Warscapes
Shobasakthi: On July 25, 1983, the Sri Lankan government planned and killed thirty-five Tamil political prisoners at Welikade Prison, with eighteen other Tamil prisoners slaughtered a couple of days later. The prison authorities were thoroughly complicit in the massacre even though Sinhala prisoners carried out the murders. In fact, it was prison officers who distributed the weapons to the killers. Before the murders began, the Prison’s chief commissioner had been sent out of the country.
Translation by Anushiya Ramaswamy
Warscapes: Do give us some political and personal context with regards to your novel Traitor.
Shobasakthi: On July 25, 1983, the Sri Lankan government planned and killed thirty-five Tamil political prisoners at Welikade Prison, with eighteen other Tamil prisoners slaughtered a couple of days later. The prison authorities were thoroughly complicit in the massacre even though Sinhala prisoners carried out the murders. In fact, it was prison officers who distributed the weapons to the killers. Before the murders began, the Prison’s chief commissioner had been sent out of the country. Kuttimani and Thangathurai, who were regarded as heroes in the Tamil community, were at Welikade Prison on death row. At their sentencing, words uttered by Kuttimani — “After I am hung to death, donate my eyes to a blind Tamil. Through his eyes, I will witness the dawning of Tamil Eelam,” – and Thangathurai – “ We are not mentally ill patients in love with violence” – reverberated amidst the young and deeply affected all of us. Along with Kuttimani and Thangathurai, 53 prisoners were massacred. Full Story»»
