What Happened
Tamils were preparing on a grand scale to hold a Tamil Research conference in Jaffna during 3-10 January 1974. The government of Sri Lanka did not like holding this Tamil research conference in Jaffna and continued to place hurdles to the organizers. Many researchers who wanted to travel to Jaffna from other countries were refused visa.
The conference started on 3 January. Hundreds of thousands of people from different parts of Jaffna came into town to attend the conference. The entire Jaffna town was in festival mood.
10 January was being celebrated as the final day of the conference. Prof Naina Mohamad from Tamilnadu in India was delivering the final speech. At that instant, the police lead by the Deputy Inspector of Police for Jaffna, Chandrasekara, started to attack the people at the conference. The police also opened fire.
Nine civilians were killed, the stages were destroyed. The same Inspector of Police Chandrasekara was later promoted to the post of Inspector of Police by the then Prime Minister Srimavo Bandaranayaka.
Perpetrators
Sri Lankan Police
Sources & References
- NESOHR - Lest We Forget Volume I