LANKALIBRARY FORUM

Arantalawa massacre - June 2nd 1987
Bloody massacre and the brutal mutilation of 33 young monks and their mentor Chief Priest Ven. Hegoda Indrasara at Arantalawa in Amparai, by the ruthless Tamil tigers



In fleeting moments the bus was drenched with pools of hot young blood of the samaneras who were like lambs taken to a slaughter house. Some little monks hid under the seats and very few were left alive to tell the sad story. When the corpses of the 33 monks was lined in a row, it was like several buds of yellow Ahala plucked out before they even flower.

@ LL /May 2007
Sources: WWW / Agencies

The time was 7.15 in the morning of June 2nd 1987. The young monks had just boarded a bus from the Mahavapi temple with their mentor seated in front and were on their way on a pilgrimage to Kelaniya temple. Having just passed Nuwaratenna when they reached Arantalawa the bus driver P. G. Samarapala noticed some wooden logs placed across the road obstructing their path. Sensing danger the driver began to turn the bus when all of a sudden a group of about 20 Tiger terrorists clad in commando military fatigues emerged from the jungle thicket brandishing swords, knives and machine guns. Two Tigers boarded the bus and gave the driver orders to drive into a jungle path. There was pin drop silence until they reached a thick growth of teak trees.

"Give us all the money you have', was the order of the Tiger leader. The bus conductor N.V. Jinadasa surrendered every cent he had. Ven. Indrasara then pleaded "You'd better kill me but please don't harm these young ones', pointing to the young pupil monks. Then a thundering voice rent the air, "Wettida" which means cut them. Instantly a sword fell sharply on the neck of Ven. Indrasara severing it in two. When the second sword was falling on Ratnayake, a young monk Punjhasara rushed forward and interceded not to kill his father. Immediately a shot rang out smashing the young monk's head. Then two terrorists began to cut and chop the young monks and two other Tigers began shooting all the monks at random. Howls of pain and wailings of misery rent the jungle air but all pleadings were of no avail.

In fleeting moments the bus was drenched with pools of hot young blood of the samaneras who were like lambs taken to a slaughter house. Some little monks hid under the seats and very few were left alive to tell the sad story. When the corpses of the 33 monks was lined in a row, it was like several buds of yellow Ahala plucked out before they even flower.

This brand of murder by "hacked to death" commenced in the infantile stage of tiger terrorism, long before it mastered in the art of ruthless suicide-bombing. The first victims of this brand of terrorism were Ven. Indrasara Thero and the other 33 young monks brutally murdered by cutting into pieces with swords at Arantalawa, dipping the whole Sri Lanka in sorrow and grief.