Trincomalee district has been the hotbed of violence against the Tamils since the 1980’s. The violence was used to gradually evict the Tamils from the district. This is clearly demonstrated by the demographic data collected by the Sri Lanka Government for the district over the years. On 12 April, another Trincomalee riots erupted following a grenade explosion targeting the Sri Lankan Army. Fifteen people of whom ten are Tamils were killed in the riots and a further fifty people were seriously injured. More than one hundred Tamils sustained less serious injuries and a lot of property belonging to Tamils was set alight. This is the worst violence against Tamils in Trincomalee since those that occurred in 1983. In the initial explosion one Sri Lankan soldier and five Sinhala civilians were killed.
Tamils witnessed three truck loads of Sinhala thugs being brought to the Trincomalee town even prior to this explosion. These thugs began robbing the business premises belonging to the Tamils and then set them alight. A huge smoke arose from the town as a result of the burning buildings. Soon attacks on Tamils started. Guns and machetes were used in these attacks. Many Tamils who were in town to do their shopping for the April new year were killed in this fashion.
There were many police, Navy and Army personnel who stood by and watched as the violence was perpetrated.
Available names of victims (name, age)
1. A.M.Sudubanda, 39
2. Antonyraj Geethanadani, 33
3. Chandra Mathiwus, 50
4. D.M.Kasun Samantha, 23
5. Kandasamy Thiraviam, 56
6. L.H.Ashanka Milan, 21
7. L.H.Susantha, 20
8. M.S.M.Rilvan, 36
9. M.Selvarajah, 44
10. Myoora Pedige Sivamani, 30
