| Revision as of 15:02, 13 February 2007 editIwazaki (talk | contribs)1,814 edits Revert to revision 106917075 dated 2007-02-09 20:33:11 by Lahiru k using popups← Previous edit | Latest revision as of 20:37, 3 November 2024 edit undoGhostInTheMachine (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Page movers85,359 edits Changing short description from "killing of Muslim civilians by Sri Lankan Special Task Force" to "Killing of ten Muslim labourers in Sri Lanka"Tag: Shortdesc helper | ||
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| {{Short description|Killing of ten Muslim labourers in Sri Lanka}} | |||
| ⚫ | {{Sri Lankan |
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| {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} | |||
| '''Pottuvil massacre''' is disputed event in the ongoing ]. It happened on Monday, ] ], when 10 unarmed minority Muslim civilians who were engaged in the clearing of a reservoir at Rattal Kulam in Pottuvil in the southern part of the Ampara District in the Eastern Province. All the men were aged between 19-35 three of the men were decapitated and the others shot or hacked to death by the ].<ref>http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/sair/Archives/5_12.htm#assessment2</ref> | |||
| {{Infobox civilian attack | |||
| | title = Pottuvil massacre | |||
| | image = | |||
| | caption = | |||
| | map = {{Location map|Sri Lanka | |||
| |width = 300 | |||
| |float = right | |||
| |label = Pottuvil | |||
| |marksize = 8 | |||
| |lat_deg =6 | lat_min = 52 | |||
| |lon_deg = 81 | lon_min = 49 | |||
| }} | |||
| | map_caption = | |||
| | location = ], ] | |||
| | coordinates = | |||
| | target = ] civilians | |||
| | date = 17 September 2006 | |||
| | time = | |||
| | timezone = | |||
| | type = ] | |||
| | fatalities = 10 | |||
| | injuries = 1 | |||
| | perps = ] | |||
| | weapons = | |||
| }} | |||
| The '''Pottuvil Massacre''' was the killing of 10 ] labourers who had gone to repair the bund of Rattal Tank in Pottuvil in the southern part of the ] on 17 September 2006. The victims were all men aged between 18–35 whose bodies were found hacked to death the next morning. The massacre was widely believed to have been carried out by the ] (STF).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=7 November 2006 |title=The Choice between Anarchy and International Law with Monitoring |url=https://uthr.org/SpecialReports/spreport23.htm#_Toc174529736 |website=UTHR(J)}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=29 May 2007 |title=Sri Lanka’s Muslims: Caught in the Crossfire |url=https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/32062/134_sri_lanka_s_muslims_caught_in_the_crossfire.pdf |website=International Crisis Group |pages=20–21}}</ref> | |||
| Initially a ] report stated that some members of the community accused the ] of involvement in this incident.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5355088.stm</ref> | |||
| The local Muslim population staged protests demanding the removal of the STF(Special Task Force) Officer and they questioned how the ] could infiltrate into an area carrying swords kill 10 people and then leave without the STF spotting them and no encounter between the LTTE and the STF took place.<ref>http://www.themorningleader.lk/20060920/news.html</ref> Rauff Hakeem, the leader of the SLMC, initially wanted an international commission to probe the incident.<ref>http://www.themorningleader.lk/20060927/interviews.html</ref> | |||
| Although the ] blamed the ] (LTTE), members of the Muslim community accused the STF of involvement in the massacre.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5355088.stm |title=Sri Lankan civilians found dead |access-date=2006-09-18 |work=BBC | date=2006-09-18}}</ref> The local Muslim population staged protests demanding the removal of the STF officers. One of them stated:<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-09-21 |title=Muslims protest against police massacre in eastern Sri Lanka |url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2006/09/sril-s21.html |access-date=2024-02-24 |website=World Socialist Web Site |language=en}}</ref><blockquote>"Special Task Force troops killed these people. We don’t blame anyone else. The LTTE can’t come into this area. It is completely controlled by the STF. Without the STF’s knowledge, no one can come into this area."</blockquote>They also questioned how the LTTE could infiltrate into an area carrying swords, kill 10 people and then leave without the STF spotting them; with no encounter between the LTTE and the STF taking place.<ref name="themorningleader">{{cite web |url=http://www.themorningleader.lk/20060920/news.html |title=When will the war end? |access-date=2006-09-30 |work=The Morning Leader }}</ref> ], the leader of the ], requested an international commission to probe the incident.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.themorningleader.lk/20060927/interviews.html |title=‘Muttur must be a neutral zone’ |access-date=2006-09-30 |work=The Morning Leader }}</ref> | |||
| However the sole survivor of the attack, Kareem Meera Mohideen, recuperating from grave injuries, identified the rebels of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as the attackers. The LTTE tried its best, to wash its hands off the incident by blaming it on the STF.<ref>http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/sair/Archives/5_12.htm#assessment2</ref> | |||
| Amid these accusations, the government had acted irregularly. The ambulance transporting the only survivor was prevented by police from going to the hospital at a predominantly Muslim town called ]. The ambulance was redirected to a hospital at Sinhalese-dominated ]. The survivor was held incommunicado by armed guards at the ] and the ] were prevented from seeing him. Eyewitness also reported that the police destroyed crime scene evidence.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 June 2007 |title=Sri Lanka's Human Rights Crisis |url=https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/32576/135_sri_lanka_s_human_rights_crisis.pdf |website=International Crisis Group |page=17}}</ref> | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| * ] | |||
