Editing 1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers

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{{EngvarB|date=April 2018}}
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{{POV|date=September 2014}}
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{{Short description|Mass murder by Tamil militants in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka}}

{{Infobox civilian attack
| title            = 1990 massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers
| partof          = the [[Sri Lankan Civil War]]
| image            = 
| caption          = 
| map              = 
| location         = [[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|Eastern Province]], [[Sri Lanka]]
| coordinates      = 
| target           = Unarmed [[Sri Lanka Police Service|Sri Lanka Police]] officers who had surrendered
| date             = 11 June 1990
| time             = 
| timezone         = 
| type             = Armed [[massacre]]
| fatalities       = 600–774 police officers<br>10 soldiers
| injuries         = 
| perps            = [[LTTE]]
| susperps         = 
| weapons          = Firearms
}}
A [[mass murder]] of [[Sri Lanka]]n Police officers took place on 11 June 1990. Members of the [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]] (LTTE), a militant organization, are alleged to have killed over 600<ref name="lank1">{{cite web|url=http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2011/6/67843.html |title=Recalling the saddest day in Lankan Police history |access-date=2011-06-12 |year=2011 |work=Lanka Newspapers |publisher=Lanka Newspapers |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615103423/http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2011/6/67843.html |archive-date=2011-06-15 }}</ref> unarmed [[Sri Lanka Police Service|Sri Lanka Police]] officers in [[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka]]. Some accounts have estimated the number killed as high as 774.<ref name="rivira">{{cite web|url=http://www.rivira.lk/2011/06/12/ranabima.htm|title=Killing of 774 policemen|access-date=2011-06-12|year=2011|work=Rivira|publisher=Rivira|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615061339/http://www.rivira.lk/2011/06/12/ranabima.htm|archive-date=15 June 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Background==

===Indian intervention===
According to the [[Indo-Sri Lankan Accord]], [[Indian Peace Keeping Force]] (IPKF) arrived in Sri Lanka in July 1987. Their presence in the country was not very popular among the Sri Lankan public and the politicians. In January 1989, [[President of Sri Lanka|President]] [[Ranasinghe Premadasa]]'s government was elected.  President Premadasa's initial intention was to work out a peace plan with the LTTE, which was waging a bloody separatist campaign in the country's north and east. Premadasa too was unhappy with the Indian presence in Sri Lanka.<ref name="at">{{cite web |url=http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DF15Df01.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020917071933/http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DF15Df01.html|url-status=unfit|archive-date=2002-09-17|title=Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 44: Eelam war – again|access-date=2011-06-13 |year=2002 |first=K. T. | last=Rajasingham |newspaper=Asia Times}}</ref> In June 1989, he entered into a [[ceasefire]] agreement with the LTTE. In an attempt to win over its leadership, Premadasa transferred a large quantity of weapons to the organization (at their request), to fight against the IPKF.  And in late 1989, Premadasa asked the IPKF to depart, due to the adverse public opinion. Indian Prime Minister [[Vishwanath Pratap Singh]] consented and withdrew his force.

===Breakdown of peace talks===
Meanwhile, a Sri Lankan government delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs [[Abdul Cader Shahul Hameed]] held peace talks with the LTTE. Although the talks seemed successful at the initial stages, no agreement was made on critical issues like the dissolution of the [[North Eastern Province (Sri Lanka)#Provincial Council|Northeast Provincial Council]] and repealing of the Sixth Amendment to the [[Constitution of Sri Lanka|constitution]]. LTTE chief political strategist and chief negotiator [[Anton Balasingham]] threatened the government, stating that "this is the last chance we give you. If you fail, we are prepared to wage war". The situation worsened after Sri Lankan Minister of Defence [[Ranjan Wijeratne]] asked the LTTE to lay down arms. LTTE leader [[Velupillai Prabhakaran]] refused and hostilities between the government and the LTTE began to increase.

