The following is a list of massacres that have occurred in Sri Lanka and its predecessors. (Numbers may be approximate.)
Massacre | Date | Location | Deaths | Perpetrators | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Madulla massacre | 9 December 1817 | Madulla | 22 | British Army | [1] [2] [3] |
Uva Rebellion | 1818 | Uva-Wellassa | Thousands | British Army | [lower-alpha 1] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] |
1915 Sinhalese-Muslim riots | 28 May – 8 August 1915 | Nationwide | 63 (official) | Police | [13] [14] [15] |
1956 anti-Tamil pogrom | 5–16 June 1956 | Nationwide | 150 | Government, Sinhalese and Tamil rioters | [16] |
1958 anti-Tamil pogrom | May – June 1958 | Nationwide | 300−1500 | Government, Sinhalese and Tamil rioters | [16] [17] |
Attacks on civilians during the suppression of the JVP insurrection | 1971 | Nationwide | Tens of thousands | Government | [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] |
Tamil conference incident | 10 January 1974 | Jaffna | 9 | Police | [23] [24] [25] |
Puttalam massacre | 2 February 1976 | Puttalam | 6–7 | Police | [23] [26] [27] [28] |
1977 anti-Tamil pogrom | August 1977 | Nationwide | 300 | Government, Sinhalese and Tamil rioters | [29] |
Murunkan massacre | 7 April 1978 | Murunkan, Vavuniya | 4 | LTTE | [ citation needed ] |
1981 anti-Tamil pogrom | June 1981-August 1981 | Nationwide | 25 | Government | [30] |
Attacks on Tamils in Trincomalee | 3-30 June 1983 | Trincomalee | 19 | Armed Forces | [31] [32] [33] |
1983 anti-Tamil pogrom | May 1983-July 1983 | Nationwide | 3,000 | Army, Government | [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] |
Thirunelveli massacre | 24 July 1983 | Thirunelveli, Jaffna | 51 | Army | [35] |
Welikada prison massacre | 25–27 July 1983 | Welikada Prison, Colombo | 53 | Sinhalese prisoners aided by Sinhalese prison guards | [44] [45] [46] |
Sampalthoddam massacre | January 1984 | Sampalthoddam, Vavuniya | 55–70 | Army | [35] |
Chunnakam Police station massacre | 8 January 1984 | Chunnakam | 19–20 | Police | [35] |
Chunnakam market massacre | 18 March 1984 | Chunnakam | 10 | Air Force | [47] [48] [49] |
Spring 1984 Jaffna massacres | 28 March 1984-May 1984 | Various places in Jaffna | 250 | Army | [50] [51] [52] [53] |
1984 Vavuniya massacre | 13 August 1984 | Vavuniya | 6+ | Army | [54] |
August 1984 Mannar massacre | 13 August 1984 | Mannar | 90 | Army | [55] |
Kaithady massacre | 14 August 1984 | Kaithady, Jaffna | 9 | Army | [56] |
1984 Point Pedro massacre | 2 September 1984 | Point Pedro, Jaffna | 18 | STF, Army | [57] [58] [59] |
Mallavi junction massacre | 6 September 1984 | Mallavi, Mullaitivu | 5 | Army | [60] |
Colombo-Jaffna coach massacre | 11 September 1984 | Mathawachchi | 17 | Army | [61] [35] |
Jaffna grand bazaar massacre | 1 November 1984 | Jaffna | 9 | Army | [62] |
Jaffna army rampage | 2 November 1984 | Jaffna | 8 | Army | [63] |
Urumpirai killings | 2 November 1984 | Urumpirai, Jaffna | 50 | Army | [63] |
Mullaitivu massacre | 6 November 1984 | Mullaitivu | 8 | Army | [63] [64] |
Jaffna town massacre | 9 November 1984 | Jaffna | 10 | Army | [63] |
Kasturiar Road/Power House road junction massacre | 10 November 1984 | Jaffna | 5 | Army | [65] |
Jaffna-Colombo train shooting of Tamil civilians | 15 November 1984 | Meesalai, Jaffna | several killed | Army | [66] |
Kopay massacre | 18 November 1984 | Kopay, Jaffna | 6 | Army | [66] |
Army rampage at Chavakachcheri | 20 November 1984 | Chavakachcheri, Jaffna | 4 | Army | [67] |
Killing of 4 Tamil civilians including a 7 year old boy | 24 November 1984 | Jaffna | 4 | Army | [67] |
Kent and Dollar Farm massacres | 30 November 1984 | Kent and Dollar Farms, Vavuniya | 62 | LTTE | [ citation needed ] |
December 1984 massacres of Tamils | December 1984 | Several places in Northern and Eastern provinces | 1,200+ | Armed Forces | [68] |
Kokilai massacre | 1 December 1984 | Kokilai | 11 | LTTE | [ citation needed ] |
Othiyamalai massacre | December 1984 | Othiyamalai, Mullaitivu | 29–32 | Army | [69] [70] [71] |
Nedunkerny massacre | 1 December 1984 | Nedunkerny, Vavuniya | 200+ | Army | [72] |
Semamadu massacre | 2 December 1984 | Semamadu, Vavuniya | 29 | Army | [73] [74] |
Cheddikulam massacre | 2 December 1984 | Cheddikulam, Vavuniya | 64 | Army | [75] [35] |
Kumulamunai massacre | 2 December 1984 | Kumulamunai, Mullaitivu | 7 | Army | According to pro-rebel NESOHR [35] |
Vavuniya army camp massacre | 2 December 1984 | Iratperiyakulam, Vavuniya | 100+ | Army | [76] [77] |
Thennamarawadi massacre | 2–4 December 1984 | Thennamarawadi, Trincomalee | 26 | Army | [78] |
Manal Aru massacre | 3 December 1984 | Manal Aru, Mullaitivu | 100+ | Army | [35] |
Amaravayal massacre | 3–4 December 1984 | Amarivayal, Trincomalee | 30–50 | Army | [78] |
Mannar massacre | 4 December 1984 | Murunkan, Mannar | 107–150 | Army | [79] [80] [81] [82] [83] |
Vavuniya massacre | 4 December 1984 | Vavuniya | 100 | Army | [84] |
Asikulam massacre | 4 December 1984 | Asikulam, Vavuniya | 6 | Government armed mob | [84] |
Massacre of 18 Tamil fishermen | 9 December 1984 | Mullaitivu | 18 | Home Guards | [85] |
Madawachchiya massacre | 11 December 1984 | Madawachchiya | 65 | Home Guards | [85] |
Mullikulam massacre | 13 December 1984 | Mullikulam, Mannar | 6 | Army | [85] |
Kokkilai massacres | 15 December 1984 | Several locations, Mullaitivu | 131 | Army | [35] |
Mulliyavalai massacre | 16 January 1985 | Mulliyavalai, Mullaitivu | 52 | Army | [35] |
Thiriyai massacre | 21 December 1984 | Thiriyai, Trincomalee | 9 | Army | [86] |
Windsor cinema junction massacre | 22 December 1984 | Jaffna | Several killed | Army | [86] |
Muthur massacre | 22-24 December 1984 | Muthur, Trincomalee | 7 | Army | [86] |
Mullaitivu massacre | 22-24 December 1984 | Mullaitivu | 24 | Army | [86] |
Chemmani road massacre | 5 January 1985 | Chemmani road, Jaffna | 4 | Army | [86] |
Massacre of Tamil family in Vavuniya | 5 January 1985 | Vavuniya | 5 | Army | [86] |
Vankalai church massacre | 6 January 1985 | Vankalai | 23 | Army | [86] [87] |
Vadakkandal massacre | 30 January 1985 | Vadakkandal, Mannar | 52 | Air Force, Army | [35] |
Army rampage in Jaffna town | 6 February 1985 | Jaffna | 5 | Army | [88] |
Mullaitivu massacre | 15 February 1985 | Mullaitivu | 58 | Army | [88] |
Pannai bridge massacre | 24 March 1985 | Jaffna | 7 | STF | [89] |
Puthukkudiyiruppu massacre | 21 April 1985 | Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu | 30 | Army | [35] |
Maviddapuram massacre | 26 February 1985 | Maviddapuram, Jaffna | 4 | Army | [90] |
Mannar massacre | 16 April 1985 | Mannar | 27 | Army | [91] |
Karaitivu massacre | 17 April 1985 | Karaitivu, Ampara | 27 | STF | [92] [93] |
Myliddy massacre | 19 April 1985 | Myliddy, Jaffna | 4 | Army | [91] |
Nelliaddy massacre | 21 April 1985 | Nelliaddy, Jaffna | 9 | Army | [91] |
1985 anti-Tamil pogrom in Karaitivu | 22 April 1985 | Karaitivu, Ampara | 30 | STF, state sponsored mobs | [94] [95] [96] [97] |
Karaveddi massacre | 29 April 1985 | Karaveddi, Jaffna District | 25+ | Army | [98] |
