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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882/10
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE. LONDONI
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
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at this proposal. The women were got into the road, and the whole village of seventy-five souls were marched down to Gintota and accommodated in the Company's spacious yard. (Beyond the small quantity they carried with them, all their property was looted.)
Here on the coast road we found a crowd of Sinhalese occupying the Gintota bridge. We left the constables with the cars, and the Superintendent of Police, But they Police Magistrate, and I walked across the bridge to speak to them. would not let us get near enough, they retired as we advanced, and came on again as we went back. We left our five armed constables in charge of the refugees and returned to Galle.
23. Here we found a telegram from some Mudaliyar reporting that ninety Moorish refugees were being sent from Wadduwa in charge of three Ceylon Planters', Rifle Corps men; they would arrive by rail in a few minutes. This was done without any previous reference to me, and caused me much embarrassment. I trust Govern- ment will make inquiry and deal with the officer responsible for this foolish and reckless proceeding. It so happened that I was able to accommodate them at the Morgan & Company's Crucible Stores at Gintota, with the Piadigama refugees; otherwise I must have refused to let them leave the train, and sent them back whence they came.
24. Late in the evening the Superintendent and I met the train which brought down a number of Sepoys and Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps men from Colombo. Martial law had now been proclaimed, and was tom-tomed throughout the Gravets.
We at once motored to some of the worst centres of disorder, sent people into their houses and ordered them to close the doors, warning them that they would be shot if they disobeyed. Police and Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps pickets were placed in the most restless places.
25. At 10 p.m. the Medical Officer telephoned a conflagration at Mahamodera, which threatened the hospital buildings. I went there at once and found the min- tary already on the spot. A timber yard had been set fire to and was burning fiercely, but there was no danger to the hospital. I accompanied some of the night patrols on their rounds, reaching home at 2 a.m.
26. On the 4th June, under martial law, the procedure was changed. Military I accompanied one to patrols scoured the roads in motor-cars in all directions. Akmimena. A small Moorish village on the Milliduwa road complained of having A little been just attacked by a gang of Sinhalese; no damage had been done. farther on, at a large Sinhalese house, we found several men with quite fresh buck- shot wounds, showing how the attack had been repulsed. We sent the wounded Sinhalese under escort to the jail. A mile farther on we met an armed gang of We called on them to halt--but nearly one hundred Sinhalese coming towards us. they began, as usual, to scatter over the fields and run. The soldiers opened fire, and two men fell-dead, as we afterwards found Nearly all the rest halted, and I stopped the shooting. The men came back to the road on being summoned to do so, and we took between sixty and seventy prisoners. Every man carried a club or a catty, one a revolver; most of them had knives in their belts. On the bank by the road-side lay three bombs, consisting of glass bottles filled with dynamite, doubtless intended for the Moors who had defended themselves with buck-shot.
27. This gang was marched into Galle, tried summarily by the Police Magis- trate, and the members sentenced to two years' rigorous imprisonment. (The con- victions and sentences were confirmed in appeal.) On the same day another patrol found a mob looting at Gintota, and fired on them, killing four men, who fell actually within the house they were robbing, with loot in their hands.
28. Yet another patrol met a gang at Mahamodera and fired on it, severely wounding two.men, who, however, recovered. Two more were found looting boutiques at the back of the bazaar and were killed. Thus eight men in all were killed on the 4th, and this is the total of the fatalities connected with the rioting in Galle District. The whole day and most of the night were spent in scouring the roads.
29.
On the 5th I took an armed party through the Wellaboda Pattu and the Bentota Wallalwiti Korle. In the former there are a few Moors and no mosques. Two small boutiques at Ambalangoda had been looted, and a rubber estate damaged. 30. In the Bentota Wallalwiti Korle the Moorish population is also small. There was some disorder and looting at Welitara, but little damage to buildings. The Police Magistrate of Balapitiya has done good work in organizing and directing
special constables, and the headmen have behaved well. At Tunduwa, a little isolated Moorish village, a small mosque was attacked and its contents destroyed, and eight boutiques looted by people, mostly from the adjoining Kalutara District. We returned to Galle late at night and found the day there had been quiet.
