ALL OF JULY there have been problems Trincomalee in Eastern province. There have been attacks on Tamil speaking people by Sinhalese thugs egged on by the UNP and tolerated by the police and the army.
The army in particular has suffered a number of casualties in the North and Vavuniya and they have been bitter about restraints placed on them by the government. Some 100 soldiers had deserted because the officers had not permitted them to make indiscriminate retaliatory attacks on Tamil speaking people in the north.
The government is having a very bad response from aid donors. The International Monetary Fund insists that the government must devalue again and put right the yawning gap in the balance of payments. It is not possible for the government to impose import controls ecause that would undermine whole econome policy political line.
After much huffing and puffing the government devalues the Rupee again on 17 July. Immediately some prices go up and whole set of others are poised for price rises - fuel, transport, fares, food, The government seeks to divert the attention of the people from these problems by talking about the 'terrorist' menace. Announces that it would take decisive steps to stamp out terrorism whatever other parties may say or do in relation to the 'All-party Conterence called by the government to alscuss "terrorist' menace.
All the opposition parties including Mrs Bandaranaike's Freedom Party and the Tamil United Liberation Front refuse to particiate in the Conference (a) because it is only about terrorism and does not resolve the problems in the North and (b) according to the interview President J R Jayawardene giver.
Telegraph in London he would take whatever steps necessary other parties may do in relation to the Conference. In an interview in Rivirasa Mrs Bandaranaike of the SLFP stated that Mr Jayawardene wanted to obtain the approval (rubber stamp) for the actions the government wanted to impleThe Tamil United Liberation Front All the major newspapers have. various stories about 'terrorists' clamour for Eelam (separate state).
The first meeting of the 'All-party conference' is a flop. Only the UNP and Ceylon Workers government parties) attend.
meetings are postponed to 27 July and the government promises to enlarge the scope of the all-party conference.
SLFP still refuses to because the government is merely trying to use the SLFP to further their ends'.
Students resist UNP thugs in the Peradeniya campus. A mass movement of students stage protests and calls for the withdrawal of suspension notices students barred by the Chancellor etc. After a week of struggle and the taking of a hostage (Head of the Arts Faculty) by the students, the University authorities give in and sign an agreement with students.
On the following day the governthe students disprove the claims of the University and offer written documents in evidence to the newspapers and the government imposes a press censorship čn 19 July. Two days later the censorship is extended to cover all 'terrorist' incidents in the north.
The 1982 current account balance ai paymenis deñtit ian io some $490m and was attributed to sluggish exports == - 2: 3_2 - = 3:
Socialist Acron violence and show the way in which the police and the army openly sided with the pogrom. the THE ENTIRE POPULATION is supposed to be confined to their homes. Since 2pm yesterday (25 July) till 5am tomorrow (27 July) a curfew is in operation. Armed forces are on the streets. The whole country is tense.
Winds of racism demolished buildings and houses big and small. Arson and looting have become the order of the day. I can still see through the window of my home smoke reaching up to the sky hear now they are attacking the Hine deeds over the past two days.
their their the bus drove into ror, l saw large crowds of people running all over. The traffic was in disorder. I got off the bus and witnessed the of people were attacking Ambal Cafe (a iron rods and there were armed police started in Borella - (see other report).
I was an eye witness to many attacks Pettah, Main Street, Bankshall Street (the Bazaar area with shops owned mainly by the Tamil community). I was furious. Some things!
just could not bear to look at. I think I was the only person who did not symLanka Large numbers of people watching these atrocities gave them their passive support. Some people even joined the I was walking all over and
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decides to boycott the parliament or more precisely not to participate in it.
ment states that it will not honour it because it was obtained by duress. But
tions of the reign of racist terror that swept Sri Lanka.
The articles make it very clear that the government lies behind the listening to what people were saying -*If the government cannot solve this problem, let the people solve it'. slogans such as — 'Defend the Sinhala race'. It was a mood of mass hysteria. goods. Others were grabbing the goods from looters piled them on the streets on the streets and set them on fire. Soldiers in civilian clothes also actively have participated or rather initiated the atPettah was broken open and crackers were lit on the streets in celebration of the 'heroic' deeds. that I was the only mourner while the others were merry making. There were many armed units cordoning off the crowds from the racist attackers! They didn't do anything else.
Criminal acts bi In Silllala the fire. 2.00pm.
Looters jeeps were cheered by the crowds! And saw houses they were waving with smiles on their faces! Fort and Pettah were a red hot blaze (the main commercial centres of the capital about three square miles in allowed their homes.
The fire brigades arrived but they ela. Kandy, were turned away by both the armed personnel and the attackers. Maharaja Organisation (a large Tamil business were demolished and textiles the active looted (Main St. is a textile sales centre — the majority of traders being Tamil). 0I 1S01. Some of the loot was being put in taxis The police were mere onlookers! I saw a man holding a Sinhala national flag being carried on the shoulders of a group of persons and Buddhist monks encouraging LOUS. English speaking man; well dressed and carrying a briefcase caught a looter taking away some textiles and told him 'Shame on you! Don't take that loot away, put it in the fire, burn it!' And he put some items into I saw a Tamil burnt to death and left lying on the road and one other on the road by the Pettah Central Bus Stand hacked to death. Another a few yards away from him was dying. Two cars and a Hiace van were burnt before me. All this happened between 10.30am and 1.30pm on 25 July in Fort and Pettah and curfew was imposed only from As there was no transport, I began walking home from Fort. On my way I Kottahena and Hettiyawatte in flames. Thugs were stopp ing looters on the streets and demanding a share of the loot and only then Women, and old ree body was, them proceed. Men, carrying at least a packet of biscuits to Similar attacks have taken place in Mutuwal, Mattakkuliya, Wattala, JaWellawatte, Ratmalana and in areas all over the country. This time 1 am sure the race riots have escalated and spread to a much greater and worse extent than in 1958 with the passive support of the government and incitement of the armed forces and are even worse than the riots The police and the army have the authority to shoot looters after a warning but they don't shoot the looters.
They use their bullets to open gates and doors of Tamil shops and homes that cannot be opened by sticks or iron 66( Bangkok on an i enjoy a relaxing Isle of Sri Lanka Colombo Stopo And the one price accommodation, transfers to and f and meal discour there is a very large concentration Tamils and they have a tradition of b ing very violent. This was the only ar which was quiet. As I came to the Al mawatha Road people were gatheri outside their houses. Others - 1021 groups of youth were running in sear of their next target of attack
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