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THREAD: 37 years ago - an anti-Tamil pogrom took place in Sri Lanka by Sinhala mobs backed by the then UNP government and state forces. The violence saw the deaths of thousands of Tamils, destruction of businesses, and displacement of over 150,000. #BlackJuly #Tamil #lka
23rd July: Expedited by a Sri Lanka army attack that resulted in the death of a key Tiger operative earlier in the month; the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) conducted a deadly attack killing 13 Sri Lankan soldiers in an ambush in Jaffna. #BlackJuly #Tamil #lka
24th July: The government conducted a mass funeral at Colombo for the soldiers. Large crowds gathered and the situation took a violent turn around dusk. Sinhala mobs attacked and set on fire Tamil homes and businesses. #BlackJuly #Tamil #lka
25th July: The next day saw anti-Tamil violence increasingly spread. Mobs were equipped with electoral lists to target Tamils. Despite calls to declare a curfew, President Jayewardene delayed imposing one. Even after a curfew was supposedly in force, the violence continued.
Policemen were deployed throughout the city; however, they tacitly stood and watched on. Traffic was searched, and any Tamils found were killed, stripped naked, or burned alive. #BlackJuly #Tamil #lka
Tamil political prisoners locked up in #Welikada jail, under the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act were also targeted. Prison guards allowed Sinhala inmates to slaughter 37 Tamil prisoners. #BlackJuly #Tamil #lka
26th July: Anti-Tamil violence spread across the island. Large groups of thugs were seen transported in government owned vehicles. Map: @PEARL_Action #BlackJuly #Tamil #lka
28th July: After three days of violence, President Jayewardene finally made his first address on the events, offering no sympathy to the Tamils and instead emphasising Sinhala grievances. #BlackJuly #Tamil #lka
The government sought to deflect blame off themselves and explain the #BlackJuly violence as the ‘spontaneous reaction’ of the Sinhala people to the LTTE attack in Jaffna.
However, it was clear the attacks were premeditated. Mobs were well equipped and executed in accordance with a concerted plan having absolute impunity and protection from members of government. #BlackJuly #Tamil #lka
30th July: A week had passed since the start of the violence. There were still some reported incidents of violence in Nuwara Eliya, Kandapola, Hawa Eliya, and Matale. #BlackJuly #Tamil #lka
Train stations were seen packed with desperate Tamils seeking safety. Upwards of 500,000 Tamils fled the island, giving seed to a global Tamil diaspora. #BlackJuly #Tamil #lka
#BlackJuly signaled a point-of-no-return for Tamils, invigorating the Tamil armed struggle and initiated a 26 year-long war.
