The impression made with each commemorative year of the 1983 riots is that the violence and mayhem were committed by the Sinhalese public. This is far from the truth. The Sinhala public have been declared guilty by default for lack of voice by local media, Sinhala organizations, and academics to demand that the story be set straight. It is time for an apology to the Sinhalese for having to been made to apologize for something which the Sinhalese never did. Ever since the 1980s the Sinhalese lost but entire villages and army camps, busloads of Buddhist priests shot dead, buses full of children and women blown up, unarmed injured soldiers fired upon by LTTE and if none of these killings led to violence against Tamils we are not ready to accept 1983 riots for the killing of 13 soldiers. That violence was committed by UNP and the UNP must apologize for it.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Background:<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Q: Why do Tamils vote for UNP when all riots were instigated by UNP?<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n A: Majority of Tamils are living in Western nations because of this & LTTE!<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 1977 riots:<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n In debating incidents that occurred in Sri Lanka it is important to take the context and background to them. That 1977 riots again under UNP government according to the Sansoni Commission report was due to the <\/span>TULF leadership fostering a climate of hostility and TULF refusing to compromise <\/span><\/strong>on issue of a separate state while Chelvanayagam himself declared \u201cMy advice to the Sinhalese leaders is to allow us to go our way<\/strong> ..\u201d (26 March 1977).<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 1983 riots:<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n It is beyond doubt that the riots that ensued following the killing of 13 soldiers on 21 July was organized by the then UNP government using thugs and underworld figures who were of all ethnic groups and motivated to loot and destroy. Just because an unsavory bunch of characters unleashed by the UNP ended up destroying lives and property while the Sinhalese people bravely gave shelter to Tamils, why were there no stories covering the kindness of the Sinhalese who shared their homes, fed and gave clothing and kept the jewellery of their Tamil neighbors. What happened instead was to run a guilt trip on the Sinhalese. This important piece of information has been purposely left out of every commemoration held on Black July.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Those commenting on Black July must realize there is a background to the story. No one should assume that LTTE was the innocent party and were targeted by the Sri Lankan Army or the State without reason.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1981 October 15<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n 1983 July 23<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n 1983 July 24 to 28<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/li>\n 1983 July 24<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n 1983 July 25<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n 1983 July 26<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n 1983 July 28<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n 1987 May 26<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n 1987 July 29<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n 1987 July 30<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Role of Media<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The dead \/destruction & looters<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Role of India\u2019s Raw in 1983 :<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Tamils & UNP:<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Other myths and inaccurate references:Blaming Sinhala Buddhists<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There is no need for the Sinhalese people to apologize for 1983. If at all any apology is due it is from the UNP Government. The people had nothing to do with the riots and those that eventually took part were ruffians belonging to all castes, creeds and religions for they had a field day looting businesses and homes.<\/span><\/p>\n What is also omitted from mention is that Tamils have always preferred to live amongst the Sinhalese. Even at the height of LTTE terror, Tamils did not desire to remain amongst the LTTE and even now post-conflict Tamils prefer to live amongst the Sinhalese.<\/span><\/p>\n Now into the 31st<\/sup> year since 1983 it would be nice if the Tamils came out with a public acknowledgement that 83 was not the fault of the Sinhalese (in particular the Buddhists) and also publicly acknowledge that the Sinhalese sheltered and looked after the Tamils and even their belongings. That gratitude and thank you has yet to be forthcoming and instead large sums of money is spent on funding commemorations aimed at demonizing the Sinhalese. In stark contrast in 1977, 10% of the population in Jaffna were Sinhalese and they were all chased out and did not get any refuge.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Shenali D Waduge<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The impression made with each commemorative year of the 1983 riots is that the violence and mayhem were committed by the Sinhalese public. This is far from the truth. The Sinhala public have been declared guilty by default for lack of voice by local media, Sinhala organizations, and academics to demand that the story be […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4282,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[1152],"class_list":["post-4281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english","tag-unp-attacked-tamils-not-the-sinhalese"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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\n– London Times, 8 August 1983<\/li>\n
\n– Paul Sieghart; ‘Sri Lanka: A mounting tragedy of errors’; International Commission of Jurists Report, March 1984<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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