1985 Trincomalee massacres | May–September 1985 | Several places in Trincomalee | 280+ | Navy, Army, Home Guards | [99] [100] [35] |
Jaffna massacre | 4 May 1985 | Jaffna | 4 | Army | [98] |
Oorani massacre | 9 May 1985 | Oorani, Jaffna | 30 | Army | [101] |
Point Pedro massacre | 10 May 1985 | Point Pedro, Jaffna | 100+ | Army | [102] |
Valvettithurai massacre | 12 May 1985 | Valvettithurai, Jaffna | 46–70 | Army | [35] [81] [103] [104] |
Anuradhapura massacre/Attack on Sri Maha Bodhi | 14 May 1985 | Anuradhapura | 146 | LTTE | [105] [106] |
Kumudini boat massacre | 15 May 1985 | Jaffna | 23 | Navy | [107] [108] |
Anaikottai massacre | 15 May 1985 | Anaikottai, Jaffna | 5 | Army | [109] |
Massacre of Tamil civilians in Anuradhapura | 15 May 1985 | Anuradhapura | 7 | Army | [110] |
Massacre of Tamil civilians in Vavuniya | 15 May 1985 | Vavuniya | 7 | Army | [110] |
Massacre of Tamil civilians in Anuradhapura army camp | 17 May 1985 | Anuradhapura | 6−11 | Army | [110] [111] |
Thambiluvil massacre | 17 May 1985 | Thambiluvil, Ampara | 20–40 | Police (STF) | [112] [113] |
Massacre of Tamil family in Pankulam | 24 May 1985 | Pankulam, Trincomalee District | 7 | Army | [110] |
Killiveddy massacre | 30 May 1985 | Killiveddy, Trincomalee | 44 | Police | [114] |
Massacre of Tamil civilians in Trincomalee | 3 June 1985 | Trincomalee | 13 | Army | [110] |
Thiriyai massacre | 8 June 1985 | Thiriyai, Trincomalee | 10 | Army | [87] |
Mannar massacre | 14 June 1985 | Kokudiyan and Adampanthalvu, Mannar | 22 | Army | [115] |
Karainagar massacre | 22 July 1985 | Karainagar, Jaffna | 3 | Navy | [116] |
Sampalthivu massacre | 4-9 August 1985 | Sampalthivu, Trincomalee | 25+ | Army, Navy, Air | [87] |
Vavuniya shooting spree and arson attacks | 10 August 1985 | Vavuniya | 10 | Police, Sri Lanka Armed Forces | [117] |
1985 Vavuniya massacre | 16 August 1985 | Vavuniya | 200+ | Army | [118] |
Vayaloor massacre | 24 August 1985 | Vayaloor, Kilinochchi | 40 | Army | [87] |
Murugapuri massacre | 8 September 1985 | Murugapuri Trincomalee | 3 | Army, Home Guards | [119] |
Thuvarankadu massacre | 12 September 1985 | Thuvarankadu, Trincomalee | 22 | Army | [120] |
Nilaveli massacre | 16 September 1985 | Nilaveli, Trincomalee | 40 | Army, Home Guards | [120] [87] |
Kalvettu massacre | 20 September 1985 | Kalvettu, Ampara | 15 | Home guards | [121] |
Sinnawathai massacre | 20 September 1985 | Sinnawathai, Batticaloa | 10 | STF | [122] |
Aarapathai massacre | 26 September 1985 | Aarapathai, Navatkudah, Batticaloa | 7 | STF | [122] |
Sambaltivu massacre | 1 October 1985 | Sambaltivu, Trincomalee | 4 | Army | [122] |
Piramanthanaru massacre | 2 October 1985 | Piramanthanaru, Kilinochchi | 16 | Army, Keenie Meenie Services | [94] [87] |
Oddusuddan massacre | 2 October 1985 | Oddusuddan, Mullaitivu | 18 | Army | [122] |
Murakkottanchenai massacre | 5 October 1985 | Murakkottanchenai, Batticaloa | 12 | STF | [122] |
1985 Muttur massacre | 8-10 November 1985 | Muttur, Trincomalee | 30-100 | Army, Navy, Air Force | [123] [35] |
Kantalai massacre | 9 November 1985 | Kantalai, Trincomalee | 6 | Army | [124] [35] |
Batticaloa Lake Road massacre | 13 November 1985 | Lake Road, Batticaloa | 13 | STF | [125] [126] |
Army rampage in Batticaloa | 16 November 1985 | Bar Road, Batticaloa | 8-scores killed | Army | [127] [125] |
Onthachimadam shooting | 23 November 1985 | Onthachimadam, Batticaloa | 8 | Army | [125] |
Sampur massacre | 27 November 1985 | Sampur, Trincomalee | 21 | Army, Navy, Home guards | [128] [129] |
Muttur massacres | 28 November 1985 | Sampur and Kaddaiparichchan, Trincomalee | 16 | government forces | [130] |
Mandur massacre | 28 November 1985 | Mandur, Batticaloa | 24 | Sri Lankan Air Force | [130] |
Thiruvaiyaru attack | 29 November 1985 | Thiruvaiyaru, Kilinochchi | 4 | Sri Lankan Army | [131] [132] |
Thampalakamam raid | 30 November 1985 | Thampalakamam, Trincomalee | 7 | Sri Lankan Army | [133] |
Kalladi shooting | 1 December 1985 | Kalladi, Batticaloa | 6 | Sri Lankan Army | [134] |
Uruthirapuram massacre | 10 December 1985 | Uruthirapuram, Kilinochchi | 10 | Army | [135] [136] |
Jaffna helicopter shootings | 21 December 1985 | Suthumalai, Manipay, Sanguveli, Thavadi, Uduvil, Inuvil, Kokkuvil, Vayavilan, Kadduvan and Myliddy, Jaffna | 7 | Air Force | [137] [138] [139] |
Jaffna helicopter massacres | 4 January 1986 | Jaffna | 17 | Air Force | [140] |
Vankalai church massacre | 6 January 1986 | Vankalai, Mannar | 8 | Army | [87] |
Jaffna massacres | 23 January 1986 | Tellipalai, Veemankamam, Kadduvan | 16 | Armed Forces | [141] |
Iruthayapuram massacre | 19 January 1986 | Iruthayapuram, Batticaloa | 23 | Police | [142] |
Kilinochchi Railway Station massacre | 25 January 1986 | Kilinochchi | 12 | Army | [87] |
Thampalakamam massacre | 27 January 1986 | Thampalakamam, Trincomalee | 10 | Army | [143] |
Massacre of Tamil private van passengers | 1 February 1986 | Elephant Pass, Jaffna | 29 | Army | [143] |
Bombing raid on Jaffna | 19 February 1986 | Jaffna | 7 | Air Force | [144] |
Akkaraipattu massacre | 19 February 1986 | Akkaraipattu, Ampara | 80 | Army | [145] [146] [147] |
Nainativu massacre | 3 March 1986 | Nainativu, Jaffna | 4 | Army | [148] |
Myliddy bombings | 13 March 1986 | Jaffna | 5 | Air Force | [149] |
Kilinochchi massacre | 16 March 1986 | Kilinochchi | 7 | Army | [148] |
Muthur massacre | 16 March 1986 | Muthur, Trincomalee | 5 | Army | [148] |
Mallikaitivu junction massacre | 17 March 1986 | Muthur, Trincomalee | 5 | Army | [149] |
Kilinochchi massacre | 18 March 1986 | Kilinochchi | 4 | Army | [150] |
Vavuniya massacres | 19-20 March 1986 | Eeddimurnchan village. Nedunkerny | 20 | Army | [151] |
Puthukudirruppu massacre | 21 March 1986 | Puthukudirruppu, Mullaitivu | 7 | Army | [150] |
Selvasannithy temple attack | 21-22 March 1986 | Jaffna | 4 | Army | [152] |
Vavuniya massacre | 25 March 1986 | Vavuniya | 5 | Army | [148] |
Massacre of Trincomalee Tamil refugees | 30 April 1986 | Muthur, Thiriyay Trincomalee | 17 | Army | [153] |
Air Lanka Flight 512 | 3 May 1986 | Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake | 21 | LTTE | [154] |
Gurunagar fishermen sea massacre | 10 June 1986 | Mandaitivu, Jaffna | 33 | Navy | [155] [156] [157] [35] |
Seruvila massacre | 12 June 1986 | Seruvila, Trincomalee | 21 | Home Guards | [158] |
1986 Thambalakamam massacre | 28 June 1986 | Thambalakamam, Trincomalee | 34 | Home Guards | [159] |
Pavatkulam massacre | 13 July 1986 | Pavatkulam, Vavuniya | 9 | Army | [160] |
Peruveli refugee camp massacre | 15 July 1986 | Peruveli, Trincomalee | 48 | Army, Home Guards | [161] [162] |
Thanduvan bus massacre | 17 July 1986 | Thanduvan, Mullaitivu | 17 | Army | According to pro-rebel NESOHR [35] |
Manalchenai massacre | 18 July 1986 | Manalchenai, Trincomalee | 67 | Army | [163] [164] |
Batticaloa Munnai street massacre | 18 September 1986 | Batticaloa | 47 | Army | [165] |
Kurikattuvan massacre | 16 October 1986 | Kurikattuvan, Jaffna | 13 | Navy | [166] |
