On September 9, 2008, during heavy fighting in the north, an Air Tigers aircraft dropped bombs at a military base in Vavuniya, in northern Sri Lanka. Simultaneously, an LTTE attack on the military base was launched, intended to destroy the India-provided INDRA-II radar that the Sri Lankan government was using to detect the LTTE planes.

Contents.Background Indian intervention According to the, (IPKF) arrived at Sri Lanka in July 1987. Their presence in the country was not very popular among the Sri Lankan public and the politicians. In January 1989, 's government was elected. President Premadasa's initial intention was to work out a peace plan with the LTTE, which was waging a bloody separatist campaign in the country's north and east. Premadasa too was unhappy with the Indian presence in Sri Lanka. In June 1989, he entered into a agreement with the LTTE.

In an attempt to win over its leadership, Premadasa transferred a large quantity of weapons to the organization (at their request), to fight against the IPKF. And in late 1989, Premadasa asked the IPKF to depart, due to the adverse public opinion. Indian Prime Minister consented and withdrew his force.Breakdown of peace talks Meanwhile, a Sri Lankan government delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs, held peace talks with the LTTE.

Although the talks seemed successful at the initial stages, no agreement was made on critical issues like the dissolution of the and repealing of the Sixth Amendment to the. LTTE chief political strategist and chief negotiator threatened the government, stating that 'this is the last chance we give you. If you fail, we are prepared to wage war'. The situation worsened after Sri Lankan Minister of Defence asked the LTTE to lay down arms.

LTTE leader refused and hostilities between the government and the LTTE began to increase.Preceding events During this time, the was confined to the military camps. No action was taken against any of the LTTE activities for fear that peace talks would break down. But tension began to escalate by late May 1990.

The army found that LTTE had constructed bunkers, dug trenches and implemented other defense measures closer to the camps. But the Defense Ministry had instructed the Army to keep mute. – Thandikulam incident On 7 June 1990, a vehicle carrying Army personnel from to was fired at by the LTTE. One soldier died and nine were injured. But the Defense Ministry instructed to take no action.

– Incident of a Muslim tailor On 10 June 1990, Batticaloa police locked up a youth, allegedly found in a compromising position with a Sinhalese woman by her husband. The police was not aware that this youth was a tailor working for the LTTE. At about 9:30 p.m. Armed LTTE cadres arrived at the police station and asked for the release of the youth. The police refused, telling that the person had been moved to the Batticaloa hospital. Where shadows slumber gameplay.

LTTE cadres did not believe the police. Instead they abducted two Tamil police officers. Massacre On 11 June 1990, at about 6:00 a.m. LTTE surrounded the Batticaloa police station and abducted 3 policemen.

About an hour later, around 250 armed LTTE cadres occupied the police station. Then the police officers along with their families were sent to the airport. Police officers were taken to the St Mary's Church, with their families.

The acting Officer-in-Charge and four other policemen were detained. LTTE also removed Rs. 45 million in cash, gold jewellery, 109; 77 T 84S rifles; 28 light machine guns; 29 self-loading rifles; 65 sub machine guns; 78.303 rifles and 78 SAR 80 guns from the police station.LTTE ordered all police stations in Eastern Province to be vacated by 2:30 p.m. Or face the consequences.

The, also instructed the police officers to surrender, at the request of. Police officers laid down their arms after being promised safe conduct and subsequent release.Then the Sinhalese officers were sent to the Army or Air Force camps while Tamil officers were accommodated at schools. Meanwhile, the LTTE abducted 899 officers.

About 125 were able to escape. Prisoners were taken to the Vinayagapuram and jungles. Once they had arrived, the LTTE cadres lined up the officers, tied their hands behind their backs and shot them dead.

In all, 600 to 774 police officers died.But not all the officers complied at once. Ivan Boteju, who was the OIC of police station, refused to surrender and kept on fighting with the LTTE from 3:00 p.m. He protested insisting that they 'would be tortured if not killed if they surrendered'. Within that period, he repeatedly requested and but was denied.

At about 5:20 p.m. The IGP personally contacted Botheju, ordered to cease firing and surrender. When they had laid down their arms, LTTE took over and all communications with the Colombo Police headquarters were lost. Then the LTTE cadres took them to the Tirukkovil jungles and executed them.In, LTTE also fired at an Army convoy, killing ten Army soldiers.

It was reported that 324 police officers who died were Sinhalese and Muslim. All of them were taken to the Tirukovil jungles by the LTTE, blindfolded, hands tied, made to lie down on the ground, and shot.Aftermath Sri Lanka's chief peace negotiator, Minister Shahul Hameed's attempts to rescue the officers in detention went in vain. This massacre officially put an end to the ceasefire between government and the LTTE. On 18 June 1990, the Minister of Defence announced from the floor of the parliament, 'From now on, it is all out war and no half ways'. It was the start of the. As a result of the LTTE attacks, Army had to abandon camps including Kokavil, Mankulam, Killinochchi, Kondachchi and Silavathurai. This, together with the abandonment of Police stations resulted in a huge loss of territory to the government.

LTTE had also managed to cut-off the land route to. LTTE was in-charge of most of the area in by July 1990.

Before this incident, LTTE had no conventional fighting capabilities. During, LTTE was merely a.At the time of this massacre, LTTE's peace delegation comprising Jude – an LTTE communication specialist – and two military wing cadres were at Hilton Hotel, Colombo. Then they were moved to a military camp at, under heavy security of. They were returned to the LTTE a few days later without any harm.

According to 's book, A Soldiers Version, the LTTE radio operator Jude had a message from Prabhakaran, 'Whatever happens, ensure that the money offered is brought with you'.The massacre provoked revenge riots in the Gal Oya valley, instigated by policemen. 26 Tamils were killed by Sinhalese mobs.

Further reading. Sri Lanka's Ethnic Crisis and National Security,: South Asian Network on Conflict Research. (1 October 1987). War and Peace in Sri Lanka: With a Post-Accord Report From Jaffna,: Institute of Fundamental Studies. A soldier's version,: Market Information Systems.

Seneviratne, Tassie. Human Rights & Policing – Reminiscences of My Police Days. Gunasekara, S.L. (4 November 2003). The Wages of Sin,.

Gunasekara, S.L. Tigers moderates and pandora's package,. Senanayake, P.M. 'Sri Lanka- The War Fuelled by 'Peace'References. Lanka Newspapers.

Lanka Newspapers. Archived from on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2011.

^. Archived from on 15 June 2011.

Retrieved 12 June 2011. ^ Rajasingham, K. Retrieved 13 June 2011. Staff (2011). Archived from on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2011.

From the original on 12 November 2007. Retrieved 7 November 2007. Seneviratne, SSP Tassie (2011). Sunday Observer.

Archived from on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2011. ^. Lanka Newspapers. Lanka Newspapers. Retrieved 12 June 2011.

Staff (2011). Sunday Times. Archived from on 13 June 2011.

Retrieved 14 June 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2019.External links.