"The
LTTE condemns the brutal slaying innocent Tamil civilians by the Sri Lankan armed forces
on the 12th of June 1991, as a crime against humanity. massacre took place in the villages
of Kokaddicholai, Mahiladai Teevu and Muthalai Kuddah in the Batticaloa District.
Nearly 450 houses were looted and burnt. Some were burnt alive by the rampaging armed
forces of the Sri Lankan Government. Many were barbarously clubbed and hacked to death.
The innocent victims of this murderous attack included several women and young
children. Several women were raped. These villagers in the District of Batticaloa were
murdered on the 12th of June for no reason other than that they were Tamils. Under the
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, acts of murder
committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or
religious group as such are considered as acts of genocide. The Sri Lankan armed forces
stand charged with having committed the crime of genocide on the 12th of June 1991.
-
Press Release of the International Secretariat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, 16
June 1991
An eye witness account...
Makiladitivu and Muthalaikuda are two villages in the Paddipalai A.G.A's
divisions in the Batticaloa district. The inhabitants are all Tamils who are mostly
farmers. These villages are endowed with rich and fertile soil and in addition have
irrigation tanks that provides them with good water for their fields. They are peace
loving people who take great pride in their Tamil language and Tamil culture. The Sinhala
government systematically colonised one side of this area with Sinhalese people in order
to change the pattern of the lives of the Tamils living in this area.
On 12th June, 1991 at 11.00 a.m., the Sri Lankan army stationed in the
Kokaddichcholai
camp situated in the adjoining village, entered these two villages, terrorised
and assaulted all the Tamil people, raped the women , including teachers and students who
had taken refuge in the village school. 17 families who had taken refuge in the
school were shot and killed. In one incident, a young girl who took protection
with an old lady teacher was dragged by these sex hungry soldiers and raped in spite of
the old lady offering them instead all the jewellery the girl had. They took the jewellery
and raped the girl as well.
49 people who had taken refuge in a rice mill at Makiladitivu
were burnt alive along with the rice mill.
About 200 people including old men , women and children have been
admitted to hospitals for treatment for injuries caused during these assaults. These
people will be refugees in their own land when they leave the hospitals as all their homes
and belongings have been destroyed. During these assaults 82 Tamils were killed - many
others have disappeared and unaccounted for.
It may be remembered that on the 28 January,1987, the government Special
Task Force created by the Mosad entered these villages and burnt many houses along with
the belongings. They also terrorised the villagers who had to take shelter in neighbouring
villages.
(see also University
Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna Branch) - Report No.7 - 8 May 1991)
