Apathy towards Sansoni Commission main reason for Black July

Black July 1983 received worldwide attention. In spite of all the publicity it took 18 long years for the government to appoint the Truth Commission. In fact Black July could easily have been avoided but for that we need to go back to the 1977 communal disturbances which took place during the period August 13 to September 15.

I write from firsthand experience because my brothers and sisters, their family members and I were all victims. The incidents that occurred during this period were of such an extreme nature and so widespread that President William Gopallawa appointed a Commission of Inquiry under Section 2 of the Commission of Inquiry Act immediately after on November 9, 1977.

The Commission commonly referred to as the Sansoni Commission commenced its sittings on February 8, 1978 and concluded on December 10, 1979. The sittings were held over 298 days as follows: Jaffna -8.2.78 to 11.4.78, Anuradhapura -24.4.78 to 29.4.78, Kandy -15.5.78 to 21.7.78, Colombo- 7.8.78 to 25.9.78, Trincomalee- 2.10.78 to 28.10. 78, Colombo- 15.11.78 to 15.6.79, Kandy 25 .6.79 to 25 .7.79, Kandy- 22. 10.79 to 10.12.79.

The Commission Report runs into 277 pages. 952 victims and witnesses gave evidence. Apart from that 275 affected persons had filed affidavits. A number of organisations led by eminent legal counsel also gave evidence. I was the first to give evidence at the Commission’s first sitting in Kandy. At the time I was an employee of the Local Government Service and working in the Kandy Municipal Council.

It is a great pity that so much of valuable material, prepared in detail after hearing the evidence of victims as well as public persons and organisations concerned with the welfare of the people and the country as a whole was not used properly and effectively. The Commission Report is filed as a Sessional Paper-No Vll-1980. A Committee was appointed in terms of a Cabinet decision for the payment of compensation for loss and damage to private property and injuries caused to private persons. It comprised L.M. Ismail, retired Supreme Court Judge as Chairman, B.L Ariyatilake, Chief Valuer of the Valuation Department and P. Lakdawela, Staff Officer, Central Bank. P.A. Abeywickrema was appointed Secretary to the Committee. Victims of the communal disturbances were informed that a notice would be published in the newspapers, that they could present their submissions to the Committee. The Notice did not appear; the Committee did not sit; Compensation was not paid. (Sunday Times- March 18, 1990).

Chapter VI of the Sansoni Commission Report deals with the subject covered by Section 3(b) of the terms of reference- ‘Measures necessary to ensure the safety of the public and to prevent the recurrence of such incidents’. Had these measures been taken, Black July 1983 could have been a non event. Hooligans in mobs went on the rampage while a continuous curfew was on for three days. Our belongings were looted in broad daylight and at 8 p.m. fires were lit to burn houses. What I have stated above, I have submitted in writing to the Truth Commission and supported same by oral evidence. S. Thambyrajah

Kandy