111
64
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O.
Reference :-
882/10
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH--NOT TO
notary of Katupota, on the afternoon of the same day looted the villages of
It was
on the Katupota and Polpitiya, and did considerable damage. same day that the Moorman, referred to above, was killed at Timbiriwewa, near Bingiriya The people who did this also looted boutiques in the neighbouring vil- lages of Kaballa Agare and Kaduruwewa. Some of them probably came from Madampe, but some of them were local people. The man who is said to have been the leader of this group of rioters, one Constantinu, has been arrested, and is await- ing trial. The same evening a large boutique at Hantiawa was looted and burnt, and damage to the extent of about Rs. 5,000 was done. The perpetrators of this act have not been discovered.
Besides the above there were a number of isolated outbreaks on the 4th, and these were continued on the 5th and 6th, but after that everything appears to have been quiet in this district.
It follows from the above, I think: (1) that the origin of these disturbances must be looked for, not in this district, but in the adjoining districts, in particular the Negombo district; (2) that the persons who were most responsible for the rioting here were low-country Sinhalese, and a great many of the actual rioters were persons from outside this district; (3) that the statements made in the seventh paragraph of Mr. Abdul Rahiman's report, that the villager has, in most cases, been made the dupe and catspaw of designing knaves, and been made to believe a number of false- hoods, is absolutely true of this district; and (4) that the minor headmen of this district, though in many cases not so alert in preventing and stopping the disturb ances as they might and should have been, did not put themselves at the head of the rioters as in other places.
It seems, however, that for some time past efforts have been made to prepare the people for an outbreak such as this. I found all parties, both Sinhalese and Moor, extremely reticent when questioned on this point, and all combined in saying that they had not expected anything of this sort, but I believe there have been at least two agencies at work insidiously preparing the way, the first being that of the societies of "Samagam," and the second the influence of low-country people settled in this district.
The practice of establishing societies for various purposes is a fairly common one in this country. The objects aimed at are, in very many instances, good and wholesome, but the danger lies in the fact that they are not content to go their own way, but get up speakers from Colombo, and elsewhere, who seize the opportunity of instilling into the minds of their listeners such pernicious doctrines as that the Moors are the natural enemies of the Sinhalese, if they do not go even further. At Alawwa, for instance, there is a society, in connexion with the periodical fair held in that village, at which it is common for speakers from other parts to speak. I could not get much information about these orators, except that they were "dressed in trousers and carried bags." One of the Moors, however, told me that about six months ago he attended one of the meetings, and the speaker there said that the Moors were "mean" people, and the Sinhalese should not have dealings with them. There is no doubt but that a great deal of harm is done in this way, and this is a matter which deserves the serious consideration of Government. It might be pos sible to introduce some system of registration and supervision, without prohibiting such societies altogether, which will prevent their being exploited by sedition- mongers from Colombo, and elsewhere.
The question of the influence of low-country Sinhalese who have settled in Kandyan districts is another serious matter. The low countryman is more active and resourceful than the Kandyan, and soon acquires considerable influence in any place in which he settles. He is, moreover, the chief competitor of the Moorman for the village trade. His influence is not always for good in the villages, and I think he had more to do with preparing the way for the rioters in this district than appears at first sight.
As an appendix to this report, I annex two diagrams* prepared by Mr. Stronach, Superintendent of Surveys, North-Western Province, one showing the situation of looted and burnt boutiques and houses in the Kurunegala District, and the other the area covered by the riots, together with the directions taken by the rioters and the approximate times of the rioting at the various places.
15th July, 1915.
C. H. COLLINS,
*Not sent to the Colonial Office.
Special Commissioner.
Enclosure 6 in No. 44.
Puttalam Kachcheri, 15th July, 1915.
