was gradually brought under control due to firm action by President Mahinda Rajapakse following a telephonic message by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who urged the Sri Lankan head of state to ensure the security and safety of Trincomalee Tamil civilians. According to preliminary reports at least 16 people had been killed and 64 injured in the latest round of Trincomalee violence.

With district state machinery in total disarray and members of the public in a state of panic gathering exact information about the happenings in Trincomalee posed much difficulty for journalists seeking truth .It was however possible to piece together a cohesive picture of what had happened there from details provided by officials and residents who requested anonymity for obvious reasons. This report compiled within a short time under difficult conditions is based on preliminary information and is subject to change if and when further details are available.

With Sinhala and Tamil new year being around the corner Trincomalee town was buzzing with activity as people went about their festive shopping on the 12th of April. Though the district had seen much violence over the past few days the historic coastal town with a Tamil majority seemed quite normal due perhaps to approaching “Aluth Avuruddhu” and “Puthu Varusham”.

The previous day had seen a claymore mine attack on a navy vehicle at Kanthalai killing 12 persons. On the 12th morning another claymore attack on a Police vehicle at Kumburupiddy near the Vipulananda housing scheme had killed two Policemen. Additional security personnel were deployed in Trinco district and town on account of the attacks .Despite additional security personnel and Police being stationed in the town because of increased violence ordinary people went about their business without much bother.

An explosion shattered the calm at about 3. 45 pm in the vegetable market dominated mainly by Sinhala vendors. A group of Army and Navy personnel seemed the target. Initially it was thought that a grenade had been thrown but later it was discovered that a bomb parcel attached to a bicycle had been triggered off by a remote device. Naturally the tigers were suspected of being responsible for this and the previous attacks too.

The explosion saw about five persons getting killed and another eight being injured. Among those killed were a Sinhala soldier and a Sinhala woman. Among those injured were two navy sailors of whom one succumbed to his wounds later.

Some army and navy personnel then began opening fire at random. Many civilians were injured and a few killed. It is reported about five were killed and over twenty injured in this melee.

People began scattering from the area and the town began shutting down. Within ten minutes of the market attack a group of unidentified men believed to be naval personnel in civilians threw three grenades at Tamil shops in the town. According to residents the grenades exploded within a ten minute period roughly between 4.00 pm and 4. 10 pm. One of the grenades exploded in a provision shop and killed and injured about five to eight Tamil people there.

With these attacks most Tamil businesses began putting up shutters and ordinary civilians consisting of Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims began fleeing to their homes. The town was fast becoming deserted except for Army, Navy and Police personnel.

Around 4. 15 pm saw trucks trundling in to the heart of Trincomalee town. Gangs of Sinhala speaking youngsters got out brandishing weapons like swords, clubs, knives, rods etc. They were all in civilians. These hoodlums then went on the rampage. Though some media reports refer to enraged people engaging in spontaneous violence all evidence points to a well - planned assault by gangs of hoodlums.

There is also no evidence of communal clashes as mentioned in some quarters. The armed assailants were Sinhala speaking while the unarmed victims were Tamil speaking. There were no riots as alleged by some. It was essentially one sided with the Sinhala gangs going on the rampage while the predominantly Sinhala army, navy and Police simply watched or in some instances assisted the marauders.

The gangs themselves consisted of disparate elements according to some residents. Some were security personnel in civilians. Some were Sinhala homeguards. Some were activists and supporters of the Jathika Vimukthi Peramuna and Jathika Hela Urumaya in the district. Some were members of a Sinhala supremacist organization.Some were criminal elements from the market area and coastal settlements.

The violence unleashed was of two kinds. In one type the gangs began scouring the streets of Trincomalee for Tamils. Whenever they got hold of one the gangs began assaulting the victim mercilessly. They also wrecked any Tamil owned vehicle they got hold of If some sections were engaged in crimes of passion others were involved in crimes of profit.

With Tamils abandoning businesses and fleeing for safety after the three grenade attacks these elements began targeting those enterprises. Gangs began systematically looting and stripping these shops of their merchandise. The “spoils of war” were then loaded into trucks and lorries and taken away. While at least one vehicle was seen going into the dockyard naval camp other vehicles were taken to Sinhala residential areas in suburban Trincomalee.

Once the business places were looted the gangs began setting them on fire. Though Tamil shops were the only targets at least two Sinhala owned places including a bakery were also caught up in the spreading fire. It is said that the bakery caught fire when a Tamil owned pajeiro inter - cooler was set on fire in front of the premises. It is estimated that around 25 shops and a few houses were ablaze by dusk.

Unconfirmed reports said that a few Muslim shops were also looted and burnt. Some Muslims too were attacked the unconfirmed reports allege.

