Akkaraipattu massacre

{{Short description|1986 killing of Tamil farmers by the Sri Lankan Army in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka}}

{{Infobox civilian attack

| title = Akkaraipattu massacre

| image =

| caption =

| map = {{Location map | Sri Lanka | lat_deg = 7 | lat_min = 13 | lat_sec = | lat_dir = N | lon_deg = 81 | lon_min = 51 | lon_sec = | lon_dir = E | label = | alt = | caption= | AlternativeMap = Sri Lanka relief location map.jpg}}

| location = Akkaraipattu, Sri Lanka

| coordinates = {{coord|7|13|N|81|51|E|region:LK|display=inline,title}}

| target = Sri Lankan Tamil civilians

| date = February 19, 1986

| time =

| timezone = +6 GMT

| type = Firing

| fatalities = 80

| injuries =

| perps = Sri Lankan army

| weapons = Guns

}}

Akkaraipattu massacre happened on 19 February 1986 when approximately 80 Tamil farm workers were killed by the Sri Lankan Army personnel and their bodies burned in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka.{{cite book | last = Frerks | first = George |author2= Bart Klem | title = Dealing with diversity: Sri Lankan Discourses on Peace and Conflict | publisher = Netherlands Institute of International Relations | year = 2004 | isbn = 90-5031-091-5 }}p.118{{cite news | last = Humphrey | first = Hawksley | title = Massacre in Akkaraipattu | work = The Guardian | date = February 22, 1986 | url = http://www.tamilnation.co/indictment/indict041.htm }} The incident came to light a few days later when community leaders visited the remote location near the town of Akkaraipattu, where the farm workers were shot.

Details

According to community leaders, the farm workers were threshing the paddy fields when troops appeared from the nearby jungle firing into the air. The women were freed, but the soldiers rounded up the men, tied their hands and made them sit on the road. The farm workers were taken back to the paddy fields and shot. Several empty cases of ammunition have been found in the field. Later the bodies were piled on top of the dry rice harvest and burned.{{cite book | title = IDSA News Review on South Asia/Indian Ocean | publisher = Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses | year = 1985 }}p.363

See also

References