1991 Kokkadichcholai massacre

Kokkadicholai is in reality a collection of number of hamlets close to the lagoon west of Batticaloa city. The dominant ethnic group was the minority Sri Lankan Tamils belonging to the Mukkuvar caste who were mostly farmers. There was an army camp within the main hamlet that used to be supplied with food via a ferry that was transported by a tractor to the camp. On June 12, 1991, about 12:45 PM an improvised explosive device was detonated under a supply tractor that killed two Sri Lankan Army soldiers. Following the explosion, more soldiers started moving from Kokkadichcholai to the scene of the explosion. At this army camp, there was also a group of 10 militants who belonged formerly to the paramilitary group Peoples Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE). Some of this group too went with the soldiers towards the scene but they were disarmed by the soldiers. These disarmed paramilitary cadres went back to the village and warned the civilians an attack on them was imminent.[5]

Most able men and some women were able to get away but a group of individuals who could not get away took refuge at a rice processing mill belonging to a one Kurukulasingam. It was estimated that over a hundred people were in this house. It was reported by survivors that a group of soldiers from Kokkadichcholai entered the mill premises and opened fire. Many inside the mill were killed and those in the adjoining house injured. Once the soldiers left survivors and onlookers went to the mill to inspect the status of the dead. It was estimated that about 35 people were looking around the premises when another group of another six soldiers thrust the onlookers into the premises and shot them along with the five previously injured. The soldiers then attempted to set fire to the corpses. Amongst the dead were old people, women and children. Later on 17 youngsters were taken from a nearby hamlet called Mudalaikudah to the crater caused by the explosion and killed and their bodies burnt. Number of properties were also burnt as well as property looted. As the army stayed within the camp on the 13th, amongst the early visitors to the massacre site were the rebel LTTE group who took photographic records of the corpses. (see images here). As the sun rose, the corpses began to decompose and stink. At about 2.00 p.m. the villagers buried most of the corpses.[5][8]

On June 16 an official party including the prime minister, Bradman Weerakoon and local members of parliament one Casinadar, Joseph Pararajasingham and Karunakaran were brought to the Kokkadichcholai army camp by helicopter. As the army Army maintained that those killed were Tigers and that it was unsafe to go to the villages, the prime minister's party was airlifted back to Batticaloa and taken to the rest house. As the prime minister was unable to meet the affected people, local M.P Joseph Pararajasingham met the people. By June 20 changes were made at the Kokkadichcholai camp by adding new officer was in charge.[5]

According to UTHR, the number of victims according to leading local citizens following a house to house check, 67 bodies were identified and buried and a further 56 were missing (a total of 123). Most of the missing persons are presumed dead and cannot be identified, because like the seventeen burnt in the mine crater, they had been mostly burnt to ashes. The rice mill had the largest number of bodies – 43, although the police (with a history of minimising evidence) maintained that only 32 were killed.[5] The locals also reported that at least six women (including two sisters) were raped, and despite the police denials, this was confirmed privately by medical officials.[5]