Sri Lanka: 22nd Anniversary of Northern Muslim Expulsion by LTTE

Daily Mirror (Colombo, Sri Lanka), 3 November 2012

by D.B.S. Jeyaraj

The past week recorded the 22nd anniversary of a cruel, inhuman episode in the history of Tamil–Muslim relations in Sri Lanka. In October 1990, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) organisation forcibly expelled the Tamil speaking Muslim people from the Northern Province in an atrocious act amounting to ethnic cleansing. Within a few days the Muslims were chased out of their homeland where they had lived for many centuries.

The mass expulsion of Muslims from the North in 1990 was a humanitarian catastrophe and tragedy. Uprooting a people from their habitat at gun point and driving them away after depriving them of their cash and jewellery was despicable and unpardonable.

This writer intends drawing on some of his earlier writings in a bid to revive memories of this mass expulsion and shame those members of the Tamil community who continue to support the tiger ideology while posing as human rights champions now.

The expulsion of Muslims in the Jaffna peninsula began with the Muslims in Chavakachcheri on October 15th and ended with those in Jaffna town on Oct 30th. The mass eviction on the Northern mainland began a few days before it commenced in Jaffna town and concluded a few days after the peninsula was “cleansed†of Muslims.

The bulk of Northern Muslims living in Mannar were sent out including those of Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts. The Muslims in Vavuniya were luckier as most of their villages were in the Government controlled areas. The total number of Muslims driven out from the Northern Province was around 75,000 in 1990.

The northern Muslims like their Tamil counterparts were equally affected by the on going war and like the Tamil civilians had from time to time vacated their homes during intense shelling or bombing but had returned home in a few days. But the eastern province situation was taking a different turn.

Tamil – Muslim hostilities were increasing in the East. The desertion of some Muslim cadres in the LTTE and a few of them going over to the enemy incensed the Eastern LTTE under Karuna (military commander) and Karikalan (political commissar). Many other Muslim cadres in the LTTE were executed by the leadership. An anti – Muslim spirit pervaded the LTTE.

The UNP govt of the day also exploited and aggravated these feelings. Many Muslim anti-social elements were inducted as homeguards who collaborated with the security forces in promoting anti-Tamil violence. In some cases Muslim homeguards were responsible for Tamil civilian massacres. Tamil hamlets and villages were destroyed by Muslim homeguard led mobs who were supported by sections of the security forces.

The LTTE responded with gruesome massacres of Muslim civilians. The Sammanthurai and Kattankudi attacks on Mosques and killing of Muslims while praying and the massacres of civilians at the Saddham Hussein model village of Eravur being notorious examples.

Though Tamil-Muslim relations were at a low point in the East the situation was quite different in the North. Both communities continued to co – exist peacefully as Muslims were a minority, posing no threat to the Tamil majority.

CHAVAKACHCHERI

This situation of Muslims living peacefully in the North while tensions prevailed in the East was unacceptable to the Eastern tigers. A delegation led by Karikalan the eastern political chief came to the North to persuade Pirapakaran that “stern†action should be taken against Muslims. Karikalan apparently wanted a lesson to be taught to the Muslims. Even as this pressure was being exerted on the tiger hierarchy an incident occurred at Chavakachcheri.

On September 4th 1990 a group of Tamils aligned to the LTTE as “helpers†had an altercation with some Muslims near the Chavakachcheri mosque. Some tried to attack the Mosque and Muslim Youths apprehended some of the Tamils involved and handed them over to the LTTE. The tigers released them and warned the Muslim “minority†not to “offend†the Tamil “majority†.On September 25th a Muslim youth protesting the denial of a pass by the LTTE to leave the Penisula was assaulted by tiger cadres who “arrested†him. He went “missing†thereafter.

Most of the Chavakachcheri Muslims lived on Dutch road in the town. The LTTE while investigating an incident of intra-Muslim violence discovered some swords. According to tiger “explanations†this triggered off an alarm resulting in a search by the LTTE of Muslim houses and businesses where they found about 75 swords concealed in a shop owned by a prominent Muslim trader whose lorries traveled to and from Colombo. This was part of a deadly conspiracy. Even if this explanation were true one cannot see 75 swords being of any use against the Kalashnikovs of the LTTE.

The LTTE intelligence known for its excessive paranoia suspected the security-intelligence apparatus of using Muslim businessmen travelling frequently to Colombo as agents to engage in sabotage or act as spies. Preemptive action was required it was felt.