===Preceding events===
During this time, the  [[Sri Lanka Army|Army]] was confined to the military camps. No action was taken against any of the LTTE activities for fear that peace talks would break down. But tension began to escalate by late May 1990. The army found that LTTE had constructed bunkers, dug trenches, and implemented other defense measures closer to the camps. But the Defense Ministry had instructed the Army to keep mute.{{dubious|date=March 2014}}

====Thandikulam incident====
On 7 June 1990, a vehicle carrying Army personnel from [[Vavuniya]] to [[Mullaitivu]] was fired at by the LTTE. One soldier died and nine were injured. But the Defense Ministry instructed to take no action.{{dubious|date=March 2014}}

==Massacre==
On 11 June 1990, at about 6:00&nbsp;a.m., LTTE surrounded the Batticaloa police station and abducted 3 policemen. About an hour later, around 250 armed LTTE cadres occupied the police station. Then the [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]] police officers along with their families were sent to the airport. [[Tamil people|Tamil]] Police officers were taken to the St Mary's Church, with their families. The acting officer-in-charge and four other policemen were detained. LTTE also removed Rs. 45 million in cash, gold jewellery, 109 [[Type 56 assault rifle|T 56 rifle]]s; 77 T 84S rifles; 28 light machine guns; 29 self-loading rifles; 65 submachine guns; 78 .303 rifles and 78 SAR 80 guns from the police station.

LTTE ordered all police stations in Eastern Province to be vacated by 2:30&nbsp;p.m. or face the consequences. The [[Inspector General of Police (Sri Lanka)|inspector general of Police]], [[Ernest Perera]], also instructed the police officers to surrender, at the request of [[President of Sri Lanka|President]] [[Ranasinghe Premadasa]].<ref name="lank1"/><ref name="dayl">{{cite web|url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/06/11/fea02.asp|title=There are 600 plus (murdered) Police officers inside the one you see today|access-date=2011-06-14|year=2011|author=Staff|newspaper=Daily News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616173830/http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/06/11/fea02.asp|archive-date=16 June 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Police officers laid down their arms after being promised safe conduct and subsequent release.

Then the Sinhalese officers were sent to the Army or Air Force camps while Tamil officers were accommodated at schools. Meanwhile, the LTTE abducted 899 officers. About 125 were able to escape. Prisoners were taken to the Vinayagapuram and [[Trincomalee]] jungles.<ref name=UTHR5>{{cite web |url=http://www.uthr.org/SpecialReports/spreport3.htm#_Toc15893083|title= June: The War Begins |access-date=2007-11-07 |year=2001 |work=[[UTHR]]|publisher=UTHR| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071112020611/http://www.uthr.org/SpecialReports/spreport3.htm| archive-date= 12 November 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref> Once they had arrived, the LTTE cadres lined up the officers, tied their hands behind their backs and shot them dead. In all, 600 to 774 police officers died.<ref name="rivira"/>

But not all the officers complied at once. [[Sri Lanka Police Service#Ranks|ASP]] Ivan Boteju, who was the OIC of [[Kalmunai]] police station, refused to surrender and kept on fighting with the LTTE from 3:00&nbsp;p.m. to 6:00&nbsp;p.m. He protested insisting that they "would be tortured if not killed [if they surrendered]". Within that period, he repeatedly requested [[Close air support|air support]] and [[Artillery|artillery support]] but was denied. At about 5:20&nbsp;p.m. the IGP personally contacted Botheju, ordered them to cease firing and surrender. When they had laid down their arms, LTTE took over and all communications with the Colombo Police headquarters were lost. Then the LTTE cadres took them to the Tirukkovil jungles and executed them.<ref name="obs1">{{cite web|url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/06/11/fea01.asp|title='The Saddest Day in Police History'|access-date=2011-06-14|year=2011|first=SSP Tassie | last=Seneviratne|newspaper=Sunday Observer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615004627/http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/06/11/fea01.asp|archive-date=15 June 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In [[Kalmunai]], LTTE also fired at an Army convoy, killing ten Army soldiers. It was reported that 324 police officers who died were Sinhalese and Muslim. All of them were taken to the Tirukovil jungles by the LTTE, blindfolded, hands tied, made to lie down on the ground, and shot. It was later found out that these police officers were massacred using the weapons that R. Premadasa had clandestinely given the LTTE.