31. The drastic measures of the 4th June stopped the rioting. For a day or two the streets of the town and the roads of the villages were deserted. Rumours that the rioters were collecting fire-arms were rife, but nothing happened. The Moors were naturally nervous, and brought in complaints of threats and gatherings on part of the Sinhalese, but they proved on inquiry to be false.
32. The work of patrolling the roads, arresting ringleaders, searching for loot, preparing cases for the special tribunal, prosecuting ordinary rioters, inspection and assessment of damage, has ever since been actively carried on.
The four Gravets, and the sub-divisions adjoining them, were the chief scenes of the rioting and injuries to property. Villagers came in from a distance to take part in the disorders here. Several minor headmen are, I regret to say, charged and under remand for participation.
33.
some
estates
In Talpe Pattu a couple of boutiques were looted and damaged. In Gangaboda Pattu estate property and four boutiques at Urala and Lelwela were injured. In Hinidum Pattu no damage was done. The Mudaliyar took early and active measures to disperse crowds and protect the property of the Moors, of whom, however, there were not many in his division.
34. Of the cause and origin of the riots I am able to say little. I meet the same story everywhere: a rumour ran through the villages that a large body of armed Moors was approaching to destroy the pansala. The villagers armed themselves and took up a position on the road to await their assailants. As none came, some- one proposed that they should go forward and meet the Moors.
When a mosque or other Moorish property was reached, it was attacked, with the idea of being before- hand with the enemy.
35. It seems tertain that there was some organization, of which Colombo was the seat. The disorder came down the line, and at the terminus, Matara, ceased to follow the coast, but flowed inland to Kamburupitiya, and as far as Deniyaya. There was no trouble in the Hambantota District.
36. The Moormen were taken by surprise and had no time to organize the defence of their property. It was partly due to this fact that no loss of life was inflicted by Sinhalese on Moors, or vice versa, in the Galle District. There were a few shot wounds, broken heads and limbs. The only Sinhalese property injured was two small boutiques near the Galle bazaar. They stand in a Moorish quarter, and it is impossible to ascertain whether they were looted by the Moors, or by the Sinhalese in mistake. Generally, the Sinhalese boutiques and houses were marked "Sinhala " in chalk, and this precaution may have been omitted in the case of these two boutiques.
37. The inspection of injury to property of Mohammedans shows eleven mosques, sixty-nine houses and boutiques to have been wholly or partially destroyed by fire, dynamite, or manual labour. Dynamite was used in most of the mosques, but by persons ignorant of the way to use it, and the damage caused was less than might be expected. The loss, including damage to buildings and loot, is about Rs.200,000. 38. In connexion with the arduous work occasioned by the riots, I have to make special mention of the following gentlemen :-
(1) Mr. Gottelier, Superintendent of Police. This officer showed himself inde- fatigable in the immense variety of duties that fell to his share. He was untiring, resourceful, and fearless in his endeavours to disperse crowds and check the rioting. He narrowly escaped physical collapse from ceaseless work day and night during the critical period. Details of the arrangements for the accommodation and duties of the military and the Volunteers were admirably carried out by him, with a maximum of efficiency and a minimum of friction. His services were invaluable.
(2) Messra. Gavin and Daunt, sergeants of the Ceylon Mounted Rifles, and Corporal Ross-Bell, Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps. These officers commanded the European Volunteers, and are in a great measure responsible for the excellent work done by them. The whole of the District Corps worked hard and cheerfully. The members were frequently employed as officers in charge of posts and patrols of the Indian soldiers. Mr. Daunt's knowledge of Urdu rendered his services particularly valuable in this connexion. I may add that he has since, been offered, and has accepted, a lieutenancy in the local Indian regiment.