17
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference -
[INU! CO. 882 10
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH -NOT TO REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC.-
BE
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON!
16
9. I then collected the Bandarawela bazaar people at the Bandarawela Police Station, and, with the Ratamahatmaya and Mr. Kotalawala standing by, warned them of the consequence of any attempt to riot. As soon as they understood that I should fire at the outset of any disturbance and that there were men at Diyatalawa ready if needed, they accepted the situation and went quietly home.
10. With Mr. Kotalawala and the Ratamahatmaya and the Sub-Inspector of Police, I had all houses closed by 6 p.m. and the bazaar patrolled throughout the night.
11. The next morning Colonel Dickson arrived with a squadron of the Ceylon Mounted Rifles, and the Haputale detachment of the Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps came from Haputale where they had been on duty. I dismissed fifteen men of the Ceylon Light Infantry detachment and allowed the Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps to return to Haputale, which they had been patrolling under Mr. J. W. Hyde. Tho day and night passed off quietly as before.
12. On the 7th instant I released the Ceylon Mounted Rifles and Ceylon Light Infantry from duty, and returned to Badulla, sending Mr. J. A. Maybin to Ban- darawela for that night. All passed off quietly.
13. On the 8th instant a disturbance was threatened at Muppane, but Mr. John Marks, Unofficial Police Magistrate, and a small party of Europeans, were in readiness and it came to nothing.
14. There was considerable resentment at Bandarawela owing to the abandon- ment of the Dowa perahera, and it was, I think, desirable to make a display of efficient force to deal with any situation.
15. Except in the instances named, the condition of the Province has been normal. The precautions taken in all centres by the Unofficial Police Magistrates have been excellent. The names of Mr. J. W. Hyde, at Haputale, Mr. C. B. Nelson, at Welimada, and Mr. J. J. Robinson, at Passara, deserve mention.
16. I have received much assistance from the Ratamahatmayas of Yatikinda and Udukinda, especially from the latter, Bandarawela being in his Palata.
17. I particularly desire to bring to the notice Government the whole- hearted co-operation of Messrs. Kotalawala and Don Pablis Appuhamy. The fact that the two most influential non-official Buddhists in Badulla strongly supported law and order must have affected the attitude of many.
I am, &c.,
The Honourable
The Colonial Secretary,
Colombo.
Enclosure 2 in No. 14.
F. BARTLETT, Government Agent, Uva.
INTERIM REPORT on DisturbANCES IN NUWARA ELIYA DISTRICT.
THE HONOURAble the Government Agent,
Central Province, Kandy.
30TH MAY.-On receiving information from Mr. E. B. Denham, on Sunday, the 30th May, of the riots in Kandy, I wired to my Ratamahatmayas to stop any public demonstrations against Mohammedans and to arrest any persons fleeing to this district from Kandy with loot. I also wrote to the Lebbes of mosques and other prominent people to assist in maintaining order.
31st May. On the 31st I sent out more detailed orders to the minor headmen warning them to maintain order.
1st June. Reports received of looting at Hanguranketa. Received informa- tion of looting of five Moor boutiques at Padiyapelella.
After a personal interview with the Private Secretary, Queen's Cottage, His Excellency the Governor came into the Private Secretary's office and gave me cer- tain instructions. Acting on these, at 12 noon I ordered the Nuwara Eliya detach- ments of Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps and Ceylon Light Infantry to mobilize, and commenced enrolling special constables.
I hired a motor-car for my use in case of need. Received reports of looting at Pussellawa near my border.
Saw Mr. Hodson at 10 a.m. and arranged for him to proceed to Hanguranketa with one police sergeant and one police constable.
Naganather, Mudaliyar, was entrusted with the work of preserving order in Nanu Oya.
