Riots in Sri Lanka
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Location of Sri Lanka
Following is a List of riots in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is an island nation situated in South Asia. It has experienced ethnic tensions between its majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils and Moors populations since 1915 from time to time.[1]
Contents
20th century[edit]
1900–1950[edit]
- 1915 - 1915 Ceylonese riots, Kandy, Central Province - Riots between Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Moors when a group of Moors attacked a Buddhist pageant with stones, soon spreading across the island.
1950s[edit]
- 1953 - 1953 Ceylonese Hartal, Western, Southern and Sabaragamuwa Provinces - a nationwide demonstration, a hartal which eventually led to civil unrest.
- 1956 - 1956 Ceylonese riots, Eastern Province - The first reported ethnic riots that targeted minority Sri Lankan Tamils in Gal Oya, a new settlement in the Eastern Province. The total number of deaths is reportedly 150.[2]
- 1958 - 1958 Ceylonese riots, Sri Lanka - 1958 ethnic riots popularly known also as the 58 riots was a watershed event in the race relationship of the various ethnic communities of Sri Lanka. The total number of deaths is estimated to be 300, mostly Sri Lankan Tamils.[2]
1970s[edit]
- 1977 - 1977 Sri Lankan riots, Sri Lanka - Anti-Tamil riots starting on the 12 August 1977, less than a month after the United National Party came to power in 1977. Over 300 Tamils were killed during these riots.[3]
1980s[edit]
- 1981 - Burning of Jaffna library, Jaffna, Northern Province - The destruction of the Jaffna Public Library, with the loss of over 100,000 books, artifacts and palm writings. Four Sri Lankan Tamils were killed.[4]
- 1983 - Black July, Sri Lanka - Ethnic riots Sri Lankan Tamils and Sinhalese where between 400 and 3,000 Sri Lankan Tamil civilians were killed and many more made homeless and refugees.[5]
1990s[edit]
- 1997 - Kalutara prison riots, Kalutara Western Province - Three Tamil detainees were massacred at the Kalutara high security detention center on 12 December 1997.[6][7][8][9]
21st century[edit]
2000s[edit]
- 2001 - Mawanella Riots, Mawanella, Central Province - Clashes that resulted in the deaths of 2 people and left more than 15 injured and destruction property.
- 2002 - Beruwala riots, Beruwala, Western Province - In 2002, sectarian clashes sparked between the Wahabbi and the Sunni sects of the Muslim community in Beruwala which left at least 3 dead and over 16 injured during police intervention in the conflict.[10][11]
2010s[edit]
- 2012 - 2012 Welikada prison riot, Welikada, Western Province - A riot in the Welikada Prison in November 2012 resulted in death of 27 prisoners and 43 injuries.[12][13][14]
- 2014 - 2014 anti-Muslim riots, Kalutara Western Province - Clashes between Sinhalese and Moors resulting in four dead and 80 injured.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Chattopadhyaya, H. Ethnic Unrest in Modern Sri Lanka: An Account of Tamil-Sinhalese Race Relations, pp. 51-82
- ^ a b "An evolving army and its role through time". Sunday Times. 2005-10-16. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
The outbreak of island wide ethnic violence from May 24–27, 1958, saw for the first time the deployment of military personnel under emergency proclamations throughout the entire island, where Colombo and the North and East of the country witnessed the worst violence leading to over 300 deaths.
- ^ Kearney, R.N. (1985). "Ethnic Conflict and the Tamil Separatist Movement in Sri Lanka". Asian Survey 25 (9): 898–917. doi:10.1525/as.1985.25.9.01p0303g. JSTOR 2644418.
- ^ Over two decades after the burning down of the Jaffna library in Sri Lanka
- ^ Harrison, Frances (23 July 2003). "Twenty years on – riots that led to war". BBC News. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
- ^ "ASA 37/30/97 Sri Lanka: Appeal for a full inquiry into prison killings". Amnesty International. 15 December 1997.
- ^ "Sri Lanka: Killing of Political Prisoners in Kalutara Prison". Asian Human Rights Commission. 23 December 1997.
- ^ "Chronology for Sri Lankan Tamils in Sri Lanka". United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees/Minorities at Risk Project. 2004.
- ^ "Three Tamil prisoners killed by Sinhala inmates". TamilNet. 12 December 1997.
- ^ http://www.sundaytimes.lk/morepics_1.html
- ^ http://www.island.lk/2002/04/07/news09.html
- ^ Jayakody, Pradeep (21 November 2012). "Welikada Prison Riot". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka).
- ^ "Sri Lanka troops accused of prison 'massacre'". Al Jazeera. 11 November 2012.
- ^ "Probe sought in Sri Lankan prison 'massacre'". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Associated Press. 11 November 2012.
Further reading[edit]
- Vittachi, Tarzie (1958). Emergency '58: The Story of the Ceylon Race Riots. Andre Deutsch. OCLC 2054641.
- Seneratne, Jagath P (1998). Political Violence in Sri Lanka, 1977-1990: Riots, Insurrections, Counter-Insurgencies, Foreign Intervention. VU University Press. ISBN 90-5383-524-5.
