Suthanthirapuram massacre remembered amidst Sri Lankan military intimidation

10 June 2022

Relatives, local politicians and members of the public were amongst those that gathered in Suthanthirapuram to commemorate a 1998 massacre by the Sri Lankan air force, as military intelligence officers intimidated those in attendance.

At least thirty-one children and students by the Sri Lankan air force as it bombarded Suthanthirapuram in Mullaitivu on June 10, 1998.

Whilst locals gathered to light lamps and lay flowers, intelligence officers stationed nearby took photographs of those in attendance.

Puspanathan, the father of four who were killed in the massacre, was invited to light a remembrance flame.

Recalling the day, Pushpanathan said in a 2019 Tamil Guardian article,

“On the morning of June 10, 1998, Sri Lankan army’s artilleries came flying from three directions - Mankindimalai, Ampakamam and Elephant Pass and started to fall and explode in Suthanthirapuram. At the same time, bombers rained down. An artillery fell over the shed we were in and exploded.”

“I saw my kids lying in a pool of blood. I came running to see my wife hitting herself in the head and crying aloud, not knowing what to do.”

“Four of my kids, Satheeskumar, Saththiyaseelan, Kalaichchelvi and Thevananthini died that day. Nobody was there on that day to take my children. When shells started to fall, everybody ran.”

“The whole place was covered in smoke. We were standing helpless, not knowing what to do or where to go. The village officer came to console us. He brought people to help us bury our dead children. Rameshkumar, my eldest son who got wounded in that attack and recovered eventually. But he too went missing during the final war.”

His only other surviving child Rameshkumar was forcibly disappeared.

“I don’t know where he is to this date,” said Pushpanathan in 2019. “I am living today after losing all five of my children.”