Property of Canadian Tamil Congress Canada is home to more than 250,000 . Many of whom fled to Canada to seek asylum from the violence and persecution in their homeland. Though the Tamil-Canadian community has come to embrace Canada as its home, the tragic circumstances that led them to up-root their lives and families will painfully remain an unforgettable part of their history.

This booklet showcases the events that chronicled the turbulent history of the island from the political scene during British colonization through to the recurring episodes of discrimination.

i In 1976, the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) was a

t formed, which included organizations representing the t

o Indian Tamils, the Ceylon Tamils, the Tamil-speaking

k Muslims and the leaders of the Tamil United Front. At this u inaugural Convention held in Pannakam, the Vattukottai

t 1976

t Vattukottai Resolution Resolution was passed, declaring a reclamation of the a right of self-determination for the Tamil people. Shortly V

after a rally to announce the resolution, Amirthalingam, the e leader of the TULF and other members of the TULF were d arrested and charged with sedition. At the 1977 general n elections, the TULF contested on a platform of seeking a o i mandate from the Tamil people to establish an t

u independent sovereign state in Tamil and won an l

o overwhelming majority of Tamil seats, becoming the

s official opposition party. Shortly before the 1977 general é elections, more anti-Tamil riots broke out, causing r widespread death and injury to Tamils in Colombo. a

L Refugees from Colombo had to be taken by ship to the Tamil areas in the North East for their safety. this Convention resolves that restoration and reconstitution En 1976, la Libération Front des Unis Tamouls (LFUT) a of the Free, Sovereign, Secular, été formé et elle a compris les organisations qui 0 8 représentaient des Tamouls Indiens, les tamouls Ceylan, Socialist State of , n based on the right of self les Musulmans qui parlent le Tamoul et les chefs du Front o based on the right of self

i des Unis Tamouls. À cette inaugurale convention qui a lieu

t determination inherent to every en Pannakam, la résolution de Vattukottai a été passée u l nation, has become inevitable in déclarant la réclamation des droits de l'auto détermination o pour le peule Tamoul. Brièvement après la manifestation

s order to safeguard the very

e existence of the Tamil Nation in pour annoncer la résolution, le chef de LFUT

R Amirthalingam et d'autres membres de LFUT ont été

this country. i this country. arrêté et chargé avec sédition. Durant l'élection générale a

t de 1977, le LFUT a disputé sur une plate-forme de quêter

t un mandat du peuple Tamoul pour établir un état o souverain au Tamil Eelam et ils ont gagnées avec la k

u majorité des sièges Tamouls et il était effectivement t

t devenu le parti opposé officielle. Un peu avant les

a élections générales de 1977, plusieurs contre Tamouls

V émeutes ont cassé causant des meurtres étendues et des blessures à des Tamouls de Colombo. Les réfugiées de Colombo ont été prises par le bateau à des régions Tamoules dans les parties du Nord Est pour leur sécurité. I n c e n

On the night of June 1st, 1981, the Jaffna public d i library, housing 97,000 rare books and manuscripts, e was burned to the ground. That day all Tamils lost a 1981 d piece of themselves. This act of arson was carried e

out by two hundred officers of the Sri Lankan police l a

force, in the presence of Ministers Cyril Mathew and Gamini Dissanayake.. Rare old manuscripts written b i on palm leaves and stored in fragrant sandalwood b d l i

boxes, miniature editions of the Ramayana epic o e t from the children's section and yellowing collections J h

of extinct Tamil-language newspapers were among a è f the irreplaceable artifacts consumed in the blaze. q f n u a [Artwork by Nishani Vipul] e

La nuit du 1er Juin 1981, la bibliothèque publique de Jaffna qui contenait 97,000 livres et manuscrits 0 9 L rares, a été brûlée à la terre. Ce jour tous les B i u Tamouls ont perdu un morceau d'eux-mêmes. Cet b r r

acte d'incendie criminel a été effectuée par deux n a i cent agents de la police sri-lankaise, en présence r n y

des ministres Cyril Mathew et Gamini Dissanayake. g

Rare vieux manuscrits écrits sur des feuilles de o

palmier et conservés dans des boîtes de bois de f

santal parfumé, mini-éditions de l'épopée du J

Ramayana par les enfants de la section et le a f jaunissement des collections des journaux disparus f en langue tamoule ont été parmi les objets n irremplaçables consommés dans le brasier. a

(Œuvre d'art par Nishani Vipul) e The Welikade Prison Massacre is perhaps the most

d notorious incident that took place during the July 1983

a riots. On July 25, thirty-five Tamil political prisoners,

k most of them detained under the Prevention of Terrorism i

l July 1983 Act, were killed by Sinhalese prisoners with the e complicity of jail guards using spikes, clubs and iron rods. The bodies of the prisoners were heaped into a pile in the W

yard of the prison to appease the mob. A second

e massacre took place at the same prison a few days later.