Around 1000 Muslims from Chavakachcheri, concentrated mainly on Dutch road were forced to leave at gunpoint, on October 15th 1990. They were told to go beyond Vavuniya the southernmost town of the Northern province. The Chava Muslims reached Vavuniya on Oct 18th. The chain reaction then started.

The tragedy of this expulsion was that the Muslims began fleeing the areas they lived for generations on the orders of an armed movement. There was no protest, no opposition. Such was the terror and power of the LTTE. Besides the Muslims were few in numbers.

During the engineered exodus of 1995, Tamils were forced to flee from Jaffna in large numbers. During 2007 – 2009 Tamils in the northern mainland of Wanni had to move from place to place as the war escalated. Ultimately they were restricted to a small strip of littoral on the Mullaitivu coast. Some would say, these are manifestations of the greater law of Karma or the principle of Dharma!

KARIKALAN

According to explanations provided by the LTTE the presence of an Eastern contingent under Karikalan in the North in October was greatly responsible for the decision of mass expulsion. Essentially it was depicted as some form of retaliatory warning to the eastern Muslims, further influenced by the exaggerated threat perception. In a blatantly racist mindset the Muslims were seen as potential fifth columnists. It was against this backdrop that the expelling exercise took place.

The Muslims in Mannar district comprised 26% of the district population according to the 1981 census. They were 46% of the Mannar Island linked to the mainland by the Thalladdy causeway . On Oct 21st 1990, Erukkalampitty, the premier and relatively prosperous Muslim village on Mannar Island was surrounded by around 300 tiger cadres and were robbed of cash, jewellery and valuable electronic goods. Around 800 - 850 houses were targetted.

On Oct 22nd some Muslims from Marichukkatty village near the Mannar - Puttalam district border were arrested by the LTTE for allegedly having clandestine dealings with the armed forces and were ordered to leave the next day. This was followed by an eviction order on Oct 24th to all muslims in the Musali AGA division, with a Muslim majority, where Marichukkatty is situated.

The expulsion process continued on Oct 24th with the LTTE making loudspeaker announcements ordering all Muslims living in Mannar Island to leave by Oct 28th and demanding them to report to the local LTTE office to finalise the procedures of expulsion. The helpless Muslims began packing and on Oct 26th the LTTE “invaded†Erukkalampitty again and seized the packed belongings of these Muslims.

Many Tamils of Mannar including members of the Catholic clergy remonstrated with the LTTE over the expulsion order but to no avail, extending the expulsion deadline to Nov 2nd.

On October 28th evening the LTTE sealed off Erukkalampitty and other Muslim areas on Mannar Island. The Muslims of Mannar Island from the town and areas like Erukkalampitty, Tharapuram, Puthukkudiyiruppu, Uppukulam, Konthaipitty etc were forced to assemble enmasse on selected spots on the beach.They were left without food or water or proper facilities for personal care.

Concerned Tamil citizens from Mannar argued with the LTTE and managed to take bread and water to the thousands of people on the beach.

The Muslims of Mannar Island were forcibly sent 60 miles south by sea to Kalpitiya in the North Western Province in boats owned by Muslims of this area. The entire exercise took more than three days. At least one child fell in the waters and died. Some infants and elderly people passed away soon after reaching Kalpitiya.

MAINLAND

If that was the pathetic plight of Muslims on Mannar Island the situation of Muslims in the Mannar district mainland was equally wretched. The Muslims from the Muslim majority Musali AGA division as well as others living in areas such as Vidathaltheevu, Periyamadhu, Sannar, Murungan, Vaddakkandal, Parappankandal etc were ordered by the LTTE on Oct 25th to surrender their vehicles, bicycles, fuel and electronic goods to the Mosque or local school.

On October 26th they were ordered to report to the local LTTE office for instructions on how to “leave†the district.Each family was allowed possessions in five travel bags, 2000 rupees in cash and one gold sovereign. The Muslims were checked in three places – Madhu, Pandivirichaan and a location near Vavuniya town and people carrying more items than they were “allowed†found those being confiscated and “receipts†issued by cadres. But near Vavuniya many of the items including thermos flasks were looted. They arrived on foot to Vavuniya.

The expulsion went on in other parts of the Northern Wanni mainland. On October 22nd morning a few Muslims in Neeravippitty in Mullaitheevu district were arrested on “suspicion†that they were supplying information to the armed forces and all Muslims in Mullaitivu district were ordered to leave within a week. On Oct 23rd Muslims in the Kilinochchi district were ordered to leave within five days. According to the 1981 census Muslims comprised 4.6% of Mullaitivu and 1.6% of Kilinochchi and 6.9% of Vavuniya districts respectively.