Jaffna Hospital bombing | 29 October 1986 | Jaffna | 4 | Army | [167] |
Massacre of Batticaloa refugees | 31 October 1986 | Batticaloa | 6 | Army | [168] |
Jaffna bombings | 11 November 1986 | Jaffna | 6 | Army | [169] |
Periya-pullumalai massacre | 11 November 1986 | Periya-pullumalai, Ampara | 20 | Army | [170] [171] |
Coolavady colony massacre | 23 November 1986 | Coolavady colony, Batticaloa | 3 | STF | [172] |
Kalmunai police rampage | 13 December 1986 | Kalmunai, Ampara | 4 | Police, STF | [173] |
Attacks on civilians during the suppression of the 2nd JVP insurrection | 1987-89 | Nationwide | 60,000-80,000 | Government | [174] [175] [176] [177] [178] [179] [180] [181] |
Prawn farm massacre / Kokkadichcholai massacre | 27-29 January 1987 | Kokkadichcholai, Batticaloa | 200+ | Police (STF) | [182] [183] [184] [185] [186] |
Jaffna bombings | 7 March 1987 | Jaffna | 21 | Air Force | [187] [188] |
Pavatkuli Chenai Pillaiyar Kovil massacre | 3 July 1987 | Pavatkuli Chenai, Batticaloa | 48 | STF | [189] |
Aluth Oya massacre | 17 April 1987 | Habarana, Anuradhapura | 127 | LTTE | [190] [191] [192] |
Central Bus Station bombing | 21 April 1987 | Colombo | 116 | LTTE | [193] [194] |
Aranthalawa massacre | 2 June 1987 | Aranthalawa, Ampara | 33 | LTTE | [195] [196] |
1987 Eastern Province massacres | 29 September – 8 October 1987 | Eastern Province | 200+ | LTTE | [197] |
Jaffna hospital massacre | 21–22 October 1987 | Jaffna | 68–70 | IPKF | |
Tissamaharama massacre | November 1987 | Tissamaharama | Sri Lankan Armed Forces | [198] | |
Batticaloa police rampage | 24 December 1987 | Batticaloa | 25 | Police | [199] |
Valvettiturai massacre | 2–3 August 1989 | Valvettiturai, Jaffna | 64 | IPKF | |
Eppawala massacre | 20 March 1989 | Eppawala | 14 | Black Cat group | [200] |
1989 Kandy massacre | 16 September 1989 | Several places in Kandy District | 100-150 | Eagles of the Central Hills | [201] [202] |
Hambantota district massacres | 21 December 1989 | Hambantota, Tissamaharama, Ambalantota, Beliatta | 177 | Army, Police | [203] |
Nittambuwa massacre | 27 February 1990 | Nittambuwa | 12 | Police | [204] |
Killings of Tamils in Amparai | June - October 1990 | Amparai | 3,000 | government forces | [205] |
Disappearances of Tamils in Batticaloa | June - December 1990 | Batticaloa | 1,500 | government forces | [205] |
Sammanthurai massacre | 10 June 1990 | Sammanthurai, Ampara | 37 | Home Guards | According to pro-rebel NESOHR [35] |
Police officers massacre | 11 June 1990 | 600–774 | LTTE | [206] [207] | |
Kalmunai massacre | 12 June 1990 | Kalmunai, Ampara | 160-250 | Army | [208] [209] [210] [211] |
Vavuniya massacre | 13 June 1990 | Vavuniya | 15 | Army | [212] |
Trincomalee Base Hospital mass arrest and disappearances | 15 June 1990 | Base Hospital, Trincomalee | 30 | Army | [213] |
Thiriyai massacre | June 1990 (mid) | Thiriyai, Trincomalee | 25-35 | Army | [214] |
Vellaveli massacre | June 1990 | Vellaveli, Batticaloa | 15 | Army | [215] |
Veeramunai massacres | 20 June 1990 - 15 August 1990 | Veeramunai, Ampara | 253 | Home Guards | [216] [35] |
Kalmunai massacres | 22-23 June 1990 | Kalmunai, Ampara | 36+ | Army | [217] |
Veeramunai massacres | 20 June 1990 - 15 August 1990 | Veeramunai, Ampara | 253 | Home Guards | [216] [35] |
China Bay Police custody killings | 4 July 1990 | China Bay, Trincomalee | 5 | Police | [213] |
Kalmunai massacre | 10 July 1990 | Kalmunai, Ampara | 31 | Army, Home Guards | [218] |
McHeyzer Stadium mass arrest and disappearances | 11 July 1990 | Plantain Point Army Camp, Trincomalee | 52 | Army | [213] |
Paranthan junction massacre | 24 July 1990 | Paranthan, Kilinochchi | 10 | Army | According to pro-rebel NESOHR [35] |
Siththandy massacre | 20 July 1990 and 27 July 1990 | Siththandy, Batticaloa | 137 | Army | According to pro-rebel NESOHR [35] |
Pottuvil massacre | 30 July 1990 | Pottuvil, Ampara | 125 | Army | [219] [220] [35] |
Kattankudy mosque massacre | 3 August 1990 | Kattankudy, Batticaloa | 147 | LTTE | [221] |
Tiraikerny massacre | 6 August 1990 | Tiraikerny, Ampara | 40 | Home Guards | [222] [35] |
Xavierpuram massacre | 7 August 1990 | Alikampai, Ampara | 7 | Home Guards | [223] [224] |
Kalmunai massacres | 11-12 August 1990 | Karaitivu military camp, Ampara | 62 | Army | According to pro-rebel NESOHR [225] |
Thuranilavani massacre | 12 August 1990 | Thuranilavani, Batticaloa | 60+ | Army | According to pro-rebel NESOHR [35] |
Koraveli massacre | 14 August 1990 | Koraveli, Batticaloa | 15 | Army | According to pro-rebel NESOHR [35] |
Oddusuddan bombing | 14 August 1990 | Oddusuddan, Mullaitivu | 23 | Air Force | According to pro-rebel NESOHR [35] |
Neliiyadi marketing bombing | 29 August 1990 | Neliiyadi, Jaffna | 16 | Army | According to pro-rebel NESOHR [35] |
Eastern University massacre (September 1990) | 5 September 1990 | Vantharumulai, Batticaloa | 158 | Army | [112] [226] [227] |
Batticaloa massacre / Sathurukondan massacre | 9 September 1990 | Batticaloa | 205 | Army | [112] [228] [229] [230] [231] [232] [233] |
Natipiddymunai masscre | 10 September 1990 | Natipiddymunai, Ampara | 23 | Police STF | According to pro-rebel NESOHR [35] |
Killing of Tamils in Pottuvil | October 1990 | Pottuvil, Ampara | 160 | Police STF | [205] |
Chavakachcheri market massacre | 9 October 1990 | Chavakachcheri, Jaffna | 12 | Army | [234] |
Karaitivu massacre | 13 October 1990 | Karaitivu, Ampara | 20 | STF | [235] |
Karainagar naval attack | 15 November 1990 | Karainagar, Jaffna | 5 | Navy | [236] |
Velanai bombing | 16 December 1990 | Velanai Jaffna | 4 | Air Force | [237] |
Thathamalai massacre | 17 December 1990 | Thathamalai, Batticaloa | 5 | Army | [237] |
Massacre of Tamil civilians near Samadhu Pillaiyar Temple | 18 December 1990 | Trincomalee | 5 | Army | [237] |
Valaichchenai massacre | 22 December 1990 | Valaichchenai, Batticaloa | 9 | Home guards | [237] |
Puthukudiyiruppu bombing | 31 January 1991 | Puthukudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu | 23 | Air Force | [238] [239] |
Valvettithurai bombings | 20-23 January 1991 | Valvettithurai, Jaffna | 10 | Air Force | [239] |
Jaffna bombings | February 1991 (first week) | Jaffna | 27 | Air Force | [240] |
Kondaichchi massacre | February 1991 | Kondaichchi, Mannar | 4 | Army | [234] |
Vankalai junction massacre | 17 February 1991 | Vankalai, Mannar | 4 | Army | [234] |
Eravur massacre | 20 February 1991 | Eravur, Batticaloa | 6 | Home Guards | [234] [241] |
Iruthayapuram massacre | 30 March 1991 | Iruthayapuram, Batticaloa | 11 | Police | [234] |
Nayanmar Thidal massacre | 12 April 1991 | Nayanmar Thidal, Tampalakamam, Trincomalee | 4 | Army | [242] |
Kokkadichcholai massacre | 12 June 1991 | Kokkadichcholai, Batticaloa | 152-220 | Army | [112] [183] [184] [227] [243] [244] [245] |
Palliyagodella massacre | 15 October 1991 | Palliyagodella, Polonnaruwa | 109 | LTTE | [106] [190] |
Disappearances of Tamils in Batticaloa | January - November 1992 | Batticaloa | 400 | government forces | [246] |
Mandur massacre | April 1992 | Mandur, Batticaloa | 8 | Army, Paramilitaries | [247] |
