What Happened
On February 11, 1996, soldiers from the 58th Mile Post and Dehiwatte army camps, accompanied by Home Guards, attacked Kumarapuram village in retaliation for an LTTE attack that killed 2 soldiers nearby. 26 civilians were killed including 13 women and 7 children under 12. Arumaithurai Thanalaxmi (16) was gang-raped before being shot dead - Corporal Kumara confessed to shooting her. In 2002, 6 soldiers were indicted on 101 charges each. In 2004, key evidence was 'destroyed' when the Government Analyst office burned. In July 2016, an all-Sinhalese jury acquitted all 6 accused soldiers.
Perpetrators
Sri Lankan Army (58th Mile Post and Dehiwatte camps) and Home Guards
Sources & References
- NESOHR - Lest We Forget Volume I
- Amnesty International
- PEARL Action Report 2017