==Aftermath==
Sri Lanka's chief peace negotiator Minister Shahul Hameed's attempts to rescue the officers in detention went in vain. This massacre officially put an end to the ceasefire between the government and the LTTE. On 18 June 1990, the Minister of Defence [[Ranjan Wijeratne]] announced from the floor of the parliament, "From now on, it is all out war and no half ways".<ref name="atimes">{{cite web |url=http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DF15Df01.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020917071933/http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DF15Df01.html|url-status=unfit|archive-date=2002-09-17|title=Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 44: Eelam war – again  |access-date=2011-06-12 |year=2011 |work=Lanka Newspapers|publisher=Lanka Newspapers}}</ref> It was the start of the [[Eelam War II]].<ref name="sundt">{{cite web|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/index.php/latest/8118-police-honour-slain-comrades-of-1990-massacre|title=Police honour slain comrades of 1990 massacre|access-date=2011-06-14|year=2011|author=Staff|newspaper=Sunday Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613135824/http://www.sundaytimes.lk/index.php/latest/8118-police-honour-slain-comrades-of-1990-massacre|archive-date=13 June 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> As a result of the LTTE attacks, Army had to abandon camps including Kokavil, Mankulam, Killinochchi, Kondachchi and Silavathurai. This, together with the abandonment of Police stations, resulted in a huge loss of territory to the government. LTTE had also managed to cut off the land route to [[Jaffna Peninsula]]. LTTE was in charge of most of the area in [[North Eastern Province (Sri Lanka)|North and Eastern provinces]] by July 1990.<ref name="at"/> Before this incident, LTTE had no conventional fighting capabilities. During [[Eelam War I]], LTTE was merely a [[Guerrilla warfare|guerilla outfit]].<ref name="atimes"/>

At the time of this massacre, LTTE's peace delegation comprising Jude – an LTTE communication specialist – and two military wing cadres were at [[Hilton Colombo]]. Then they were moved to a military camp at [[Kalutara]], under heavy security of [[Special Task Force (Sri Lanka)|Special Task Force]]. They were returned to the LTTE a few days later without any harm. According to [[Major General]] [[Sarath Munasinghe]]'s book ''A Soldiers Version'', the LTTE radio operator [Jude] had a message from Prabhakaran: "Whatever happens, ensure that the money offered is brought with you".<ref name="atimes"/>

The massacre provoked revenge riots in the Gal Oya valley, instigated by policemen. 26 Tamils were killed by Sinhalese mobs.<ref name="uthr">{{cite web |title=The East: Report from the Times of London JP Pogrom 1 by James Pringle |url=http://www.uthr.org/Reports/Report4/appendix2.htm |website=uthr.org |publisher=UTHR-J |access-date=8 August 2019}}</ref>

==Further reading==
* [[Rohan Gunaratna|Gunaratna, Rohan]]. (1998). ''Sri Lanka's Ethnic Crisis and National Security'', [[Colombo]]: South Asian Network on Conflict Research. {{ISBN|955-8093-00-9}}
* [[Rohan Gunaratna|Gunaratna, Rohan]]. (1 October 1987). ''War and Peace in Sri Lanka: With a Post-Accord Report From Jaffna'', [[Sri Lanka]]: Institute of Fundamental Studies. {{ISBN|955-8093-00-9}}
* [[Sarath Munasinghe|Munasinghe, Sarath]]. (2000). ''A soldier's version'', [[Sri Lanka]]: Market Information Systems. {{ISBN|955-97130-0-0}}
* Seneviratne, Tassie. (2011). ''Human Rights & Policing – Reminiscences of My Police Days''
* Gunasekara, S.L. (4 November 2003). ''The Wages of Sin'', {{ISBN|955-8552-01-1}}
* Gunasekara, S.L. (1996). ''Tigers moderates and pandora's package'', [[Sri Lanka Freedom Party]]. {{ISBN|955-8552-01-1}}
* Senanayake, P.M. (2010). "Sri Lanka- The War Fuelled by 'Peace'"

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110616173830/http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/06/11/fea02.asp There are 600 plus (murdered) Police officers inside the one you see today]

{{Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam}}
{{Sri Lankan Civil War}}
{{Sri Lankan Civil War graphical timeline}}
{{coord missing|Sri Lanka}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Massacre of Sri Lankan Police officers, 1990}}

{{#seo:
|keywords=1990 mass shootings in Asia, 1990 murders in Sri Lanka, 20th-century mass murder in Sri Lanka, Attacks on buildings and structures in Sri Lanka, Attacks on police stations in the 1990s, Crime in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, History of Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, June 1990 crimes, June 1990 events in Asia, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attacks in Eelam War II, Massacres in 1990, Terrorist incidents in Sri Lanka in 1990, Indian Peace Keeping Force
|description=
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[[Category:1990 mass shootings in Asia]]
[[Category:1990 murders in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:20th-century mass murder in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Attacks on buildings and structures in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Attacks on police stations in the 1990s]]
[[Category:Crime in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:History of Eastern Province, Sri Lanka]] 
[[Category:June 1990 crimes]]
[[Category:June 1990 events in Asia]]
[[Category:Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attacks in Eelam War II]]
[[Category:Massacres in 1990]] 
[[Category:Sri Lankan Civil War prisoner of war massacres|1990 police]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in Sri Lanka in 1990]]
[[Category:Indian Peace Keeping Force]]