Nilaveli is located in the Kuchchaveli Assistant Government Agent Division in Trincomalee district. Nilaveli is 10 Kms from the Trincomalee town. Following the 1983 ethnic pogrom the Nilaveli refugee camp was
overflowing with people. On 16.09.1985, the Sri Lankan army and home guards armed by the military that were stationed in Nilaveli rounded up the Nilaveli refugee camp. They arrested 24 civilians at the refugee camp and shot them dead on the spot.
Available names of victims (name, occupation, age)
1. Murukesu Thankarasa, Farmer, 46
2. Kachchumukatheen Mukamathukalith, Business, 33
3. Velu Sivasuntharam, Business, 24
4. Velu Sithamparanathan, Business, 25
5. Sellaththampi Nirmalanathan, Business, 26
6. Somasuntharalinkam Arudkumaran, Business, 20
7. Anthonippillai Rajendiran, Business, 29
8. Seyyathupukari Apthurasak, Business, 32
9. Kanthaya Kanthasami, Driver, 28
10. Kanapaththippillai Sountharrajan, Driver, 28
11. Sellaththampi Ratnaraja Mechanic, 41
12. Nesathurai Rerans Mechanic, 19
13. Kathirkamaththambi Kanakasapai, Labourer, 39
14. Mukamad Kashim Mukamadrasik, Labourer
15. Thamotharampillai Neminathan, Student, 19
16. Vallipuram Tharmalingam, Student, 18
17. Tharmathas Uthayanesan, Fisherman, 19
18. Subramaniyam Kaliraja, Fisherman, 20
19. Selvavinayagam Jeyagoban, Fisherman, 26
20. Rasaiya Thurainayagam, Farmer, 36
21. Thamotharampilla, Sanmokathasan, Farmer, 24
22. Mamankam Ranjanesan, Farmer, 21
23. Apusalipu Apthulnaginar, Farmer, 28
24. Siththiravel Marimuththu, Watcher, 53
25. Sinthiravel Marimuththu, Watcher, 60
26. Sinkarajar Kilisras, -, 20
27. Sivabalan Kenkatharan, Clerk, 34
28. Ponnuththurai Parththeepan, Labourer, 27
29. Yokarasa, Labourer, 23
30. Ratnasami Barvathi, Home maker, 30