SIR,
WITH reference to Colonial Secretary's Confidential letter 11535, of the 7th instant, I have the honour to report that rioting broke out in the Chilaw District on the night of the 2nd June at Nattandiya. The immediate cause of this was the return on that day from Colombo of a Tamil trader, who naturally related the story of the looting going on there. Aron Appu, of Mudukatuwa and Nattandiya, a well-known rowdy of the place, and one Manuel Perera, of Kachchirawa, thereupon collected people, and at night attacked the Mohammedan boutiques, causing damage to the extent of Rs. 25,878, the greater part of which was due to the looting of two Bombay Bai shops. The police, who are stationed at Marawila, two-and-a-half miles away, arrived after all was over. The Korale Mudaliyar, Mr. J. A. Corea, who lives about 100 yards from the bazaar, appeared on the scene, but seems to have been able to effect little or nothing. The local mosque, a little way out of the town, was not attacked till next afternoon, when the people proceeded to Madampe; little damage was done beyond the breaking of pots and chipping of plaster, the whole being assessed at Rs. 100.
2. The Mudaliyar wired to me on the morning of the 3rd, and, as the Govern- ment car was out of order, I had to await the departure of the 'bus at 11.0 a.m. I was lucky enough to pick up a car returning empty in the Puttalam bazaar. Shortly before I left Puttalam I despatched a telegram to the Assistant Superin- tendent of Police to arrange for a car in Chilaw; this was delivered in my presence at about 1.15 p.m., though received in Chilaw at 11.1 a.m. A further delay on the part of the Postmaster will be noted later. On my arrival at Chilaw I found that the District Judge had already enrolled special constables and a Town Guard com- posed of units of the Ceylon Light Infantry and the Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps, under the command of Lieutenant Sansoni, of the Ceylon Light Infantry, and that adequate steps had been taken to ensure the safety of the town; and guard was placed over the padda boats, which were not allowed to proceed to Puttalam. finally managed to secure Dr. Scharenguivel's car, and proceeded with him, the Assistant Superintendent of Police, and two constables to Madampe, where I found the Mohammedan shops closed and the Moors removed for safety to the Muhan- diram's Walauwa. That headman was near the Lunu Oya bridge, driving back the crowds which were approaching Madampe from Mahawewa; many were women with empty bags and baskets, come to carry off the loot.
I
3. Meanwhile, on the morning of the 3rd, one Manuel Perera Jayasinha, toddy renter and a wealthy inhabitant of Mahawewa, 'had collected people and looted the Moor boutiques of that place, taking, however, good care that the boutique in which he had an interest was not touched; another boutique, in which the vel-vidane had an interest, was also spared. This mob then proceeded to Mattakotuwa and looted a large boutique there. The damage done in these two places amounted to Rs. 8,925. 4. At the same time one Martinu, alias Kadawaraya, of Koswadiya, an habitual criminal, convicted twice in the Supreme Court for homicide, and his gang, first of all looted a boutique at Halpanwala, then proceeded to Hattiniya, Mara- henaagare, and Koswadiya. He then went on to Mahawewa and joined Manuel Perera, after which he proceded to Kolimaduwa, where he looted two boutiques. The total damage amounted to Rs. 7,325.
5. Leaving Madampe, I proceeded down the main road through Mahawewa, dispersing the people, and at Marawila met Mr. C. A. Peiris, J.P. and Unofficial Police Magistrate, of Dunkannawa, who throughout rendered valuable assistance. We then went to Nattandiya and down the old road towards Madampe. As we pro- ceeded we found groups of men on their way to Madampe; these were dispersed, and some arrested. Not far from the Luna Oya bridge was a gang of some thirty or forty men, prominent among whom was the Theosophical Society teacher of Kuda- wewa; he was arrested and has since been imprisoned. Close to the junction were several Buddhist priests loitering. Arriving at Madampe, we found the street seething with a mob busily engaged in looting the Moor boutiques near the Chetty Street junction; being taken in the rear they at once fled, and a certain amount of loot was recovered, being dropped in their flight, besides six carts full of booty which were being taken towards Merawala. The Muhandiram and the headman were doing their best to stop the riot, but without success. I also found the new Police Magistrate, Mr. Gunatilake, on the spot; he had ordered the crowds to disperse, with- out effect, but I was, unluckily, unaware of his presence until afterwards.