d On July 27, an additional 18 Tamil prisoners were hacked to death when a mob of prisoners armed with weapons n broke into their cell. The survivors of this attack recall o using broken chairs and tables in the cell to keep the s

i crowd at bay for half an hour before any officials came to

r their aid. The surviving 36 Tamil prisoners were

p transferred to other prisons around Colombo. In total, 53 prisoners were massacred in the Welikade Prison. e L Le massacre de la prison de Welikade est l'incident le plus connu qui a eu lieu au cours des émeutes en Juillet 1 0 1983. Le 25 Juillet, trente-cinq prisonniers politiques tamouls, la plupart de ces détenus en vertu de la Loi sur

n la prévention du terrorisme, ont été tués par les

o Singhalais prisonniers avec la complicité des gardiens

s de prison, en utilisant des pointes, des clubs et des i barres de fer. Les corps des prisonniers ont été entassés r dans une pile dans la cour de la prison pour apaiser la P

populace. Un deuxième massacre a eu lieu à la même

e prison quelques jours plus tard. Le 27 Juillet, 18 autres

d prisonniers Tamouls ont été piratés à mort quand une

a foule de prisonniers armés avec des armes sont entrés

k par effraction dans leur cellule. Les survivants de cette i l attaque rappellent d'avoir utiliser chaises et des tables

e casées dans la cellule pour maintenir la foule à distance pendant une demi-heure avant que les fonctionnaires W sont venus à leur aide. Les 36 survivants prisonniers Tamouls ont été transférés dans d'autres établissements autour de Colombo. Au total, 53 prisonniers ont été massacrés dans la prison de Welikade. “More than any other previous ethnic riot, the 1983 l eruption showed organized mob violence at work. ' e

Gangs armed with weapons such as metal rods and n knives and carrying gasoline and, most intriguing of July 1983 g all, because it indicates prior intent and planning, e carrying voter lists and addresses of Tamil owners a L n and occupants of houses, shops, and other property, e c descended in waves to drive out Tamils, loot and s e

burn their property, and sometimes kill them in a

o bestial fashion. These gangs frequently had access r r to transportation they traveled in buses or were m g e dropped off at successive locations by the Colombo a s coastline trains.” n

i d s é - From Ethnic Fratricide and the e Dismantling of Democracy, by S. J. Tambiah, 1986. p.21.

Plus que toute autre précédente émeute ethnique, l'éruption de 1983 a montré l'engeance violant 1 1 O organisé au travail. Les gangs armés avec des W

armes telles que des tiges de métal et des couteaux r e et transportaient de l'essence et, plus intriguant de g a tous, car il indique l'intention et la planification a p préalable, portant les listes électorales et l'adresse n o i z

du propriétaires Tamoules et les occupants des n e

maisons, des magasins, et d'autres biens, est s d descendu dans les vagues pour chasser les

o M

Tamouls, piller et brûler leurs biens, et parfois de les f

t

tuer en mode bestial. Ces gangs ont souvent accès o h au transport - ils ont pris des autobus ou ils ont été b e déposés par les trains de Colombo à leur endroits. s

- Du Sri Lanka - Ethnique Fratricide et le démantèlement de la démocratie, par SJ Tambiah, 1986. p.21. t n

e Despite four days of intense violence direct at the

d Tamil population, it was not until the fifth day of the i

s riots, on July 28, that the Sri Lankan President, J.R.

é July 1983 Jayewardene addressed the nation. In his first public r address since the anti-Tamil pogroms started, rather P than promoting racial harmony, the President further u fanned the flames of anti-Tamil sentiments by stating d that anyone who advocated for separatism would é lose all their “civic rights”. At the same time, the u

q President also banned all political parties that i advocated for a separate state, including the Tamil n

u United Liberation Front (TULF), which was the official opposition party, although he did not mention m the TULF by name. The effect of this measure m stripped the Tamil people of 18 elected seats in o Parliament and virtually eliminated their political C 1 2 voice. Malgré quatre jours de violence directe et intense t ciblant la population Tamoul, ce n'était qu'au n

e cinquième jour des émeutes, le 28 Juillet, que le Président de Sri Lanka, J.R. Jayewardene, a m

e adressé son peuple. Dans son premier communiqué

t publique depuis le début des pogroms anti-Tamouls, a

t le Président a ajouté aux sentiments anti-Tamouls

S en déclarant que toute personne sympathisant avec

s la cause séparatiste perd ses droits civiques. En '

t même temps, le Président a aussi aboli tous les

n partis politiques qui plaidaient la cause séparatistes, e dont le Front Uni de Libération Tamoule (TULF), qui d i à ce temps représentait l'opposition officiel. Par s conséquence, le peuple Tamoul a été démuni de 18 e

r élus au Parlement ce qui a quasiment éliminé leur

P portée politique et leur place au gouvernement. Post Juillet 1983 Post July 1983 3 1

