HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: haycock@marley.think.com (Anne Haycock)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Subject: Re: More on Tiger Trash
Date: 13 Apr 92 09:54:43
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA
	<kua1qsINNfbp@phakt.usc.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: marley.think.com
In-reply-to: vnesiah@phakt.usc.edu's message of 9 Apr 1992 20:11:24 -0700

I remember:

I was in Colombo during the riots.  I remember the first day -- I was
working in the US Embassy warehouse (for the life of me I can't remember
the name of the area but it was by the library).  I remember hearing these
loud "booms" and then being told to go home (I lived across from Colombo
University).  I drove my friend Danny to the pick up his sister at the
swimming club and take them to the American Cultural Center ... on our way
we passed a tank ... I didn't have the most inconspicuous car (a bubblegum
pink vw bug) and Danny was sure we were going to be blown off the road.
Anyhow, I got home without mishap and waited.  My dad came home an hour or
so later -- he had walked from the Mahaweli Water District offices --
according to him, organized violence and looting were the keywords.  He was
often in the middle of hordes of "thugs" running from shop to shop, looting
& destroying ... but he recognized that the shops were selectively chosen,
not randomly.  I found out later from my friend Danny (his father was with
the US Information Service and was fluent in both Sinhala and Tamil) that
the attacks were both random and, as Vaseeharan said, organized by voting
lists et.al.  Groups of thugs (as described to me) continued the spree, but
with greater intent to kill all Tamils they could find (speaking to them in
Sinhala to see if they couldn't answer, or answered with an accent)-- Danny
lived out towards Mt. Lavinia and saw firsthand people being hauled from
their cars, doused with petrol and set afire -- all while the police and
army stood by, watching.  From the accounts I have heard, it appeared that
the intent (by ???) was to create an atmosphere of chaos; like arson--you
carefully set the stage and then when the fire catches it becomes
uncontrollable.  Who then can be pinpointed for the blame?  A very
carefully organized and orchestrated series of events which took advantage
of the events in Jaffna to add fuel to the fire.  I was not involved in
knowing the politics of the time -- wish that I had.  My family left Sri
Lanka in 1986 -- my last memories were of Yala, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy -- for
that I am thankful.  It grieves me that the strife continues.  As in other
countries, politicians et.al. use certain situations to their own ends; and
millions will die in the process.

I hope you don't mind me sharing these reminiscences -- I have learned so
much reading this newsgroup that I see that things were far more complex
than I could have imagined. 

Praying for peace,

//anne//

   Therefore we have three unrelated yet very real and unfortunate events
   that are used, twisted and reshaped by people to support their excuses
   and strengthen their arguements.

   They are

   * the gang rape
   * the ambush
   * the riots


   Vaseeharan




Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
From: mvishnu@morse.waterloo.edu (m vishnu)
Subject: How did 83 riots started ?
Originator: mvishnu@morse.waterloo.edu
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 02:21:09 GMT


> 
> 
> Have these people forgotten how the riots of 83 started in the first place?
> To refresh your memories :
> 
> It was the raping of 6 Sinhalese women in the Jaffna area and cutting up
> their bodies into pieces and throwing them around in the heart of Colombo.
> 
>                                                       --  Charles


> 
> > Man, you are totally clueless.
> > This is biggest joke I have heard.
> > Where did you hear this news from ?
> 
> Where did I get it from? I was in Colombo that time, visiting!
> Thats where I got it from.
> 
> > The July 1983 riots were sparked off when 13 members of the Special Task
> > Force were blown by an LTTE landmine in Jaffna.
> 
> Where did u get this boloney from? The LTTE newsletters???
> 
> Also, I knew a few people in the Veerakesaki newspaper in Colombo, so
> don't give me this crap!
> 
>                                         --  Charles

So here is an new and previously unknown theory on how the 83 riots
started from an eye witnewss.

Meenan Vishnu
From: rs6x+@andrew.cmu.edu (Ranjith Ravindiran Suresh)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Subject: Re: On starting the newsgroup soc.culture.tamil
Date: 16 Apr 92 05:12:22 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Junior, Civil Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

Well, I wrote today to my University's relevant computer facilities guy
for info on how to create soc.culture.tamil or whether some help can be
provided by him.  I'll update on the progress.
-Suresh
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
From: aruna@cs.UAlberta.CA (Kalutanthri Aruna J)
Subject: test
Organization: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1992 06:12:36 GMT

this is a test!!!!
From: vigneswa@ecs.umass.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Subject: World Cup Cricket : Readers' Survey.....
Date: 7 Apr 92 09:52:50 GMT

	We conducted a survey in few newsgroups including this just before
the start of the World Cup 1992. We posted the "final gradings" of all the 
participants of this survey a while ago in rec.sport.cricket. Pl. refer to 
that if you are one of the  participants (or if  you are interested).  You 
may send a note to the above address, if you want a copy of it.

Thanks,

Vicky and John,
UMass, Apr 07
From: obey@ds13.scri.fsu.edu (Dr. Obeysekera)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Subject: Sinhala chauvinism vs. Tamil nationalism
Date: 9 Apr 92 02:25:29 GMT
Followup-To: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Distribution: na
Organization: SCRI, Florida State University


Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
From: gaddam@remus.rutgers.edu (Surekha Reddy Gaddam)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Subject: 25 dead in a blast in Ampara dist
Date: 10 Apr 92 22:28:07 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.


Source	: The Embassy of India
Date	: April 10, 1992

Forwarded by:
gnreddy@cbnewsf.att.com (G.Narotham Reddy)

			* * *

Colombo - April 10 (PTI):  At least 25 people were killed and over
12 others wounded when a powerful bomb exploded in a bus at the
eastern Ampara dist Friday morning, military officials said,
	the bus coming from Kalmunai, also in the eastern province,
was parked at the Ampara bus terminus when the blast occured.
The total number of passengers in the bus could not be known.
	A spokesman of the joint oeprations command of the Sri
Lankan defence ministry said most of the bodies were torn to 
peices.
	Twelve of the wounded were in  a serious condition at
the Ampara general hospital.

			* End *
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
From: raj@breccia.cs.odu.edu (M.P. Krishna Raj)
Subject: soc.culture.tamil
Originator: raj@breccia.ocean.odu.edu
Organization: Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 18:57:43 GMT


Someone wondered is there any group for really exist for
malasia and singapore.

You can see that in the listing of newsgroups. There is no newsgroup
for
malasians and singaporeans separately. There is a asean group. So I
believe soc.culture.tamil can only serve the purpose . You read the
soc.asean yourself and make your one decision.


Organization: Junior, Civil Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 13:41:21 -0400 
From: Ranjith Ravindiran Suresh <rs6x+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: News Flash!

An important announcement:

A new news group been formed at the urge of millions:
netnews.alt.ltte.gun-culture as of Saturday midnight.

And I've been summarily executed (oops!) ..I mean selected to moderate
this to-be-energetic news group. I swear by word of Allah, to do my best to 
to get the ball moving in this group. 

A mountain of work is to be done.
I need all your cooperatiuon....NO death threats allowed against anyone!
But, you can criticize, defame, issue non-fatal threats and make or do
anything as permitted by me.  All JVP, BJP members and Sena's followers
welcome to this new outlet as long as they take an oath of pro-Tamil
allegiance. Being opposed to the 'Islamic Bomb,' I cannot allow any
Islamic Jihad members to infiltrate. PLO and IRA most welcome. P.L.O has
been given an honorary seat at the Presidiem of moderators at the urge
of Hon. Presdident Premadasa.  Anoymous users welcome too.

Thanks for the help.
Rajith
From: ly_weera@csd.brispoly.ac.uk (L. Yasodara Weerawardena)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Subject: HAPPY SINHALA NEW YEAR!
Date: 13 Apr 92 12:35:10 GMT
Organization: Bristol Polytechnic, England


   



    Wishing you, every body a peacefull **** SINHALESE_ NEW YEAR******
                                                                  
      * *   ***  *   *  *  *  **** *     *   ***   *   *   *****   **
     *       *   **  *  *  *  *  *  *   *   *   *  **  *     *    *  *
       *     *   * * *  ****  ****   * *    *****  * * *     *    ****   
       *     *   *  **  *  *  *  *    *     *   *  *  **     *    *  *
   * *      ***  *   *  *  *  *  *    *     *   *  *   *     *    *  *
                                                              
                  

            **      * *  ****   *** *    *****   !
           *  *    *       *    *    *     *     !
           ****    * *     *    *****      *     !
           *  *       *    *    *    *     *     !
           *  *   * * *  ****   *     *  *****   *
                           
Organization: Junior, Civil Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1992 05:44:23 -0400 
From: Ranjith Ravindiran Suresh <rs6x+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Part 7 : Who Created the Tigers(LTTE) ?

