Today Tamils all over the world will psychologically relive the events of July-1983. For those who may have forgotten the historic turning point, we do not need to define it in many words, just one picture should tell the story. For the benefit of the new generation of Tamils, Sangam will retrace relevant articles related to the Black July in the next two weeks. For a pictorial depiction of the events please visit the Sangam’s photo archives.
A Ritual before the killing (1983)
A review of events of historic importance reveals that the month of July is of high interest to Tamils in their quest for freedom:
Pre-1983-July:
1776-July 04 – US Independence (armed struggle to freedom from British domination)
1789-July 14 – French Independence from monarchy (storming of a famous prison)
1957-July 26- Bandaranayaka-Chelvanayagam Pact on Conflict Resolution
1960-July 19 – Laser technology invented
1969-July 20 – Americans land on the moon
1975-July 27- Thuraiappa assassination (first political killing directed against a person)
1977-July 21- Tamils vote overwhelmingly for a “Separate State”– Vaddukoddai resolutions
1979-July 20 – Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) imposed on Tamils by JR
Black July 1983:
1983-July 23- Thirunelvelli attack on SLA- a turning point in Tamil resistance movement
1983-July 24 – Onset of Tamil genocide – Black July
1983-July 25 – Wellikadai prison massacre-I (35 Tamil political detainees killed by mobs)
1983-July 27- Wellikadai prison massacre-II (19 Tamil political detainees killed by mobs)
Post-1983-July
1985-July 13- Thimpu Declarations on Tamil Rights
1987-July 06 – Capt. Miller’s Uyir-Aayutham operation in Nelliyady shocks the enemy
xxxx -July 05 – Black Tiger Day (a demonstrated force against Sinhala domination)
1987-July 29 – Rajiv (India)-JR (Sinhalese) Accord. 6000 Tamils perish under IPKF
1990-July 10 – Edithara (Command and Control ship of SLA) first attacked by LTTE-Navy
1990-July 11- Kokavil military complex decimated by LTTE
1991-July 10 – Elephant-pass battle – Viewed by historians as a war between two nations
1992-July 05 – Military aircraft (Y-8) shot down by LTTE during Bala Vegaya aggression
1993-July 25 – Mankinddi Malai military complex decimated (Sinhala colonization stiffled)
1995-July 16- Edithara military ship sunk by LTTE-Sea Black Tigers 5 years after first attack
1995-July 24 – Mannal Aaru attcked by LTTE (LTTE looses 153 troops)
1996-July 09 – Navali St. Peters church bombed by SL-air force (141 Tamil civilians killed)
1996-July 09 – Minister Kadirgamar warns RedCross against leaking church bombing news
1996-July 19 – Mullaitheevu battle (>1000 SLA and 314 LTTE troops killed)
1998-July 03 – Chemmani mass-grave exposed in High Court (628 Tamils disappear)
2001-July 24- Daring Katunayaka Military/Airport complex attack by 14 Black Tigers