| The sole survivor of the attack, Meera Mohideen (60), identified the LTTE as the attackers in a videotaped testimony given from the hospital to Minister ]. However, doubts were raised about how the interview was conducted as the survivor was held incommunicado; and Athaullah was suspected to have been behind the fabricated statements that ] claimed it had received from several community organizations in the eastern province blaming the LTTE for the massacre. Mohideen was also said to have been unable to later recall giving the interview, suggesting that he had been put through a "propaganda exercise" while in an unstable state.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| The human rights group ] blamed the STF for the massacre.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 February 2008 |title=The Second Fascist Front in Sri Lanka – Towards Crushing the Minorities and Disenfranchising the Sinhalese |url=https://uthr.org/SpecialReports/spreport29.htm#_Toc191332115 |access-date= |website=UTHR(J)}}</ref> Muslims in the area had a troubled history with the Sasthiriveli STF camp; they accused its Chief Inspector S.N. Gunaratne of aiding the local Sinhalese community in land disputes and of threatening them the day before the massacre for seeking his transfer. Muslim eyewitness testimonies also indicate the involvement of the STF and Sinhalese elements in the abduction of the labourers.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
| The majority of ] residents remain convinced that the state is engaged in a cover-up.<ref name=":1" /> The Sri Lankan state forces themselves have a history of intimidating witnesses and forcing false statements.<ref>. (2014)</ref><ref>. (2019)</ref> | |||
| No independent or international commission to probe this incident has been carried out till date. | |||
| == References == | == References == | ||
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| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
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Latest revision as of 20:37, 3 November 2024
Killing of ten Muslim labourers in Sri Lanka
| Pottuvil massacre | |
|---|---|
  PottuvilPottuvil (Sri Lanka) | |
| Location | Pottuvil, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka |
| Date | 17 September 2006 |
| Target | Muslim civilians |
| Attack type | massacre |
| Deaths | 10 |
| Injured | 1 |
| Perpetrators | Special Task Force |
The Pottuvil Massacre was the killing of 10 Muslim labourers who had gone to repair the bund of Rattal Tank in Pottuvil in the southern part of the Ampara District on 17 September 2006. The victims were all men aged between 18–35 whose bodies were found hacked to death the next morning. The massacre was widely believed to have been carried out by the Special Task Force (STF).
Although the Sri Lankan government blamed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), members of the Muslim community accused the STF of involvement in the massacre. The local Muslim population staged protests demanding the removal of the STF officers. One of them stated:
"Special Task Force troops killed these people. We don’t blame anyone else. The LTTE can’t come into this area. It is completely controlled by the STF. Without the STF’s knowledge, no one can come into this area."
They also questioned how the LTTE could infiltrate into an area carrying swords, kill 10 people and then leave without the STF spotting them; with no encounter between the LTTE and the STF taking place. Rauff Hakeem, the leader of the SLMC, requested an international commission to probe the incident.
Amid these accusations, the government had acted irregularly. The ambulance transporting the only survivor was prevented by police from going to the hospital at a predominantly Muslim town called Kalmunai. The ambulance was redirected to a hospital at Sinhalese-dominated Ampara. The survivor was held incommunicado by armed guards at the Amparai Hospital and the SLMM were prevented from seeing him. Eyewitness also reported that the police destroyed crime scene evidence.
The sole survivor of the attack, Meera Mohideen (60), identified the LTTE as the attackers in a videotaped testimony given from the hospital to Minister A. L. M. Athaullah. However, doubts were raised about how the interview was conducted as the survivor was held incommunicado; and Athaullah was suspected to have been behind the fabricated statements that Defence Ministry claimed it had received from several community organizations in the eastern province blaming the LTTE for the massacre. Mohideen was also said to have been unable to later recall giving the interview, suggesting that he had been put through a "propaganda exercise" while in an unstable state.
The human rights group UTHR(J) blamed the STF for the massacre. Muslims in the area had a troubled history with the Sasthiriveli STF camp; they accused its Chief Inspector S.N. Gunaratne of aiding the local Sinhalese community in land disputes and of threatening them the day before the massacre for seeking his transfer. Muslim eyewitness testimonies also indicate the involvement of the STF and Sinhalese elements in the abduction of the labourers.
The majority of Pottuvil residents remain convinced that the state is engaged in a cover-up. The Sri Lankan state forces themselves have a history of intimidating witnesses and forcing false statements.
No independent or international commission to probe this incident has been carried out till date.
References
- ^ "The Choice between Anarchy and International Law with Monitoring". UTHR(J). 7 November 2006.
- ^ "Sri Lanka's Muslims: Caught in the Crossfire" (PDF). International Crisis Group. 29 May 2007. pp. 20–21.
- "Sri Lankan civilians found dead". BBC. 18 September 2006. Retrieved 18 September 2006.
- "Muslims protest against police massacre in eastern Sri Lanka". World Socialist Web Site. 21 September 2006. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
- "When will the war end?". The Morning Leader. Retrieved 30 September 2006.
- "'Muttur must be a neutral zone'". The Morning Leader. Retrieved 30 September 2006.
- "Sri Lanka's Human Rights Crisis" (PDF). International Crisis Group. 14 June 2007. p. 17.
- "The Second Fascist Front in Sri Lanka – Towards Crushing the Minorities and Disenfranchising the Sinhalese". UTHR(J). 21 February 2008.
- BBC News - Tamil doctor 'was pressured to recant war reports by Sri Lanka'. (2014)
- Human Rights Watch - Sri Lanka: No Justice for ‘Trinco 5’. (2019)
External links
Categories: