Black July 1983: Tamil Genocide in Sri Lanka  July 14, 2025:  Black July refers to a week of brutal anti-Tamil riots in Sri Lanka from late July 1983, which the Tamil community regards as an act of genocide. Over several days, Sinhalese mobs—often aided by elements of the state—attacked minority Tamil civilians, killing thousands, raping women, and burning homes and businesses. These events sparked Sri Lanka’s 26-year civil war and a mass exodus of Tamils, leaving an enduring legacy of trauma and impunity. This dossier provides a detailed timeline of the violence, analyzes its causes and consequences, and reviews the international response, highlighting gross human rights violations and the ongoing need for justice. Timeline of Events (Black July 1983) July 23, 1983 (Saturday): In northern Sri Lanka, Tamil militants of the LTTE ambush an army patrol near Jaffna, killing 13 Sinhalese soldiers. News of this attack enrages the armed forces. That night and into the early hou...

“Unheard Echoes: The 1990 Massacres in Eastern Sri Lanka” Edited by: Wimal Navaratnam, July 14, 2025, Brampton, Ontario, Canada. A Global Call for Justice, Memory, and Accountability in the Wake of Tamil Civilian Atrocities In mid-1990, Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province became the scene of horrific massacres of Tamil civilians amid the renewal of the civil war. Following a breakdown of peace talks in June 1990, government forces and allied militias unleashed a brutal campaign against Tamil villages in Batticaloa, Ampara, and Trincomalee districts. These massacres – often referred to by Tamils as part of “Black September 1990” – saw entire communities rounded up, shot, hacked, or burned to death. Survivors and human rights investigations have documented a clear pattern of systematic violence, with Sri Lankan Army troops frequently aided by Muslim Home Guard paramilitaries in targeting unarmed Tamil men, women, and children. What follows is a detailed timeline of key incidents in 1990, firs...