With Murugan Satchithananthan, Former Parliamentarian, R. Mohan, Retired Principal, A.Thiyagalingam, Retired Principal and K. Pathmanathan, Businessman.
Black July created immense turmoil in the lives of Tamil people. Perpetrators ruthlessly targeted individuals, sparing no effort in causing destruction. Within a short time, cultural, religious, educational and recreational establishments were reduced to ruins. The memories of that day continue to haunt survivors, reminding them of the irreversible changes it brought to their lives.
This narrative takes us through significant locations for Tamil community in Bandarawela, where they reflect on the day that altered their existence.
“This is a sacred land to us. We come here every day seeking protection and prosperity. I had such happy memories of this place but now every time I think of this place, it reminds me of the day that my mother completely changed. On Black July, we ran for sanctuary to the kovil. We thought we were safe but that was not true. They came in, grabbed my mother and tore off her necklace. That one moment changed her forever. She was never the same and that trauma stayed with her until she died.”
“We have completely renovated this temple now. It is beautiful. But it does not mean that we have forgotten what happened here. The memory is still there.”
“They killed hundreds as they burnt the kovil to the ground. But they did not stop there. With a list of addresses in their hands and understanding that the police would not stop them, they walked into houses in search of people. Sometimes they set the places on fire while families hid.”
“My family used to live together. We were a huge family. They did not spare our homes. My father lost much of his land. He watched two houses burn to the ground. It was devastating enough to lose our mother but after my father saw what had happened to the properties, to the homes he had built for his family, he was traumatized. He could not protect his own home. Even if they continued to live, it does not mean that they were the same or that they were able to recover from the trauma. My father and mother are examples of people who were never the same after that day.”
If you survive an attack, people assume that you will be okay. Minister Murugan’s story explains how that is not always true. His family may have fewer physical scars than many other Tamils but the mental trauma still remained and like his family, many other Tamil families were destroyed. This is why they plead for accountability and reconciliation.
One change that fueled ethnic tensions was the segregation of classes based on language, which eroded the unity that once existed among students of different backgrounds.
“A huge mistake was segregating classes based on language. There was never a Sinhala and Tamil medium; we were all in the same class, talking in one language and enjoying each other’s company. We would go for our separate language classes but aside from that we were always together, learning side by side as one community. When they separated us, it removed the unity we once had. We started to think about race and separating people according to the language that we spoke.”
They destroyed everything, including places loved by all communities. If it was owned by a Tamil family, it would be destroyed. Recreational places such as the Bandarawela cinema were spaces where people came together to enjoy shared experiences. The burnt cinema stands as a reminder of the destruction and the shattered sense of community that prevailed afterwards.
“We used to love coming here. Everyone, not just Tamils but Sinhalese, Muslims and every community member used to gather here. They completely destroyed it. We watched it burn from a distance. The owners have not attempted to renovate it. They fled and I do not think they ever returned.”
The story of Black July is one of immense pain and loss with lasting impacts on the lives of the Tamil people. The plea for accountability and reconciliation arises from the understanding that the memory of these events events continue to shape their existence. The destruction inflicted on significant sites underscores the urgent need to address the grievances and seek a path towards healing and unity.