, a la in le du au the at and de faires Press liberté Lanka died Carter af with situe manière winners, comptait continue addition, plusieurs quand menacés Sri Pakistan. Reporters leur Monitoring se les In de movement, movement,

attempt attempt have have et de . qui concern over concern over de truce être Borders Jimmy l'implication Prize à last provenait dans civilians Lanka exercé Lanka par year Carter échouée Haut-Commissariat from the UN Human from the UN Human The Somalie Sri intensifié presse

disappearances disappearances a amil six Sri Without du T la

International, International, Peace avoir population, population, expression, expression, a . Pakistan. campagne majorité s'est États-Unis plus, Jimmy de of continuent paix Syrie, all expressed all expressed 1983. 1983. extrajudiciaire exclu amil pour and participation igres de libération de l'Eelam qui De civilian T de

une de des T préoccupés Nobel été civils Norway de Reporters have Amnesty Amnesty the since since liberté a grande cancelled cancelled et celui by armé tous Paix. la President the freedoms freedoms Somalia Internationale, atch la from from fairs. de une que on l'exécution W US amouls af tentative thousand thousand Lanka ans avec simplement l'homme, de included T conflit disent et bas escalated escalated Sri le Syria, dont de se l'ex-président Sri Lanka was excluded Sri Lanka was excluded Les tués negotiated negotiated that public majority majority government government Nobel Former Amnistie plus et exercising exercising l'échelle d'association than several countries in dans dernière 2008, atch, the for vast sur droits and Prix d'être in W utu, En 173 a La Eelam, T disparition mort drastically drastically Human Rights Human Rights du worse Norvège. of utu when la T aux pays personnes, la death campaign amil placement out civils. sont and Rights T 1983. of organismes which which a par mouvement, un 173 of participation participation civilians, civilians, possibilité placing dans 165 ended Unies de Desmond gagnants la Les involvement involvement sur and amoul,

à amouls 200,000 Desmond threat igers Human T depuis T conflict conflict T ranks Index, et négocié 165 deux de Council, de 200,000 200,000 the face process Frontières, Nations les ver lus armed armed Lanka font face amoul, P population drastique gouvernement a brisé sa trêve de six gouvernement a brisé sa trêve de six T et d'expression, publiques. Mission, gouvernement milliers des l'archevêque tous numéro Sans O the peace Liberation Liberation to association, association, Monitoring Mission Monitoring government government Rights extrajudicial executions. In 2008, extrajudicial executions. Archbishop Sri Freedom n Government Attacks on Civilians in Safe Zones r e

c “It is clear that hospitals, safety zones and civilian locales have been targeted and

n the number of casualties indicate blatant disregard for humanitarian law standards” o C

- Karen Parker , J.D., International Educational Development e

v “Civilians are scrambling for shelter in an area that is under heavy artillery fire, a including many children, wounded, and elderly who need urgent assistance. The r UN and concerned governments should press Sri Lanka to take all necessary steps G to spare civilians from harm.” f o - Human Rights Watch s

e "People are being caught in the crossfire, hospitals and ambulances have been hit u by shelling and several aid workers have been injured while evacuating the s

s wounded. The violence is preventing the International Committee of the Red Cross I

(ICRC) from operating in the region” n o

- ICRC

s Blocking Aid to Tamils e c i “[Tamils] face severe shortages of food and other essentials because of o government restrictions on humanitarian assistance.” V

l - Human Rights Watch a

n "Aid agencies provided a lifeline to tens of thousands of trapped civilians. If aid o i workers are pulled out of the region, food, shelter and sanitation supplies have t

a even less chance of reaching civilians most in need.” n

r - Amnesty International e

t “Government censorship and restrictions on access to the north not only kept the

n public uninformed, but also made the process of providing humanitarian assistance I to the victims of war more difficult and may have concealed violations of humanitarian and human rights law.” 1 4 - UN High Commissioner for Refugees International Voices on Issues of Grave Concern 5 1