Although the bulk of these people were living in Govt controlled areas the few Muslims in LTTE controlled areas were also ordered to leave by November 1st. Even as the expulsions were taking place in Wanni the Jaffna Muslims were unperturbed. According to the 1981 census Muslims in the Jaffna district were 1.66% of the total population. Although some from Chavakachcheri had already been chased out Muslims in the Jaffna town who saw themselves as integral to Jaffna, could not see any danger befalling them. These were things happening to others for different reasons. Nothing could happen to them from their Tamil brethren. Like some Jewish people during the Hitler era they continued with “normal†life unmindful of the brewing disaster.

JAFFNA

It appears in retrospect, the LTTE was more harsh on Jaffna Muslims than the others. They were given an incredibly short deadline to leave Jaffna. This may have been due to the LTTE deciding that Jaffna be “cleansed†of Muslims by November. Comparatively the tigers came “last†to the Jaffna Muslims. The LTTE D-Day for them was October 30th.

Many Jaffna Muslims left Sri Lanka after their expulsion and sought refuge in Western countries. Some came to Canada. I have met and interacted with several of these persons in Toronto and quite a few are now close friends. I have listened to them relating harrowing tales of their horrible experiences during the expulsion and after which saddened and depressed me greatly.

About 10.30 am in the morning the LTTE vehicles with loudspeakers began plying the roads and lanes of the Jaffna Muslim residential areas. A terse announcement was repeated incessantly that representatives of each Muslim family should assemble at the Jinnah stadium of Osmania College by twelve noon. Armed tigers began patrolling the streets making house to house announcements in the thickly populated lanes and by – lanes.

The people abandoned whatever they were doing and hurried to the grounds. At 12. 30 pm a senior tiger leader Aanchaneyar addressed them who later went by another name Ilamparithy made a brief message.The LTTE high command for reasons of security (Paathukaappu) had decided that all Muslims should leave Jaffna within two hours. Failure to do so meant punishment and no further explanation was given.

When people started to question him Ilamparithy lost his cool and barked loudly that the Muslims should follow orders or face consequences. He then fired his gun several times in the air and a few of his bodyguards followed suit. The message was clear. The people thought initially that the army was going to invade Jaffna and that the LTTE was asking everyone to leave, later realising that only the Muslims were being ordered to leave.

With more and more armed tigers coming into the area the perturbed Muslims began packing. Initially they were not told of any restrictions on the things they could carry. So people packed clothes, valuables, jewels and money. Buses, vans and lorries were made available for transport by the tigers. Many Muslims made their private transport arrangements too.

AINTHUMUCHANTHI

The Muslims streaming out of their homes were now given a fresh order and asked to queue up at the “Ainthumuchanthi†junction. As the hapless people lined up they were in for a terrible shock. Male and female cadres of the LTTE began demanding their money, belongings and jewellery and each person was allowed only 150 rupees and one set of clothes.

Feeble protests were raised. The brandishing of sophisticated weapons and threats in aggressive tones quickly silenced them. The suitcases with clothes and other belongings were confiscated. They were opened first and selected clothes taken out. If a person wore trousers an extra set of trouser and shirt was given. If a person wore a sarong an extra sarong and shirt were given. All the money and documents including title deeds and national identity cards were confiscated.

Women and girls were stripped of jewels. Some women cadres brutally pulled out ear studs with blood spurting in the ear lobes. The children were not spared. Not a watch was left. Jaffna Muslims reported later that Karikalan from Batticaloa was supervising the entire operation.

At least 35 wealthy Muslim businessmen were abducted and detained by the LTTE. Jewellers were tortured for details of hidden gold and one was killed by beatings in front of the others and huge sums of money were demanded for their release. Some paid up to 3 million. The abducted persons were released in stages over the years and 13 people never returned and are presumed dead.

The LTTE then cordoned off the area with ropes. The “Virakesari†of Nov 2nd 1990 reported this was done to protect the property till the Muslims returned. Some of the dazed Muslims thought their expulsion was only temporary and it took them months to understand the true state of affairs. Some of the once rich now pauperised Muslims were unable to adjust to the new situation and have declined greatly.

The LTTE was particularly cruel in the case of Jaffna Muslims who were concentrated in two or three densely populated wards of the Jaffna Municipality. Sonaka theru, Ottumadam and Bommaively etc were their areas and were an integral part of Jaffna society. There was a time when the Jaffna new market built by Mayor Alfred Duraiappah was virtually dominated by Muslims. Two of the three blocks were monopolised by Muslims. The hardware, lorry transport, jewellery and meat trades in Jaffna were dominated by Muslims.