While all this was going on the Police and security personnel simply watched and waited. Some navy men were seen actively involved in the lawlessness. Security personnel also chased away Tamils or encouraged them to flee from the area saying “we will look after your property. We will bring them under control”.

The violence was initially in places like main street, clocktower road, central road and north coast road. Soon it began spreading to areas like Linga nagar, Orrs hill, Anbuvalipuram etc. Gangs also began stopping vehicles at Abhayapura and Anuradhapura road junctions and beat up Tamils. A fuel outlet run by the Indian Oil Corporation was also reportedly torched and employees attacked.

According to unconfirmed reports two Tamils on a motor cycle were killed and burnt near the Anuradhapura road junction. Another Tamil was hacked to death in Linganagar according to another report.

The people in Tamil areas like tenth ward, Linganagar, Orrs hill, Pallanthottam, Thirukadaloor, Veeranagar, Bharathypuram, Selvanayagapuram, Anbuvalipuram, Paalaiootru etc were in a state of panic and prepared to evacuate from their homes in anticipation of anti - Tamil violence. Tamils in Trincomalee town were huddled up in their homes ready to flee at the first sign of danger. Some had fled the town to other places in the district. Many sought refuge in places of worship and public places during night.

There were three related reasons for Tamil fears and anxiety. Firstly they had seen anti - Tamil violence underway and feared the worst. Secondly they had heard threats from the Sinhala gangs about “cleansing” (Suddha koranda) Trincomalee of Tamils permanently. Thirdly they knew the security personnel would not protect them and may even participate in the violence.

The Sinhala - speaking violent elements were now gathering in full force in Trinco town and suburban junction areas. Liquour and Kassippu were being consumed. The plan seemed to be that of launching a systematic anti - Tamil campaign at night. Many rogue elements among security personnel were expected to join the mobs by night.

The idea was to attack and drive the Tamils away from Trincomalee town and suburban areas. The plan was to disperse Tamils from Trinco and herd them in refugee camps elsewhere. Trinco was to be “ethnically cleansed “. It was widely suspected that several “higher ups” were supportive of this plot. The armed forces and Police in Trincomalee were at worst to participate actively in this campaign and at best look on as spectators.

The newly elected Trincomalee urban council chairman Gowrimuhunthan and Tamil National list Parliamentarian Thurairatnasingham were also bottled up in their residences but kept track of what was happening through other residents.

Thurairatnasingham first informed President Rajapakse’ s coordinating secretary of the situation but no remedial action was taken. He along with other TNA parliamentarians in Colombo alerted Police and defence authorities but there was no improvement in the situation.

The new Swedish Monitoring mission chief Maj - Gen (Retd) Ulf Hendricsson was in Trincomalee at the Naval eastern command headquarters when the violence began. The monitors were also informed of the situation by Tamil civilians. The ordinary people rely heavily on the SLMM and entreated them to visit the violence afflicted areas. But the monitors said that function was not part of their mandate and that the monitors’ lives could not be endangered.

With talk of an ethnic cleansing campaign at night circulating in Trinco the Tamils were frantic with fear. Their hope in the SLMM was shattered. It was at this point that the Trinco Tamils turned to India. In spite of the pro - tiger elements criticising India at every turn and accusing their intelligence agency of being behind every bush in the North - East, the helpless Tamils had no other resort than to appeal to India at a time of desperate need.

Thurairatnasingham was able to contact deputy high commissioner Manickam and appraise him of the situation. Other Tamil MP’s in Colombo also appealed to their High Commission friends. Though it was past normal office hours the Indian diplomats worked swiftly. New Delhi was urgently alerted.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh got on to the telephone and commenced a one to one dialogue with President Rajapakse. Singh expressed concern over the recent landmine attacks on services personnel and commended the Government for its restraint. He urged that the situation be defused through dialogue and expressed hope that the Geneva talks will be held as scheduled. He also conveyed his sympathies to the dead soldier families.

Premier Singh however cautioned Rajapakse that whatever the provocation by the LTTE the civilian community should not be harmed. He urged that the Police and security forces should protect all civilians regardless of race or religion. He told Rajapakse that the reports he was getting suggested that Tamil civilians were being victimised in Trincomalee. He “requested” Rajapakse to take special care to protect them and not let the situation deteriorate.

Singh also reminded Rajapakse of India’s strategic interests in the Region particularly the Oil tank farm leased out to India. He promised all assistance if required to quell the troubles in Trinco.

The “pragmatic” Rajapakse got the message. Orders were sent out to Trinco that the violence should be brought under control immediately. Rajapakse also despatched Investment promotion minister Rohitha Bogollagama, North Central chief minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake, Former Naval chief and current joint operations command head Daya Sandagiri and IGP Chandra Fernando to Trinco with explicit instructions that the situation be rectified and civilians protected.

