1989 Valvettiturai massacre

1989 Valvettiturai massacre
Location of Sri Lanka
LocationValvettiturai, Sri Lanka
Date2–3 August 1989 (+6 GMT)
TargetSri Lankan Tamil civilians
Attack type
Shooting, burning, shelling
WeaponsGuns, cannons, grenades, fire
Deaths64 (52 identified, 12 missing and presumed dead)[1]
Injured43[1]
PerpetratorsIndian Army soldiers of the Indian Peace Keeping Force

The 1989 Valvettiturai massacre occurred on 2 and 3 August 1989 in the small coastal town of Valvettiturai, on the Jaffna Peninsula in Sri Lanka. Sixty-four Sri Lankan Tamil civilians were killed by soldiers of the Indian Peace Keeping Force. The massacre followed an attack on the soldiers by rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam cadres. The rebel attack had left six Indian soldiers, including an officer, dead, and another 10 injured. Indian authorities claimed that the civilians were caught in crossfire. Journalists such as Rita Sebastian of the Indian Express,[1] David Husego of the Financial Times and local human rights groups such as the University Teachers for Human Rights have reported quoting eyewitness accounts that it was a massacre of civilians.[2] George Fernandes, who later served as defense minister of India (1998–2004), called the massacre India’s My Lai.[3]

  1. ^ a b c Sebastian, Rita (24 August 1989). "Massacre at Point Pedro" (PDF). Indian Express. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 July 2007. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  2. ^ Hoole, Rajan. "Vadamaratchi: April/August 1989". University Teachers for Human Rights. Archived from the original on 29 April 2009. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  3. ^ Sharma, Sitaram (1998). Contemporary political leadership in India: George Fernandes- The defense minister. APH Publications. ISBN 978-81-7024-999-3. p.211–212