17
2 p.m. I collected a party, consisting of nine men of the Ceylon Light Infan- try, one corporal of the Royal Garrison Artillery, one European Instructor, and, having commandeered the Ceylon Brewery motor lorry, sent them in this, with Edirisinghe, Mudaliyar, to patrol the road to Pussellawa (where rioting was reported), with orders to post themselves for the night at Tawalantenna at the junc- tion of Nuwara Eliya, Pussellawa, and Watagoda roads. It appears this lorry met a orowd of villagers who had looted Katukitula and destroyed the mosque there, put them to flight after capturing seventeen, and thus saved the Ramboda Moor boutiques from pillage. Earlier in the day about ten Moor houses were destroyed by a mob at Kumbaloluwa, Otalawa, Niyangandora, and Sangilipalama (evidently preparations were in progress for a big riot on the 4th instant at Ramboda, for Ï received a telegram from one Gurusinghe, applying for permission to have a pera- hera. This was positively refused). Also received reports of this from Ramboda and Panduloya. I also wired to Captain McMillan, Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps, instructing him to "mobilize at least ten Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps and occupy Talawakelle Rest House to prevent civil disorders."
Received at 5 p.m. orders from the Adjutant, Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps, to prepare to mobilize Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps with a view to placing in guard on the Nuwara Eliya-Badulla road.
Inquired from Government Agent, Badulla, how matters were at Pedinawala and Welimada, both Moor villages.
Received report that all was quiet.
Requested the Postmaster-General, in view of riots, to keep Post Office and telephone open at all hours. 7 p.m. I placed a guard on the Volunteer Armoury.
Directed that all liquor shops and taverns be closed at 3 p.m. till further orders. 2nd June.--Received further reports from Ramboda, Pundulu Oya, Hangu- ranketa, but no further disturbances had taken place. brought in from Ramboda at dusk. At 7 p.m. the alarm was sounded by the Royal Seventeen prisoners were Garrison Artillery trumpeter on duty at the Police Barracks. I was hastily sum- moned to the Police Station, to find that a police constable and several others bad been stabbed.
There was considerable excitement amongst the Sinhalese, who were crowding in the streets, and all Buddhist houses appeared to me marked by paper lanterns, which were all lighted. At the Police Station I found the police constable was already dead and his assailant. one Banda, wounded and in custody. Two other constables were lying wounded on stretchers. A body of Ceylon Planters' Rifle
Corps and Ceylon Light Infantry had already fallen in and were charging the magazines of their rifles Followed by these and a force of special constables, Mr Bennet, A.S.P., and I rapidly cleared Old Bazaar Street, broke down all the Chinese lanterns, forced all people in the streets to get into their houses, and arrested seventeen people who disobeyed orders or were found bearing firearms and other weapons (including several notorious characters, and in particular one Upasaka, who had been given three months R.I. for a blasphemous attack on Christianity). We then cleared Lawson Street and New Bazaar, and near the Post Office discovered a Moorman with a had knife wound in the chest and despatched him to hospital in the motor-car of Rifleman R. Hood Wright.
2nd June. It is generally agreed here that a raid on Moor houses and the mosque had been planned for that night but was frustrated by the action of the Volunteers, who were reinforced a quarter of an hour after the first alarm by the troops from the Convalescent Depôt, some sixteen in number, under Lieutenant Palmer, Royal Garrison Artillery.
The troops, volunteers, and special constables reassembled at 8 p.m. at the Kachcheri bridge, and were detailed for patrol and picket duty in three reliefs. The outskirts of the town were patrolled by armed narties in motor-cars. further disturbances occurred during the night. Mr. Hodson reported by wire that No he had prevented further looting in Padiyanelella and Hanguranketa. mended continuance of appointment of Mr. J. H. Marcel, Punduloya, as J.P. and Recom- Unofficial Police Magistrate.
3rd June (Government holiday).-At 7 a.m. I had thirty-four prisoners, who had been confined in the police cells all night, removed under an armed guard to more airy quarters in the Old Kachcheri.
Reports from the various districts report all quiet. conference of the leading Mohammedans and Buddhists.
c
The Mohammedans wore At 2 p.m. I attended a