Tampalakamam massacre | April 1992 | Tampalakamam, Trincomalee | 4 | Army | [246] |
Polonnaruwa massacre | 29 April 1992 | Muthugal and Karapola | 87 | Home Guards, Police | [112] [248] [249] |
Vathappali Kannagi Amman temple massacre | 18 May 1992 | Vathappali, Mullaitivu | 23 | Army | [250] |
Sri Durga Devi temple massacre | 31 May 1992 | Tellipalai, Jaffna | 6 | Air Force | [251] |
Mylanthanai massacre | 9 August 1992 | Mylanthanai, Batticaloa | 35-50 | Army | [112] [252] [253] [254] |
Paliyadivaddai massacre | 24 October 1992 | Paliyadivaddai, Batticaloa | 10-11 | [255] | |
1993 Jaffna lagoon massacre / Kilaly massacre | 2 January 1993 | Jaffna Lagoon | 50-100 | Navy | [256] [257] [258] [259] [260] |
Vannathi Aru massacre | 17 February 1993 | Vannathi Aru, Batticaloa | 16 | Army | [112] |
Kalviankadu massacre | 27 July 1993 | Kalviankadu, Jaffna | 6 | Air Force | [261] |
Jaffna lagoon massacre | 29 July 1993 | Jaffna Lagoon | 19 | Navy | [261] |
Chundikulam massacre | 18 February 1994 | Chundikulam, Kilinochchi | 10 | Navy | According to pro-rebel NESOHR [35] |
1994 Jaffna lagoon massacre | 27 February 1994 | Jaffna Lagoon | 30 | Air Force | [262] |
Pulmoddai massacre | 6 May 1995 | Pulmoddai, Trincomalee | 5 | Army | [263] |
Kallarawa massacre | 25 May 1995 | Kallarawa, Trincomalee | 42 | LTTE | [264] |
Navaly church bombing | 9 July 1995 | Navaly, Jaffna | 125-150 | Air Force | [265] [266] [267] |
Bolgoda killings | April–September 1995 | Colombo | 31 | STF | [268] |
Nagerkovil school bombing | 22 September 1995 | Nagerkovil, Jaffna | 71-113 | Air Force | [269] [270] [271] |
Jaffna killings | October 1995 | Jaffna | 104 | Air Force, Army | [272] |
Eastern Sri Lanka massacres | 16 October 1995 | Villages in Eastern Sri Lanka | 120 | LTTE | [264] |
Padaviya massacre | 21 October 1995 | Padaviya, Anuradhapura | 19 | LTTE | [264] |
Boatta massacre | Botalla, Polonnaruwa | 36 | LTTE | [264] | |
Central Bank bombing | 31 January 1996 | Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Colombo | 91 | LTTE | [105] |
Kumarapuram massacre / Trincomalee massacre / Killiveddy massacre | 11 February 1996 | Kumarapuram, Trincomalee | 26 | Army | [273] [274] [275] [276] [277] |
Nachchikuda strafing | 16 March 1996 | Poonagari, Jaffna | 16 | Army | [278] [35] |
Dehiwala train bombing | 24 July 1996 | Dehiwala | 64 | LTTE | |
Kilinochchi town massacre | August 1996 | Kilinochchi | 184 | Army | According to pro-rebel NESOHR [35] |
Disappearances and mass graves in Jaffna | 1995-1996 | Jaffna, Chemmani | 600 | Army | [279] [280] [281] |
Vavunikulam church bombing | 18 August 1997 | Vavunikulam, Mullaitivu | 9 | Air Force | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [282] |
Tamil 4th colony massacre | 24 September 1997 | Amparai | 8-15 | Home Guards | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [283] |
Temple of the Tooth attack | 25 January 1998 | Temple of the Tooth, Kandy | 17 | LTTE | [284] [285] [286] |
Tampalakamam massacre | 1 February 1998 | Tampalakamam, Trincomalee | 8 | Police, Home Guards | [287] [288] [289] |
Vattakkachchi and Periyakulam bombings | 26 March 1998 | Vaddakachchi, Periyakulam, Kilinochchi | 8 | Air Force | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [290] |
Suthanthirapuram bombing | 10 June 1998 | Suthanthirapuram, Mullaitivu | 20+ | Air Force | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [291] |
Lionair Flight 602 | 29 September 1998 | Mannar | 55 | LTTE | [292] |
Kilinochchi bombing | 24 November 1998 | Kilinochchi-Mullaithivu | 4 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [293] |
Visuvamadhu shelling | 25 November 1998 | Puthukkudiyiruppu | 8 | Air Force | According to pro-rebel NESOHR [35] |
Chundikulam massacre | 2 December 1998 | Chundikulam, Kilinochchi | 7 | Air Force | According to pro-rebel NESOHR [35] |
Puthukkudiyiruppu bombing | 15 September 1999 | Puthukkudiyiruppu | 21 | Air Force | [294] |
Jaffna Lagoon massacre | 15 September 1999 | Thenmaradchi | 7 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [295] |
Gonagala massacre | 18 September 1999 | Gonagala, Ampara | 50 | LTTE | [ citation needed ] |
Madhu church shelling | 20 November 1999 | Madhu, Mannar | 40 | Air Force | [296] [35] |
Pallikuda bombing | 12 May 2000 | Pallikuda, Kilinochchi | 5 | Air Force | [297] |
Silivaturai massacre | 13 May 2000 | Silivaturai | 5 | Navy | [297] |
Columbuthurai massacre | 15 May 2000 | Columbuthurai, Jaffna | 5 | Army | [297] |
Bindunuwewa massacre | 25 October 2000 | Bindunuwewa | 25 | Mobs, Police, Army | [298] |
Mirusuvil massacre | 20 December 2000 | Mirusuvil, Jaffna | 8 | Army | [299] [300] [301] [302] |
Pesalai massacre | 23 December 2005 | Pesalai, Mannar | 4 | Navy | [303] [304] |
Murders of Kilinochchi civilians | 27 December 2005 | Kilinochchi, Kanakarayankulam, Pallai | 5 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [305] |
Murders of Tamil civilians at Mutthirai Junction | 28 December 2005 | Nallur, Jaffna | 2 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [306] |
Trincomalee student massacre | 2 January 2006 | Trincomalee | 5 | Police (STF) | [307] [308] [309] [310] |
2006 murder of TRO workers | 31 January 2006 | Batticaloa | 7 | TMVP | [311] |
2006 anti-Tamil riots in Trincomalee | 12 April 2006 | Trincomalee | 19 | Sinhalese mobs, Navy, Army | [312] [313] |
Vatharavathai massacre | 19 April 2006 | Vatharavathai, Jaffna | 5 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [314] |
Gomarankadawala massacre | 23 April 2006 | Gomarankadawala, Trincomalee | 6 | LTTE | [ citation needed ] |
Attack on Muthur villages by SL Navy, Army, and Air Force | 25 April 2006 | Trincomalee | 16 | SL Navy, Army, and SLAF | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [315] [316] [317] |
Jaffna civilian youths massacre | 4 May 2006 | Jaffna | 7 | Army | [318] |
Manthuvil massacre | 8 May 2006 | Manthuvil, Jaffna | 8 | Army | [319] |
Allaipiddy massacre | 13 May 2006 | Allaipiddy, Jaffna | 13 | Navy, EPDP | [320] [321] [322] |
Nedunkal pressure mine attack | 7 June 2006 | Nedunkal, Batticaloa | 10 | Army | According to pro-LTTE TamilNet [323] |
Vankalai massacre | 8 June 2006 | Vankalai, Mannar | 4 | |Army | [324] [35] [325] |
Kebithigollewa massacre | 15 June 2006 | Kebithigollewa, Anuradhapura | 66 | LTTE | [ citation needed ] |
Pesalai Church attack | 17 June 2006 | Pesalai, Mannar | 6 | Navy | [326] [327] [328] |
Indiscriminate artillery fire of Muttur | 4 August 2006 | Trincomalee | 22 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [329] |
Trincomalee massacre of NGO workers / Muttur massacre, Trincomalee District | 4 August 2006 | Muttur | 17 | Police, Home Guards | [330] [331] |
Shelling of Nallur and Upooral villages | 6 August 2006 | Muttur and Eachchilampathu, Trincomalee District | 15 | Army and Navy | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [332] |
Killing of Tamil civilians in Kathiraveli | 10 August 2006 | Kathiraveli and surrounding villages, Batticaloa | 50 | Air Force and Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [333] |