The Muslims of Jaffna like the Jaffna Tamils had built up a proud educational tradition. Former civil servant and Zahira Principal AMA Azeez, Supreme Court Judge Abdul Cader, Appeal Court Judge MM Jameel, Education Director Munsoor etc being some leading lights of the Jaffna Muslims. There were Municipal Councillors and two MMCs Basheer and Sultan who had been deputy mayors and acting mayors of Jaffna. In a post- expulsion development a few years ago, a Jaffna Muslim lawyer Imam was appointed as national list MP by the Tamil National Alliance.

REFUGEES

Most of the Muslims expelled from the North were temporarily re- settled in the Puttalam district. Many found their way to Vavuniya, Negombo and Colombo. Others relocated to the Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, Gampaha , Matale and Kandy districts and many went abroad as refugees.

The largest concentrations of displaced Muslims from the northern mainland are in Kalpitiya and Pulichakulam areas and the largest concentration from the Jaffna peninsula are in the Thillaiyaddy area of Puttalam.

The LTTE looted almost all possessions left in the Muslim houses and houses were stripped of tiles, wooden frames, doors, windows, etc. Looted furniture was sold to Tamils through the LTTE Shops or "Makkal Kadai" and Muslims returning to the North after the ceasefire recognised their possessions in other houses and businesses. Muslim houses, lands and vehicles were sold illegally to Tamils by the LTTE.

The regaining of Jaffna peninsula in 1995 -96 and the Wanni in 2009 after the military defeat of the LTTE in 2009 has resulted in Muslim re-settlement in the Northern Province. Despite the end of war the resettlement pace leaves much to be desired.

The total Muslim population of the Northern Province according to the 1981 census was 50,991 or 4.601%. Muslim community leaders say, the population in the Northern province at the time of expulsion in 1990 numbered about 81,000 and consisted of about 20,000 in Jaffna, 45,000 in Mannar, 7000 in Mullaitivu, 8000 in Vavuniya and around 1000 in Kilinochchi. Of these about 75,000 barring those in Vavuniya and Nainativu were forcibly expelled. 67,000 Muslims were registered at IDP camps immediately after the mass expulsion and the rest stayed with relatives and friends.

After 22 years this population is expected to have almost doubled due to natural increase. About 75 % of the Northern Muslims have expressed their willingness to be resettled in the North. But the 2012 census indicates only a small number of Northern Muslims have returned permanently to their homelands despite consenting to do so.

ESTIMATES

The Muslim population in the Northern Province and their percentage in the respective districts according to the 2012 census is as follows. Mannar 16,087 -16.2%, Vavuniya 11,700 -6.8% &, Jaffna 2139- 0.4% Mullaitivu 1760 - 1.9%, Kilinochchi 678 -0.6%. Compared to estimates at the time of expulsion in 1990 the Muslim population has shown a marked decrease except in Vavuniya which was not totally affected. The present Muslim population in the Northern Province is only 32,396 or 3.061%.

There are many social, cultural, economic and political reasons for this poor performance in Northern Muslim resettlement which have to be analysed and elaborated upon in detail.

I would like to conclude by reiterating a few points made by me earlier.

"One of the greatest attributes of some expelled Muslims that I have come across is their lack of visible bitterness with Tamils. They realise it was the LTTE that was responsible for their predicament and the reasons for it and do not blame the ordinary Tamils. They also retain sympathy for the plight of Tamils at the hands of both the state and the LTTE. Above all their fondness for the Tamil language, its literature and media has not diminished. They are wistfully nostalgic about Jaffna, proudly asserting the North as their homeland too.

This magnanimity in spite of the injustice meted out to them shames the Tamil community and except for a few voices there has been no powerful outcry against the LTTE for perpetrating this atrocity against the Muslims. A greater and vigorous demand has to be made by the Tamils that all expelled Muslims be resettled in their former homes with full compensation and restoration of property and awarded alternate provisions wherever necessary.

In an environment where reconciliation is being talked about nationally and globally there is an imperative need for rapprochement between the Tamils and Muslims of the North. A strong sincere hand of friendship should be stretched towards the Muslims and a genuine and humble mass apology should be extended towards them for the mass expulsion twenty-two years ago by the LTTE."

DBS Jeyaraj can be reached at djeyaraj2005@yahoo.com