Just what I was looking. Busy at the moment, I can't go and dig old
stuff for explanation of 'real' reasons for Tigers' birth and their
continual survival. Real and perceived discrmination along with lack of
securuty at the hands of SL army& police helped create the hotbed for
all the militant groups. But, the things mentioned in " Part 7 : Who
Created the Tigers(LTTE)" made a bigger and a lasting impact in the
growth and continuously sustained strength of
LTTE. Till, those whoe need to grasp  the 'real' issues behind the
civil? war realize them, LTTE is not going anywhere. Anyone should be
able to go anywhere and live if he/she choses to live there ....but
shouldn't be part of a grand design that carries the overtone of Israeil
'settlement' plans.
Organization: Junior, Civil Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Date: Thu,  9 Apr 1992 23:51:49 -0400 
From: Ranjith Ravindiran Suresh <rs6x+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Sinhala chauvinism vs. Tamil nationalism
Distribution: na

here goes,
The difference between Sinhala chauvinism and Tamil nationalism
now is at best murky. But, Tamil nationalism  came about as a response
to Sinhala chauvism. So, one's existence gave birth to the other.



Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
From: mvishnu@bbcr1.uwaterloo.ca (Meenan Vishnu)
Subject: TAMIL NADU / LTTE / IPKF
Originator: mvishnu@bbcr1.waterloo.edu
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 00:27:38 GMT




Some one mentioned that LTTE is smuggling narcotic drugs in the west
is an OPEN SECRET.

Could that someone please tell me where he/she got that information
from ? (Any non-indian news source is fine)

How did the officials determine that the smuggler was a LTTE
member ?


Aside:

Some Indians, as evident from there postings on TN/IPKF/LTTE seem to have 
an idea that since India is a big country, it can bully its neighbors as
it pleases and that the affected people should just keep quite.

Well wake up guys!  This is the age of guerrilla warfare, where 
unrightous big ugly aggressrors are beaten by small armed forces

US by Vietnam, USSR by Afghanistan, and  IPKF by LTTE.

Meenan Vishnu
From: smn@cm.cf.ac.uk (smn)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Subject: Dirty trick....
Date: 11 Apr 92 01:52:51 GMT
Organization: United University of Sri Lanka(UUSL)
X-Mailer: Cardiff Computing Maths PP Mail Open News Gateway

In article <1992Apr10.083208.5789@rdg.dec.com> elan@rdg.dec.com writes:
|In article <1992Apr9.142504.18457@watserv1.waterloo.edu>, mvishnu@morse.waterloo.edu (m vishnu) writes:
||> 
||> > Have these people [SL Tamils] forgotten how the riots of 83 started
||> > in the first place?
||> > To refresh your memories :
||> > 
||> > It was the raping of 6 Sinhalese women in the Jaffna area and cutting up
||> > their bodies into pieces and throwing them around in the heart of Colombo.
||> 
||> > 
||> >                                                       --  Charles
||> 
||> Man, you are totally clueless.
||> This is the biggest joke I have heard in a while.
|
|And seriously **IGNORANT**
||> Meenan Vishnu
|
|-- 
|Elangco

It is neither ignorance nor joking.....
rather it is a deliberately made dirty rumour/trick/campaign....
It is very unfortunate.. some people enjoy themselves by doing so....
perhaps a part of the process of chaos.....

Yet, there will be a day for them to realise that .....
as many sinhala friends realised, during the eradication of the JVP, what we have been
experiencing for decades, earler island-wide lately in the North and East.....

