The 52nd anniversary of the massacre of Tamils during the Fourth World Tamil Research Conference was commemorated Saturday in Jaffna, in remembrance of those killed in the state violence that unfolded during the landmark academic gathering in 1974.
The memorial events were held at the World Tamil Research Conference Massacre Memorial, located in the open grounds, where participants gathered in an atmosphere marked by grief and reflection. The commemoration honoured those who lost their lives and reaffirmed the lasting significance of the massacre in the collective memory of the Tamil nation.
The Fourth World Tamil Research Conference was held at Veerasingam Hall in Jaffna from 3 to 10 January 1974. It was the first time the internationally recognised conference was hosted in Jaffna, a decision that was met with hostility from the Sri Lankan state, then led by Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike.
The government at the time attempted to prevent the conference from taking place in Jaffna, threatening to withdraw funding after the organisers, the World Tamil Research Forum, insisted on holding the event in the Tamil homeland. The state also denied entry to an American Tamil scholar and deported him, further signalling its opposition to the conference.
The repression escalated on the final day of the conference, when Sri Lankan police were deployed to disrupt the concluding event, which was to feature a speech by Professor Naina Mohamed from south India. A platoon of police led by Assistant Superintendent of Police Chandrasekara attacked the gathering, opening fire, launching tear gas, and assaulting attendees with batons, triggering a stampede.
Police also fired at overhead electric wires, leading to the electrocution of several participants. In total, nine people were killed during the violence, a massacre that left an indelible scar on the Tamil nation and underscored the state’s hostility towards Tamil intellectual and cultural expression.
The Commission of Inquiry on the Tragedy of January Tenth, 1974, which published its findings on 18 February 1974, concluded:
“The irresistible conclusion we come to is that the police on this night (10 January 1974) was guilty of a violent and quite an unnecessary attack on unarmed citizens.
We are gravely concerned that they lacked the judgment which we expected of policemen in a civilian police force whose duties call for tactful handling even in the most difficult situation.”
Despite the damning findings of the commission, Assistant Superintendent Chandrasekara was later promoted, reinforcing long-standing concerns over state impunity for violence against Tamils.