Disappearance of Tamil civilians by GoSL-controlled Karuna paramilitaries | 11 August 2006 - 13 August 2006 | Batticaloa | 15 | Army and TMVP | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [334] |
Artillery attack on Jaffna Hindu devotees | 12 August 2006 | Near Muhamalai, Jaffna | 7 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [335] |
St. Philip Neri Church shelling | 13 August 2006 | Allaipiddy, Jaffna | 40 | Army | [336] [337] [338] [339] [340] |
Chencholai bombing | 14 August 2006 | Mullaitivu | 61 | Air Force | [341] [342] [343] [344] |
Sampoor shelling and bombing | 28 August 2006 | Sampoor, Trincomalee | 20 | Army and Air Force | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [345] |
Digampathana bombing / Habarana massacre | 16 October 2006 | Digampathaha, Matale | 92–103 navy sailors | LTTE | [346] [347] |
Kilinochchi bombing | 2 November 2006 | Kilinochchi | 5 | Air Force | [348] |
Vaharai Bombing / Vaharai Shelling | 7 November 2006 | Kathiraveli, Batticaloa | 47 | Army | [349] [350] |
Massacre at Thandikulam | 19 November 2006 | Thandikulam, Vavuniya | 5 | Police, Army | [351] [352] [353] |
Padahuthurai bombing / Illuppaikadavai bombing | 2 January 2007 | Illuppaikadavai, Mannar | 16 | Air Force | [354] [355] [356] [357] |
Mannar mass killings | January 2007-February 2007 | Mannar | 55 | Armed Forces | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [358] |
Siththaandi massacre | 30 March 2007 | Siththaandi, Batticaloa | 9 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [359] |
Piramanalankulam massacre | 8 April 2007 | Piramanalankulam, Vavuniya | 8 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [360] |
Andiyapuliayankulam massacre | 24 April 2007 | Andiyapuliayankulam, Mannar | 4 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [361] |
Batticaloa shootings | 12 June 2007 | Batticaloa | 5 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [362] |
Kizhavankulam massacre | 10 July 2007 | Kizhavankulam, Kilinochchi | 5 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [363] |
Kaithadi killings | 13 August 2007 | Kaithadi, Jaffna | 8 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [364] |
Paasiththenral massacre | 1 September 2007 | Paasiththenral, Mannar | 12 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [365] |
Tharmapuram massacre | 25 November 2007 | Tharmapuram, Kilinochchi | 4 | Air Force | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [366] |
Massacre of school girls at Iyangkea'ni | 27 November 2007 | Iyangkea'ni, Kilinochchi | 7 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [367] |
Massacre of civilians near VoT radio station | 27 November 2007 | Kilinochchi | 11 | Air Force | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [368] |
Poonakari massacre | 22 February 2008 | Poonakari, Kilinochchi | 8 | Air Force | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [369] |
Massacre of Tamil civilians by Deep Penetration Unit | 27 February 2008 | Mullaitivu | 8 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [370] |
Murukandy claymore attack | 23 May 2008 | Murukandy, Kilinochchi | 16 | Army | According to pro-LTTE TamilNet [371] |
Shelling of Jaffna coastal villages | 29 May 2008 | Jaffna | 6 | Army | According to pro-LTTE TamilNet [372] |
Puthoor massacre | 2 June 2008 | Puthoor, Mullaitivu | 6 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [373] |
Puthukkudiyiruppu bombing | 15 June 2008 | Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu | 4 | Air Force | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [374] |
Puthumurippu massacre | 30 August 2008 | Puthumurippu, Kilinochchi | 5 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [375] |
Thirukkoayil massacre | 16 October 2008 | Thirukkoayil, Ampara | 4 | STF | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [376] |
Murasumoaddai bombing | 31 December 2008 | Murasumoaddai, Kilinochchi | 5 | Air Force | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [377] |
Bombing of Murasumoaddai | 1 January 2009 | Murasumoaddai, Kilinochchi | 5 | Air Force | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [378] |
Mullaitivu petrol station and bus depot bombing | 2 January 2009 | Mullaitivu | 4 | Air Force | [379] [380] |
Shelling and bombardment of Kilinochchi | 1-7 January 2009 | Kilinochchi | 12 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [381] |
Thevipuram and Vaddakachchi shelling | 8 January 2009 | Thevipuram, Vaddakachchi, Mullaitivu | 5 | Army | [382] |
Tharmapuram Hospital shelling | 8 January 2009 | Tharmapuram, Mullaitivu | 7 | Army | [382] [383] |
Shelling of Puthukkudiyiruppu | 11 January 2009 | Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu | 4 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [384] |
Shelling and bombardment of Kaiveali, Koampaavil, and Visuvamadu | 16 January 2009 | Kaiveali, Koampaavil, and Visuvamadu, Mullaitivu | 5 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [385] |
Visuvamadu shelling | 17-20 January 2009 | Visuamadu, Mullaitivu | 17 | Army | [386] |
Shelling and bombardment of Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi suburbs | 18 January 2009 | Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi | 18+ | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [387] |
No Fire Zone shelling and bombardment | 19 January 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 16 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [388] |
Suthanthirapuram, Thevipuram, Udayarkattu and Vallipuram shelling | 20 January 2009 | Suthanthirapuram, Thevipuram, Udayarkattu, Vallipuram, Mullaitivu | 18+ | Army | [386] |
Vallipuram Hospital shelling | 22 January 2009 | Vallipuram, Mullaitivu | 5 | Army | [383] [386] |
Moonkilaru, Thevipuram and Udayarkattu shelling | 22 January 2009 | Moonkilaru, Thevipuram, Udayarkattu, Mullaitivu | 40 | Army | [386] |
No Fire Zone shelling and bombardment | 23 January 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 5 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [389] |
Suthanthirapuram shelling | 24 January 2009 | Suthanthirapuram Junction, Mullaitivu | 11+ | Army | [390] |
Udaiyaarkaddu shelling | 24 January 2009 | Udaiyaarkaddu, Mullaitivu | 12 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [391] |
No Fire Zone shelling and bombardment | 25 January 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 22 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [392] |
Suthanthirapuram and Udayarkattu shelling | 26 January 2009 | Suthanthirapuram, Udayarkattu, Mullaitivu | 11 | Army | [393] |
Puthukkudiyiruppu shelling | 26-31 January 2009 | Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu | 210 | Army | [394] |
Udayaarkaddu Hospital shelling | 26 January 2009 | Udayaarkaddu, Mullaitivu | 12 | Army | [383] [393] |
No Fire Zone shelling and bombardment | 26-28 January 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 346 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [395] [396] [397] |