When I was personally told by many friends of these.... I really felt sorry for them... 
it is not at all difficult for me to understand their feelings.
+++++
S.L.Ankan
From: vnesiah@phakt.usc.edu (Deep Third Man)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Subject: Re: More on Tiger Trash
Date: 9 Apr 1992 20:11:24 -0700
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: phakt.usc.edu

In article <1992Apr9.142504.18457@watserv1.waterloo.edu> mvishnu@morse.waterloo.edu (m vishnu) writes:
>
>> Have these people [SL Tamils] forgotten how the riots of 83 started
>> in the first place?
>> To refresh your memories :
>> 
>> It was the raping of 6 Sinhalese women in the Jaffna area and cutting up
>> their bodies into pieces and throwing them around in the heart of Colombo.
>
>> 
>>                                                       --  Charles
>
>Man, you are totally clueless.
>This is the biggest joke I have heard in a while.

Its not at all funny.  This guy is obviously a victim of rumors that
have grown way out of propotion.  I don't think anybody would be stupid 
enough to make such a claim knowing that its not true.
There is a very faint ring of truth to his statement but that is all 
there is to it. Thats the bit about a multiple rape.

However, there was no rape of Sinhalese women in Jaffna.
There was a rape in Jaffna and it was a gang rape of four young girls
(thamil speaking) who were returning from a tuition center. The gang involved
was a collection of armed forces personnel. Such rapes were not uncommon.
However, the next evening, 13 members of the armed forces were killed in a
landmine / ambush around the same area where the girls were abducted.
Two or three of the four victims eventually committed suicide.

The timing and location of the ambush led many people in Jaffna 
to suppose that the 13 killed were in retaliation for the rape the 
previous day. This is heresay.  The people who ambushed the army vehicle
never claimed credit or issued any statement. Besides, it is unlikely that
any group (I'm not sure who did it) had the technical knowhow or the skill
to be able to carry out such an attack in less than 24 hrs.  This was in
my opinion a planned attack just as all ambushes tend to be.  

However, the killing of the 13 was followed by massive ORGANIZED anti-thamil
riots in most of Sri Lanka.  The key word is ORGANIZED.  People in Colombo
and elsewhere on the island assumed that the riots were in retaliation
for the killing of the 13.  Again this was assumed.  The riots were very well
organized and coordinated (electoral lists, gang transport fleets, etc..).
A spontaneous outburst it was not!

Therefore we have three unrelated yet very real and unfortunate events
that are used, twisted and reshaped by people to support their excuses
and strengthen their arguements.

They are

* the gang rape
* the ambush
* the riots
 

>
>For your information:
>The July 1983 anti-Tamil riots were sparked off when 13 members of the
>Special Task Force (STF) were blown by an LTTE landmine in Jaffna.

I don't think the STF existed then. I could be wrong here. I think I remember
it as being a joint patrol of the Army and Police ( a common practice then).

>
>
>Meenan Vishnu

Vaseeharan


Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
From: nasokan@maytag.waterloo.edu (Asokan)
Subject: Re: TAMIL NADU / LTTE / IPKF
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 01:46:34 GMT

In article <1992Apr8.002738.15815@ccng.waterloo.edu> mvishnu@bbcr1.uwaterloo.ca (Meenan Vishnu) writes:
[....]
>
>
>
>Well wake up guys!  This is the age of guerrilla warfare, where 
>unrightous big ugly aggressrors are beaten by small armed forces
>
>US by Vietnam, USSR by Afghanistan, and  IPKF by LTTE.

Hmmm...is it just me or is there a distinct break in the
structure of the above sentence?  You didn't say:
	.... India by Eelam
or
	.... India by Sri Lanka.

No, I am not going to make any Freudian interpretations.... :-)
[...]

- Asokan
From: rs6x+@andrew.cmu.edu (Ranjith Ravindiran Suresh)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Subject: New Year!
Date: 12 Apr 92 21:37:02 GMT
Organization: Junior, Civil Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA


Happy NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE! Lets all wish for the return of peace and harmony
to our deeply droubled land. May be,this is the year...

-Suresh
From: 2816af@GMUVAX.GMU.EDU
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Subject: Re: SRI-LANKAN TAMIL CULTURE AND LITERATURE
Date: 16 Apr 92 18:33:00 GMT


>From: raj@quartzite.cs.odu.edu (M.P. Krishna Raj)
>Dear Sri-Lankan Tamils,
>We( Tamils of India) do not know much about you and your culture.
>We used to hear much of the radio broadcast to hear filmsongs.
>I used to watch roopavahini tamil programs. Still we are not fully
>aware of the society there.
 