atch Asia fna, the displaced are fna, the displaced Amnesty International Amnesty International - - Human Rights W Agence France-Presse - - There is also a continued There is - Committee to Protect Journalists avuniya and Jaf avuniya and - European Parliament Delegation on Relations with South on Relations Parliament Delegation - European .” - Coalition of International Press Freedom and Human Rights Organizations - Coalition of International Press Freedom "I have never seen anything like it. Even in Iraq under Saddam Hussein, foreign journalists "I have never seen anything like it. Even had more freedom of movement” “The Government of Sri Lanka has conducted a cynical campaign to prevent all of Sri Lanka has conducted a cynical “The Government and the plight of civilians coverage of its military operations independent public caught up in the war and security personnel have made “Senior members of Sri Lanka's Government journalists as traitors, implicitly allowing for inflammatory comments condemning and media institutions.” incitement of violence against journalists in Sri Lanka since 1992, and three journalists “Sixteen journalists have been killed charges” were imprisoned, including one on terrorism “These are not welfare camps, they are prisoner-of-war cum concentration camps.” concentration cum prisoner-of-war they are camps, welfare are not “These when they enter further ordeals lives and flee face that risk their "Those people V […]In camps in areas. government-controlled to leave. not being allowed facto detention, held in de further risk. “ the civilians at camps which puts inside the military presence as 14” custody concern children as young “Reports of rape in Media Censorship on Conflict Media Censorship Abuse in Government Refugee Camps Refugee in Government Abuse 6 1 International Voices on Issues of Grave Concern Abductions andExtrajudicialKillings Torture andRape as partofaplanapproved bythehighestpoliticalauthorities.” “[Local commissions]have furtherconcludedthatdisappearanceswerecarried out Sri LankarankssecondonlytoIraqinthenumberof "disappearances" ofpeople forces.” documented formanyyearsisafundamentalmilitarytacticoftheSriLankan investigated promptlyandimpartiallybytheStateparty's competentauthorities.” well asdisappearances,mainlycommittedbytheState's policeforces[…]arenot “Continued welldocumentallegationsofwidespread torture andilltreatmentas "T “The consistentpolicyofrapeandviolenceagainst and oftenwithimpunity “Sri Lankansoldiershaverapedbothwomenandyounggirlsonamassivescale, and theirfamilies.” orture iswidelypracticedinSriLanka" “Many ofthekillings anddisappearances, particularlyaroundColombo andJaf have occurred inhighsecurityzoneswith heavy militarypresence;in Jaf cases, the involvement orcomplicity ofsecurityforces seemsunavoidable.” of theseviolations haveoccurredduringmilitary-imposed curfewtimes. Insuch - UNWorkingGrouponEnforcedorInvoluntaryDisappearances , sincereportingoftenleadstoreprisalsagainstthevictims

- UnitedNationsHumanRights,CommitteeagainstT - ManfredNowak:U.N.SpecialRapporteuronT - Asian Forum forHuman Rights and Development - Asian LegalResourceCentre, Feb2000 - InternationalEducationalDevelopment - WorldOrganisationagainstT T amil womenthatwehave fna, many orture orture orture fna, Policy Recommendations 7 1

amil T fected areas the Sri Lankan government towards a peaceful the Sri Lankan government amil population the Sri Lankan government's repeated violations of violations repeated government's Sri Lankan the T the call to appoint a UN Special Envoy for Sri Lanka to the call to appoint a UN Special Envoy the Sri Lankan government to allow humanitarian aid to to allow humanitarian aid the Sri Lankan government economic and diplomatic sanctions against the Sri Lankan economic and diplomatic sanctions argeting civilian populations with aerial bombardment civilian populations argeting the Sri Lankan government to immediately cease hostilities to immediately cease hostilities the Sri Lankan government T Cut direct foreign aid to the Sri Lankan government Cut direct foreign aid to the Sri Lankan

Blocking humanitarian aid from reaching civilians humanitarian aid Blocking conflict areas from accessing international media Preventing freedom local media Suppressing m m m m m amils in Sri Lanka minority including: SUPPORT abuses and assist the peace monitor and guard against human rights US State Department and process, as recommended by the UN, other international actors IMPOSE violations against the government for gross human rights resolution to the conflict through internationally supported peace through internationally supported resolution to the conflict of and respect the political autonomy negotiations that recognize T ENCOURAGE CONDEMN international humanitarian law and human rights violations including: law and human rights humanitarian international reach civilians in the conflict zones and allow international aid workers conflict zones and allow international reach civilians in the to af unimpeded access URGE against the IMPLORE amil Canadians urge the Canadian Government to: Government Canadian the urge Canadians amil T Understanding Sri Lanka’s War Comprendre la Guerre du Sri Lanka

Canadian Tamil Congress 31 Progress Avenue, Suite 202 Toronto, ON M1P 4S6 (416) 240-0078 www.canadiantamilcongress.ca