Suthanthirapuram bombardment | 29 January 2009 | Suthanthirapuram, Mullaitivu | 44 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [398] |
Moongkilaaru bombardment | 31 January-1 February 2009 | Moongkilaaru, Mullaitivu | 43+ | Air Force | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [399] |
Puthukkudiyiruppu Hospital shelling | 1-3 February 2009 | Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu | 9+ | Army | [383] [390] [400] [401] |
Suthanthirapuram shelling | 3 February 2009 | Suthanthirapuram, Mullaitivu | 3-58 | Army | [402] |
No Fire Zone shelling and bombardment | 3-4 February 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 150+ | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [403] |
Ponnambalam Memorial Hospital bombing | 5-6 February 2009 | Near Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu | 75 (up to) | Army | [383] [390] [402] |
Mahtalan, Moongilaru, Suthanthirapuram, Thevipuram, Udayarkattu and Vallipuram shelling | 6 February 2009 | Mahtalan, Moongilaru, Suthanthirapuram, Thevipuram, Udayarkattu, Vallipuram, Mullaitivu | 48 | Army | [402] |
Puthukkudiyiruppu shelling | 7 February 2009 | Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu | 126 | Army | [404] |
Putumattalan shelling | 7 February 2009 | Putumattalan, Mullaitivu | 4 | Army | [405] |
Suthanthirapuram shelling | 7 February 2009 | Suthanthirapuram, Mullaitivu | 80 | Army | [405] [406] |
No Fire Zone shelling and bombardment | 9 February 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 36 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [407] |
Devipuram shelling | 9 February 2009 | Devipuram, Mullaitivu | 7 | Army | [405] |
Mattalan shelling | 9 February 2009 | Mattalan, Mullaitivu | 16 | Army | [405] |
Putumattalan Hospital shelling | 9 February-20 April 2009 | Putumattalan, Mullaitivu | 51+ | Army | [383] [390] [408] [409] |
Indiscriminate shelling in Mullaitivu | 10-12 February 2009 | Mullaitivu | 240+ | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [410] |
Mattalan, Thevipuram and Vallipuram shelling | 11-12 February 2009 | Mattalan, Thevipuram, Vallipuram, Mullaitivu | 69 | Army | [411] |
Iranaipalai shelling | 13 February 2009 | Iranaipalai, Mullaitivu | 9 | Army | [411] |
Puthukkudiyiruppu Hospital shelling | 13 February 2009 | Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu | 14 | Army | [411] |
Thevipuram and Vallipuram shelling | 14 February 2009 | Thevipuram, Vallipuram, Mullaitivu | 36 | Army | [412] |
No Fire Zone shelling and bombardment | 14-16 February 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 275 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [413] |
Mullivaikkal and Putumattalan bombing and shelling | 15 February 2009 | Mullivaikkal, Putumattalan, Mullaitivu | 19 | Army, Air Force | [412] |
Valayanmadam shelling | 15 February 2009 | Valayanmadam, Mullaitivu | 62 | Army | [412] |
Mattalan shelling | 16 February 2009 | Valayanmadam, Mullaitivu | 65 | Army | [412] |
Valayanmadam shelling | 17 February 2009 | Valayanmadam, Mullaitivu | 48 | Army | [412] |
Ampalavanpokkanai, Idaikdu and Puthukkudiyiruppu shelling | 18 February 2009 | Ampalavanpokkanai, Idaikdu, Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu | 128 | Army | [412] |
Valayanmadam bombing | 19 February 2009 | Valayanmadam, Mullaitivu | 100+ | Air Force | [414] |
Ananthapuram, Iranaipalai, Mullivaikkal and Puthukkudiyiruppu shelling | 19 February 2009 | Ananthapuram, Iranaipalai, Mullivaikkal, Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu | 17 | Army | [414] |
Valayanmadam shelling | 20 February 2009 | Valayanmadam, Mullaitivu | 12 | Army | [414] |
Ananthapuram, Iranaipalai, Pokkanai, Puthukkudiyiruppu and Valayanmadam shelling | 20 February 2009 | Ananthapuram, Iranaipalai, Pokkanai, Puthukkudiyiruppu, Valayanmadam, Mullaitivu | 92 | Army | [414] |
Ampalavanpokkanai, Mattalan, Mullivaikkal, Pokkanai and Valayanmadam shelling | 21 February 2009 | Ampalavanpokkanai, Mattalan, Mullivaikkal, Pokkanai, Valayanmadam, Mullaitivu | 69 | Army | [415] |
Ananthapuram and Iranaipalai shelling | 21 February 2009 | Ananthapuram, Iranaipalai, Mullaitivu | 13 | Army | [416] |
No Fire Zone shelling | 21-22 February 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 50 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [417] |
Puthukkudiyiruppu bombing and shelling | 25-26 February 2009 | Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu | 45 | Army, Air Force | [416] |
Mullaitivu shelling | 31 February-2 March 2009 | Mullaitivu | 122 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [418] |
Mattalan hospital bombing | 3 March 2009 | Mattalan, Mullaitivu | 13 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [419] |
No Fire Zone shelling | 4 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 78 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [420] [421] |
Ampalavakanai and Mullivaikkal shelling | 4 March 2009 | Ampalavakanai, Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | 58 | Army | [422] |
Mattalan and Valayanmadam shelling | 5 March 2009 | Mattalan, Valayanmadam, Mullaitivu | 57 | Army | [422] |
Mattalan and Valayanmadam shelling | 7 March 2009 | Mattalan, Valayanmadam, Mullaitivu | 51-52 | Army | [422] |
No Fire Zone shelling | 9 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 21-52 | Army | [422] |
No Fire Zone shelling | 10 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 133 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [423] |
No Fire Zone shelling | 11 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 72 | Army | [424] |
No Fire Zone shelling | 12 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 32-38 | Army | [424] |
No Fire Zone shelling | 12 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 82 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [425] |
Pokkanai shelling | 12 March 2009 | Pokkanai, Mullaitivu | 5 | Army | [424] |
Mattalan, Mullivaikkal and Pokkanai shelling | 13 March 2009 | Mattalan, Mullivaikkal, Pokkanai, Mullaitivu | 52 | Army | [426] |
Mattalan shelling | 13 March 2009 | Mattalan, Mullaitivu | 8 | Army | [426] |
No Fire Zone shelling and bombardment | 14 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 69 | Army, Air Force | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [427] |
No Fire Zone shelling and bombardment | 15-17 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 137 | Army, Air Force | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [428] |
Valayanmadam bombing | 17 March 2009 | Valayanmadam, Mullaitivu | 26 | Air Force | [429] |
No Fire Zone shelling | 18-20 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 102 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [430] |
Valayanmadam shelling | 20 March 2009 | Valayanmadam, Mullaitivu | 5 | Army | [431] |
No Fire Zone shelling and bombardment | 21 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 42 | Army, Air Force | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [432] |
No Fire Zone bombardment | 22-23 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 128 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [433] |
