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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882/10
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH--NOT TO BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC.-
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Don Paulus Rupasingke Jayawardena, affd.
Vidane Arachchi, Hanwella, for forty-three years. There was a Buddhist Samagama at Hanwella, started about two years ago. At the start I was a member. The second accused is the president; fourth accused secretary. I resigned, as I did not very much appreciate their talk. Someone from Colombo Sirasena came to a meeting of the society and preached on the Kandyan Convention. Before that I had resigned. The preacher said: "The Sinhalese people should work together. They are at present sleeping. They should wake up." I did not like it. Dharmapala also once preached. He preached that there was also a prophecy that Dissena should become King of Ceylon, etc. There was some movement that Sinhalese should have their own boutiques. I was not at Hanwella on the 2nd June.
Cross-examined: Third accused is not a member of the Samagama.
A marasekera, sworn..
Planter. Live in this district. Since I was born I am resident here. It is not true that I was the cause of this case.
Cross-examined: I have not any ill-feeling towards any of the accused. I had cases with my brother-in-law. The first accused leases lands from my brother-in-law.
The first prisoner, affd.
Prosecution closed.
We
Vidane Arachchi, Kaluaggala, for nineteen years. Kaluaggala is four miles from Hanwella. On the 1st June I left for Ratnapura in the morning, and returned at 1.0 came to Waga, and came home at 7.30 p.m. In the morning of the 2nd Avisawella Police Inspector came, and I went with him to Waga at 6.15. searched about ten or fifteen houses at Waga. I did work in connexion with the riots. About 9.30 we reached Avisawella and met the Magistrate. We gave some who were arrested in charge. Magistrate, Interpreter Cooray, Inspector Gunase kera, and myself came from Avisawella to Puwakpitiya, Kosgama, Poogoda, and to Hanwella. Another car, containing Dr. Wijegoonewardene, Fernando, Sanitary Inspector, has come in the way at Poogoda, and then both cars came into Hanwella. We reached Hanwella about 12.30. About 1.15 we went to Nawagamuwa, six miles from Hanwella, because we heard about crowds there. Both the cars arrived at the same time at Nawagamuwa. We came back, and reached Hanwella about 8.15, the same people in each car. At the junction both the cars stopped because of the crowd. The mosque
is near the junction. My car came second. We did not stop near the mosque. We went straight on to Padukka. Hanwella doctor got down at the junction. About twelve or fifteen minutes we stopped in Padukka Except the Mudaliyar we all came back into Hanwella at about 4.0 o'clock, reached Avisawella at about 5.15, where we stayed about ten minutes. From there Inspector and I came to Puwakpitiya, leaving Avisawella about 6.0 o'clock. After that I went home at about 6.45. After that I did not get out. It is entirely false that I pulled up near the mosque and handed a parcel. I worked with the Government Agent for two or three days after the 2nd. No complaint was made to the Government Agent then, and I have been doing my duties in the following days. I was arrested on the 15th. The second accused is my brother-in-law.
Cross-examined: On the 2nd, Inspector and I went to the Magistrate in con- nexion with the disturbance at Waga and Puwakpitiya. We went from there to Kosgama, Poogoda, where there was a crowd. Muhandiram also came at Poogoda, and we came direct to Hanwella. From the resthouse we started for Nawagamuwa, passed the crowd at the junction. In the way we met crowd, who spoke to the
Magistrate. We dispersed crowd at Nawagamuwa. Then we went to Padukka; I do not know why. Then to Avisawella, passing my house. At the police station I saw people coming out. I deny that we went to Padukka and Avisawella for the purpose of releasing prisoners. We stopped at Puwakpitiya. I did not see or hear Inspector taking off guns from policemen. I did not hear the order that the police- men should be taken and kept in Arachchi's house. On our way back to Hanwella I noticed the roof of the mosque was slanting. I have not passed that mosque yet. On the 3rd I heard that it was damaged. I do contract work transporting cement to Labugama works. My men do it. I have an office in connexion with it.
I attended office between 28th and 5th. I do not know of any information left by Mr. Danby. I have no carts.
etc.
118.
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We
ment Ofoer
to
ers, or to have been intimi. dated by
His evidence therefore doe
P. B. Herat, affd.
Buddhist Police Magistrate of Jaffna. Avisawella. Member of the Ceylon Civil Service just over five years.
