What Happened
Mannar is one of the eight districts of the Northeast province. The main occupation of the Mannar people is fishing.
On 4 December 1984, the military arrested a young man from Isaimalaithivu and were taking him to their camp when the military vehicle came under a landmine attack. There were no serious damages. The military went to its Thalladi camp and started to shell civilian areas.
The military burnt 15 men alive who were previously arrested. The military also arrested 30 more people who were traveling on the road in front of their camp and burnt them alive as well. People in the Mannar town were able to observe the smoke arising from the 45 burning bodies.
On the same day, the military from Thallady and Silawaththai camps rounded up several residential areas. All along they attacked and burnt homes and offices and shot and killed people. Employees of the Chemmanthivu Cooperative Society and the employees of the Murunkan post office were killed.
The military stopped a bus full of passengers, ordered everyone to get off the bus, and all the passengers and the driver were shot dead. Two days after, the Bishop of Mannar and the Government Agent collected 90 bodies and took them to the Mannar hospital. More than 200 people were killed.
Perpetrators
Sri Lankan Army
Sources & References
- NESOHR - Lest We Forget Volume I