Mullivaikkal, Putumattalan and Valayanmadam shelling | 23 March 2009 | Mullivaikkal, Putumattalan, Valayanmadam, Mullaitivu | 100+ | Army | [434] |
No Fire Zone shelling and bombardment | 24 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 62 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [435] |
No Fire Zone shelling and bombardment | 25 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 131 | Army, Air Force | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [436] |
Puthumattalan hospital bombing | 26 March 2009 | Puthumattalan, Mullaitivu | 5 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [437] |
No Fire Zone shelling and bombardment | 26-28 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 179 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [438] |
No Fire Zone shelling | 27 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 61 | Army | [439] |
No Fire Zone shelling | 28 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 51 | Army | [439] |
No Fire Zone shelling and bombardment | 29 March 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 53 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [440] |
Indiscriminate attacks at Mullaitivu | 30 March 2009 | Mullaitivu | 88 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [441] |
Cluster bombing of No Fire Zone | 31 March 2009 | Mullaitivu | 45 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [442] |
Killing of 12 pregnant mothers | March 2009 | Mullaitivu | 12 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [443] |
Indiscriminate attacks on No Fire Zone | 1-3 April 2009 | Mullaitivu | 90 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [444] |
Indiscriminate attacks on No Fire Zone | 5 April 2009 | Mathalan, Pokkanai, Valaignarmadam, Iraddaivaikkal, Mullaitivu | 71 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [445] |
Pokkanai shelling | 7 April 2009 | Pokkanai, Mullaitivu | 20 | Army | [446] |
Primary Health clinic shelling | 8 April 2009 | Pokkanai, Mullaitivu | 50 | Army | [447] |
No Fire Zone shelling | 8 April 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 60 | Army | [448] |
Indiscriminate attacks at Pokkanai and Valaignarmadam | 13 April 2009 | Pokkanai and Valaignarmadam, Mullaitivu | 47 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [449] |
No Fire Zone Shelling | 12 April 2009 | No Fire Zone, Mullaitivu | 31 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [450] |
Indiscriminate attacks at Valaignarmadam and Mullivaikkal | 13 April 2009 | Valaignarmadam and Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | 23 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [451] |
Indiscriminate attacks on civilian zone in Mullivaikkal and Pokkanai | 15 April 2009 | Mullivaikkal and Pokkanai, Mullaitivu | 180 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [452] |
Shelling of No Fire Zone | 16 April 2009 | Iraddaivaikkal, Mullivaikkal and Pokkanai, Mullaitivu | 57 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [453] |
Pokkanai shelling | 19 April 2009 | Pokkanai, Mullaitivu | 4-5 | Army | [454] |
Shelling of Iraddaivaikkal and Mullivaikkal | 19 April 2009 | Iraddaivaikkal and Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | 60 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [455] |
Shelling of Mathalan and Pokkanai | 20 April 2009 | Mathalan and Pokkanai, Mullaitivu | 300 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [456] |
Valayanmadam makeshift hospital bombing | 21 April 2009 | Valayanmadam, Mullaitivu | 4-5 | Air Force | [383] [454] |
Mass killing of civilians at Puthumathalan | April 2009 | Puthumathalan, Mullaitivu | 1,500+ | Army | [457] |
Valayanmadam shelling | 23 April 2009 | Valayanmadam, Mullaitivu | 10 | Army | [458] |
Mullivaikkal Hospital bombings | 23 April-12 May 2009 | Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | 100+ | Army, Air Force | [383] [459] [460] [461] [462] [463] [464] |
Iraddayvaikkal and Mullivaikkal bombing | 28 April 2009 | Iraddayvaikkal, Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | 29 | Air Force, Navy | [465] |
Mullivaikkal makeshift hospital bombing | 29 April 2009 | Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | 9 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [466] |
Indiscriminate attacks at Mullivaikkal | 29 April 2009 | Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | 300 | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [467] |
Indiscriminate shelling at Mullivaikkal | 1 May 2009 | Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | 27+ | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [468] |
Mullivaikkal makeshift hospital bombing | 2 May 2009 | Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | 68 | Army | [383] [469] |
Valayanmadam makeshift hospital bombing | 8 May 2009 | Valayanmadam, Mullaitivu | 4-5 | Army | [470] |
Indiscriminate shelling at Mullivaikkal | 8 May 2009 | Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | 45+ | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [471] |
Indiscriminate attacks at Mullivaikkal | 10-12 May 2009 | Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | 2,600+ | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [472] [473] [474] [475] |
Mullivaikkal makeshift hospital bombing | 12 May 2009 | Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | 47 | Army | [476] [472] |
Mullivaikkal makeshift hospital bombing | 13 May 2009 | Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | 100+ | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [477] |
Massacre of civilians at Mullivaikkal | 15 May 2009 | Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | Hundreds killed | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [478] |
Indiscriminate attacks at Mullivaikkal | 16 May 2009 | Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | 100+ | Army | According to pro-rebel TamilNet [479] |
17–19 May 2009 disappearances of Tamils in Army custody | 17-19 May 2009 | Mullaitivu | 500 | Army | [480] [481] |
Massacre of civilians at Mullivaikkal | 18 May 2009 | Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | Spree of massacres | Army | [457] [482] [483] |
Mulivaikal massacre (2009) | May 2009 | Mullivaikkal, Mullaitivu | 40,000–70,000 | Largely Army; LTTE | [484] [485] [486] [487] [488] [489] [490] [491] [492] [493] [494] |
Gun Site killings of Tamil-speaking youths | late May 2009 | Trincomalee Naval Base | 11 | Navy | [495] [496] |
Welikada prison riot | 9-10 November 2012 | Welikada Prison | 27 | Police (STF), Army | [497] [498] |
Weliweriya Protestors' Attack | 1 August 2013 | Weliweirya, Gampaha | 3 | Army | [499] [500] [501] |
2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings | 21 April 2019 | Colombo, Batticaloa, Negombo | 269 | NTJ, ISIS | |
Mahara prison riot | 29 November 2020 | Mahara | 11 | Police | [502] |
Ilayathamby Tharsini was a minority Sri Lankan Tamil woman who was raped and killed in her home town of Pungudutheevu on December 16, 2005.