On June last Police Magistrate of This Govern
The first would appear accused came to my bungalow at Avisawella at 9.0 a.m., with the Sub-Inspector of from his be Police, on the 2nd. They came in connexion with the rioting at Hanwella, Kosgama, sympathise
We left at 10.30, came to Puwakpitiya. Interpreter Cooray also came with t Tried to disperse crowd at Poogoda, came to Kosgama, followed by another car, came to Hanwella. I saw first accused in the resthouse. It was about 12.0 them. o'clock. We heard trouble at Nawagamuwa. We went in the two cars. returned to Hanwella at 2.0 o'clock and passed to Padukka. We halted at Han- not carry wella for a short time because of the crowd. We asked the crowd to disperse. I did much weight. not see any crowd near the mosque. We reached Padukka about 3.0. The other (Intd. A. C.) car arrived at Padukka within five minutes. I saw first accused getting out of it. Then we went to Avisawella. I cannot say how long after we arrived at Avisawella that the other car came. Within half an hour of our arrival I saw the first accused. I thanked him for lending the car. After that I lost sight of that car.
It was about 5.0. On my return journey I saw the mosque to be partially wrecked. No one complained to me.
Cross-examined: At Avisawella we met some Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps men I went to the police station. I released about ten, at the most twelve, prisoners. We were stopped at Nawagamuwa by armed crowd. The crowd threatened me and told me that they were going to break the police station at Padukka if the prisoners were not released. I said I would inquire, and if I thought fit I would release the prisoners. I inquired from the Police Inspector of Padukka. I found that they have been arrested while taking loot, and that they could be rearrested if necessary. I did not make a direct promise to release. I found that the best I could do was to release and pacify the crowd. At Padukka I found that the prisoners were not there. They were at Avisawella. No crowd at Avisawella. I did release them, because the crowd had said that if they did not come they would wreck the police station. When I was in the reathouse at Hanwella there was a crowd at the junction and across the river. I consulted with the Mudaliyar at the resthouse as to what could be done. I heard there was a bigger crowd at Nawagamuwa. crowd was said to be within two miles of Hanwella. Before we started for Nawa- gamuwa I got the crowd at Hanwella dispersed to some extent by sending a head-
At Nawagamuwa we tried to disperse the crowd; it was partly a failure. stopped the car at Hanwella for a short time and asked the crowd to disperse. They I did not. They asked for the release of the prisoners. On my return journey I did
man.
That
not stop near the mosque, although I saw it damaged. I did not order guns to be taken off from policemen at Kosgama.
M. A. Don Martinus Gunasekera, sworn.
I
badging
Inspector of Police, Avisawella. I met Mr. Herat on the 2nd at 10.0 a.m. met the first accused in connexion with the riots at Kaluaggala in the morning at 5.0 came with him to Hanwella, went to Waga, and then to Avisawella, and saw Magis- trate at 10.0. When with Magistrate and officers to Kosgama, Poogoda, where another car, containing other officers, joined us, came to Hanwella, remained in the resthouse for an hour. Returned to Hanwella. went to Padukka.
Went to Nawagamuwa; first accused accompanied. Appears to be accused with me.
Our car followed the other car, first (Tatd. A.C.) We passed Hanwella about 2.0. No complaint was made to me about any mosque.
Returning we stopped about thirty fathoms from the mosque. because of the crowd. The crowd asked the Magistrate about the release of prisoners. I did not see the first accused handing anything near the mosque to anyone on our journey from Hanwella to Padukka. released prisoners after warning them.
At Avisawella Magistrate Cross-examined: When proceeding from Hanwella to Padukka Magistrate's car went first. It went faster.
W. Wijegoonewardana, affd.
We
Medical Officer, Avisawella. On the 2nd I met Magistrate Herat at Poogoda. near the ferry. We went to Puwakpitiya, Kosgama. In two cars we went. came to Hanwella about 2.0, stayed at the resthouse. Padukka. On the way we met a crowd, who threatened and asked for the release of Went to Nawagamuwa, prisoners. No complaint was made to us about any mosque. Padukka almost simultaneously.
We arrived at Returned and went to Avisawella. We went to
the resthouse and then to the police station. Again I went home.