• Sri Lanka tightens security as activists commemorate the 1983 anti-Tamil riots.
• Riots turned into state-led deadly violence lasting six days.
• Official estimates suggest death toll between 400 to 600

Sri Lanka increased security measures as activists gathered in the capital, Colombo, to commemorate the victims of the 1983 anti-Tamil riots, which played a significant role in fueling a deadly civil war. Members of North-South Solidarity, a group of human rights defenders from both the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamil communities, carried a banner that read, “Let’s not forget the slaughter of Tamils.”

Dozens of activists participated in the commemoration, lighting coconut oil lamps and candles outside Colombo’s main cemetery, where the inter-communal violence began four decades ago. The turmoil was triggered when the government, at that time, attempted a mass burial for 13 Sinhalese soldiers killed in a Tamil rebel landmine attack on July 23, 1983.

Relatives of the soldiers demanded individual funerals, leading to clashes with the police. Subsequently, their attacks shifted towards Tamils and Tamil-owned shops in the area. What initially started as a spontaneous backlash against Tamils eventually escalated into state-led deadly violence that persisted for six days.

Official estimates suggest that the riot death toll ranged between 400 to 600, but Tamil groups argue that the actual number is much higher, potentially reaching into the thousands. The commemoration serves as a poignant reminder of the tragic events of 1983 and the lasting impact they have had on the country’s history and communities.

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