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| Relatives and villagers engaging in renovating the memorial statue of the massacre located in the Sathrukondan village, Batticaloa today. Pix by: Northeastern Monitor |
As relatives of victims and villages of Sathrukondan village in Batticaloa were engaged in renovating the memorial statue to mark the massacre's 34th anniversary which falls today, police forcefully removed a memorial plaque and prevented the renovation of the memorial monument.
A tense situation erupted when police tried to remove the names of the victims and a memorial plaque which reads: "1990.09.09. We remember the massacre of 186 innocent civilians brutally killed by the Sri Lankan Armed Force, Muslim Armed Gangs, and Paramilitary groups who worked with the Sri Lankan Soldiers." written in three languages.
Police raised objections regarding the plaque and demanded that relevant wording " killed by the Sri Lankan Armed Force, Muslim Armed Gangs, and paramilitary groups," cannot be included in the plaque and removed it forcefully.
Along with relatives of victims, villagers and civil society, activists explained to the police that past testimonies heard before a Presidential Commission of Inquiry headed by retired Justice K. Balakidnar in 1995 over the massacre revealed the roles played by Muslim armed gangs and para-military forces which worked closely with security forces.
On September 9, 1990, 186 Tamil civilians including five children less than one-year-old, 42 children under ten, and nine pregnant mothers from three villages Sathurukondan (38), Pillaiyaradi (62) and Kokuvil (47) were massacred by security forces in Batticaloa, East.
Despite PCoI hearing evidence and testimonies of survivors and witnesses which resulted in the Commission’s recommendation for prosecution of perpetrators, no one was held accountable.
Villagers questioned the police why they could not mention the perpetrators of the crime when a Presidential CoI probed and determined the culprits based on the testimonies provided by survivors and relatives of the massacre victims.
However, police forcefully removed the plaque and took seven individuals including civil society activists who were at the scene into the police jeep. They were released after recording statements. Following the incident, more police and army personnel were deployed at the memorial. (Theva Athiran/ Northeastern Monitor/ September 9/2024)
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