Sri Lankan state-sponsored colonization schemes is the government program of settling mostly Sinhalese farmers from the densely populated wet zone into the sparsely populated areas of the dry zone. This has taken place since the 1950s near tanks and reservoirs being built in major irrigation and hydro-power programs such as the Mahaweli project.
The 1990 Batticaloa massacre, also known as the Sathurukondan massacre, was a massacre of at least 184 minority Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, including infants, from three villages in the Batticaloa District by the Sri Lankan Army on September 9, 1990. Although the government instituted two investigations, no one was ever charged.
The Kumudini or Kumuthini boat massacre happened on 15 May 1985, when at least 23 minority Sri Lankan Tamil adults and children on a ferry boat named Kumudini sailing from the island of Delft to the island of Nainathivu were killed by Sri Lankan Navy personnel.
The North-East Secretariat on Human Rights (NESoHR) was established on July 9, 2004, in Kilinochchi by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as part of the 2002 Norway-facilitated peace process to monitor human rights in the North Eastern Province, Sri Lanka. According to its former secretary N. Malathy, who volunteered and worked closely with the LTTE Peace Secretariat to assist with the peace process, some leading members of citizens' committees in the North-East collectively put pressure on the LTTE to establish a civilian human rights body independent of the LTTE Peace Secretariat.
The Chencholai bombing took place on August 14, 2006 when the Sri Lankan Air Force bombed what it said was a rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) training camp, killing 61 girls aged 16 to 18. The LTTE, UNICEF, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission and UTHR all said those in the compound were not LTTE cadres.
The Kent and Dollar Farm massacres were the first massacres of Sinhalese civilians carried out by the LTTE during the Sri Lankan Civil War. The massacres took place on 30 November 1984, in two tiny farming villages in the Mullaitivu district in north-eastern Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan government labeled this as an attack on civilians by the LTTE.
The Kalmunai massacre refers to a series of mass killings that occurred in June 1990 in Kalmunai, a municipality within the Ampara District of Sri Lanka's Eastern Province. The massacre of Tamil civilians was allegedly carried out by the Sri Lankan Army in retaliation for an earlier massacre of Sri Lankan police officers. The University Teachers for Human Rights, a human rights organization, put the number of dead in the second massacre at 250, while a local Member of Parliament claimed that at least 160 people were killed.
The Mylanthanai massacre happened on August 9, 1992 when 35 minority Sri Lankan Tamils, including 14 children, at Mylanthanai in Batticaloa District in Sri Lanka, were killed.
The 2006 Trincomalee Massacre of NGO Workers, also known as the Muttur Massacre, took place on 4 or 5 August 2006, when 17 employees of the French INGO Action Against Hunger were shot at close range in the city of Muttur, Sri Lanka, close to Trincomalee. The victims included sixteen minority Sri Lankan Tamils and one Sri Lankan Muslim.
Eelam War I is the name given to the initial phase of the armed conflict between the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE.
Eelam War II is the name given to the second phase of armed conflict between Sri Lankan military and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The war started after the failure of peace talks between the Premadasa government and the LTTE. This phase of the war was initiated by the LTTE who massacred almost 600 Sinhalese and Muslim police personnel after they were ordered by the Premadasa government to surrender to the LTTE. The truce was broken on June 10, 1990, when the LTTE in October expelled all the 28,000 Muslims residing in Jaffna.
The Kattankudy Mosque Massacre was the killing of over 147 Muslim men and boys on 3 August, 1990. Around 30 armed Tamil militants raided two mosques in Kattankudy where over 300 people were prostrating in Isha prayers. The Sri Lankan government, survivors, and observers accuse the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of committing the crime. The LTTE denied involvement and never retracted the denial.
The war was waged for over a quarter of a century, with an estimated 70,000 killed by 2007. Immediately following the end of war, on 20 May 2009, the UN estimated a total of 80,000–100,000 deaths. However, in 2011, referring to the final phase of the war in 2009, the Report of the Secretary-General's Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka stated, "A number of credible sources have estimated that there could have been as many as 40,000 civilian deaths." The large majority of these civilian deaths in the final phase of the war were said to have been caused by indiscriminate shelling of a formerly designated 'No Fire Zone' by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces.
The 1985 Trincomalee massacres refers to a series of mass murder of Tamil civilians by the Sri Lankan military and Sinhalese home guards in Trincomalee District, Sri Lanka. In a succession of events that spanned over two months, hundreds of Tamil civilians were massacred and thousands were driven out by the Sri Lankan military and Sinhalese mobs in order to colonize the area. Almost every Tamil settlement in the district was destroyed during this well-orchestrated campaign to drive out the local Tamil population. Several Tamil women were also raped. In September 1985, the entire Tamil population of Trincomalee town was displaced to forests and refugee camps in an attack that wiped out the town, including the destruction of 12 temples and a mosque. Since August 16, over 50,000 Tamils who were forced to flee the town ended up in refugee camps in the Jaffna and Batticaloa districts.
Sexual violence against Tamils in Sri Lanka has occurred repeatedly during the island's long ethnic conflict. The first instances of rape of Tamil women by Sinhalese mobs were documented during the 1958 anti-Tamil pogrom. This continued in the 1960s with the deployment of the Sri Lankan Army in Jaffna, who were reported to have molested and occasionally raped Tamil women.
Vadivel Nimalarajah is a minority Sri Lankan Tamil proof reader for the newspaper Uthayan in Jaffna. He has been missing after being abducted on November 17, 2007, after working overnight in the Uthayan newspaper office. Uthayan has been specifically targeted for its independent reporting by the Sri Lankan military and the paramilitary group EPDP.International Federation of Journalists lists his case in its campaign "Without a Trace" amongst the top 10 cases of enforced disappearances of media workers which still remains untraced in Asia Pacific.