>The reason behind is that we haven't studied properly about you in
>school and college education. I remember only there is passing remark
>tamil people in tea estates.
 
Of course, there are no REAL TAMILS in Sri Lanka other than the one
who migrated to sri-lanka last century.
They are working in tea estates.
 
The so-called Jaffna tamils who live in North
and Batticaloa Tamils who live in East are not REAL TAMILS.
Almost all of them are Sinhalese.
Their fathers are Sinhalese.
Their mothers too.
This was proved by many scholars such as
Dr. Sri Tharan at University of Colorado,
Dr. Balusinhama, Dr. Ballachandi list goes on and on.
Look at their names, they are  all Sinhalese.
 
Tamil is a  great language. - (Of course all languages are great.)
Sinhale people lived in Jaffna learned Tamil because  Tamil Nadu is
very close.
Later they wanted to become Tamil.
It is similar to becoming an American after learning English.
It is similar to becoming Computer Engineer after learning English.
It is similar to becoming Computer Engineer after learning English and
Computer Engineering.
You may want to become an American, marry an Australian etc.
It is like getting American citizenship.
This is life. Nothing to do with Tamil.
 
Real Tamils never want to learn English. Ex. Pirapakaran - He cannot
speak English. But He loves Australians. Love is Universal.
He destroyed Libraries, Places, Temples, People,
educational institutions, cultural
centers,caste systems,etc. Of course  we can understand better .
 
We are eager to know about you culturally and socially.
Please write in soc.culture.indian as well
From: bandu@acsu.buffalo.edu (Jagath Samarabandu)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Subject: Re: On silence &..
Date: 9 Apr 92 13:51:43 GMT
Organization: SUNY/Buffalo Electrical Eng.


In article <wdsvHo_00UhWI_3186@andrew.cmu.edu> rs6x+@andrew.cmu.edu (Ranjith Ravindiran Suresh) writes:
>
>A note to all sane readers:
>
>It's about recent postings about TN, LTTE & Tamils on
>netnews.soc.culture.indian. My harsh joke on Tamil Nadu chief didn't
>bother many. But, my next posting was provocative and a bit offensive.
                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>MAybe I wanted it that way so as to 'test the waters.' Well, that
>approach has proved to be counterproductive. But, the the  postings are
>offensive only in the eyes of the ignorant. 
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>I didn't have provocative material.
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Whatever you are trying to say, I'd say you contradicted your self. 
I for one have learned to ignore those that say the LTTE is the only solution
and those that say SL army is the only solution. Do you really think LTTE is
all that different from SL government? 



Bandu
From: rs6x+@andrew.cmu.edu (Ranjith Ravindiran Suresh)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Subject: On silence &..(corr. vers)
Date: 9 Apr 92 03:08:28 GMT
Article-I.D.: andrew.8dsvIgy00UhWI_31dl
Organization: Junior, Civil Engineering, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA


A note to all sane readers:

It's about recent postings about TN, LTTE & Tamils on
netnews.soc.culture.indian. My harsh joke on Tamil Nadu chief didn't
bother many. But, my next posting was provocative and a bit offensive.
MAybe I wanted it that way so as to 'test the waters.' Well, that
approach has proved to be counterproductive. But, the other postings are
offensive only in the eyes of the 
ignorant. I didn't have provocative material.
What I don't understand is why no one came forward to back any of the
content in the writings. I was left high and dry. A quite a few Indians
wrote strong defamotory material on SL Tamils, LTTE & me. Many name
callings came to my mail box.Why is a silence being kept? Truth cannot
be buried under a pile of mud. You must stand for it regardless of its
content. Many of you propably know more of firsthand IPKF atrocities
than I do. And some of you are experts in the whole Indira Gandhi & RAW
to Rajiv's 'peace' mission deal. Did't have time to say anything now?
Or is that you are afraid of being labeled a 'terrorist,' if your
thoughts sound
a bit pro-Tamil or LTTE? At the end, I'm sure some Sri Lankans had a
field day by reading those posts.

Good day.