Things began to move. For the first time a Police curfew was declared in Trinco.Security personnel in Trincomalee were reluctantly perhaps compelled to control the situation. Still none of the mob members were fired upon or arrested. But shots were fired in the air intermittently to disperse the violent elements.

Slowly and steadily the hoodlums were dissuaded from their ethnic cleansing project and sent away from the town. Though tensions remained the situation was brought under control. Thanks mainly to India, the security of Tamil civilians was safeguarded and the ethnic cleansing calamity averted.

Singh’s telephone call to Rajapakse reminded political observers of the 1983 situation where former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi telephoned JR Jayewardene personally and sent foreign minister Narasimha Rao to Sri Lanka. The Lankan Govt began taking steps to quell the 1983 July violence only after India stepped in.

Manmohan Singh however deserves praise for acting quickly to help preempt the escalation of anti - Tamil violence in Trincomalee. Indian diplomats in Colombo who acted promptly too are to be commended for their speed and concern.

Meanwhile Trincomalee town was in darkness as electricity board and urban council employees were at home in fear. Many Tamils were stranded in different places and family members worried for their safety not knowing their whereabouts. At the time of this article being written the death toll in the latest round had reached 16. Around 65 people were injured. Of these a few cases were serious. The victims of this violent spree were Sinhalese, Tamils and a few Muslims. Around 15 to 20 vehicles were destroyed or badly damaged.

The situation in Trinco had become tense after attacks were launched against the LTTE by paramilitaries. It is reported that about 20 Karuna faction men are staying at the EPDP office in Trinco. The assassination of Trincomalee Peoples forum president Vannitasingham Vigneswaran in a high security area on April 7th is attributed to paramilitary elements backed by the security forces. The LTTE has also complained of navy attacks on them.

Despite denials by the LTTE it is widely believed that the tigers chose to retaliate by launching attacks on the security forces and Police. On April 11th a landmine attack on a Navy truck in Kanthalai saw 12 men being killed. On April 12th morning a claymore mine attached to a tree at Kumburupiddy on the Pulmoddai road hit a police truck. Two cops were killed and two injured. Then there was the vegetable market claymore mine killing a soldier and sailor in addition to civilians.

It is suspected that a plot was hatched to teach a lesson to the Tamils and tigers by launching a reprisal attack on Tamil civilians if and when the tigers struck again. The moment came when the cycle claymore exploded. Since preparations had already been made a swift attack commenced. A combination of security personnel, homeguards, political activists and criminal elements was involved in the violence.

This was no spontaneous outburst but a pre- meditated operation. The timing was decided indirectly by the LTTE. The situation may have worsened into an “ethnic cleansing” campaign but for President Rajapakse who in turn was influenced to do the right thing by Premier Manmohan Singh.

The Tamil civilians of Trincomalee are living amidst great danger. The LTTE bombastic rhetoric and irresponsible attacks only exacerbate the danger. Sadly for Tamils their self - imposed sole representatives provoke the security personnel into retaliatory violence. But the self - described protectors are nowhere to be seen when ordinary people are victimised.

At the height of the Trincomalee violence the LTTE district Political Commissar Elilan was interviewed by the Canadian Tamil Radio (CTR). Elilan was asked about the steps taken by the tigers to protect the Tamil people. “This is in Government controlled areas. We cannot do anything” he replied.

This then is the sad situation. The LTTE can infiltrate Government areas to attack the armed forces but will not or cannot do anything to protect the helpless Tamil civilians facing violent reprisals. Why attack then and let the helpless civilian face the wrath of the Sinhala elements?

Likewise the state and its security forces along with the Sinhala hardliners have still not learnt their lesson. Unable to get back at the LTTE the Tamil civilian is being unfairly targeted. The Rajapakse regime must realise that civilians must be protected at all times and that a state must keep its security forces under control.

Meanwhile The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in a communique strongly condemned the violence that erupted in Trincomalee town yesterday and called on the government and the LTTE to use their influence to calm down the different communities to avoid any further escalation of violence.

“The level of violence that erupted in Trincomalee today reflects the worsening situation in the entire country which primarily stems from the mistrust which currently prevails between the two parties”, the communique said.

“Several serious attacks on Government soldiers have taken place over the last few days and this morning two policemen were killed in a claymore mine explosion north of Trincomalee.

At this stage the LTTE denies any involvement but SLMM head Major General Ulf Henricsson, who was visiting Trincomalee yesterday, hopes to meet LTTE political wing head S.P. Tamilselvan, today to discuss the attacks and the current situation prevailing in the area. There is a real danger of the violence that erupted yesterday spreading throughout the country resulting in more innocent people dying if the two parties do not act quickly to bring the situation under control”, the communique said.

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