82
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :--
C.O. 882/10
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
Kadugan
nawa, in Con-
43941
146
No. 51.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
(Confidential (D).)
(Received 23rd September, 1915.)
SIR,
The Queen's House, Colombo, Ceylon, 2nd September, 1915. IN continuation of my Confidential despatch of the 20th August,* I have the honour to enclose, for your information, the following three local reports on the Ceylon riots, viz. :—
1915.
1915.
1915.
(1) From Mr. H. A. Burden, Ceylon Civil Service, dated 19th August,
(2) From Mr. R. W. Byrde, Ceylon Civil Service, dated 26th August,
(3) From Mr. G. F. Forrest, Ceylon Civil Service, dated 27th August,
I have, &c.,
ROBERT CHALMERS.
Governor, &c.
Enclosure 1 in No. 51.
REPORT ON The Riots, Kegalle District.
No riots occurred in this district until the 31st of May, i.e., three days after the riots occurred in Kandy. On the 30th Kadugannawa was looted, and the first tral Province, information tended to give the idea that the disturbances were being communicated looted on the from place to place by the actual movement of a crowd of rioters. It soon became clear, however, even on the 31st, that this was not the case. Disturbances began to commence in occur in many widely separated places, which showed that these disturbances were Kegalle Dis the result of more or less local activity, supported by local individuals.
30th.
Disturbances
trict on Sist.
The origin of the disturbances in each particular area is therefore to be found The ongin of in the activities of persons of the locality or the surrounding neighbourhood. In analysing the origin of the disturbances in each area the following deductions present themselves:-
the distur
bances.
(a) Sugges
tion of a pan-
eral plan.
(b) Distar- bances not simultaneo but of a con tagious na
tura.
(c) The villagers
(d) The ring. leaders
The leaders
country mos connected with local societies.
(a) The wide distribution of the disturbances, their similarity, and the similar methods employed in gathering the crowds together give the idea of a general scheme of some sort or other embracing all the disturbances, though the disturbances as a whole do not disclose a strong central organization.
(b) The fact that the disturbances did not occur everywhere at the same time -they did not commence until the 31st in this district, i.e., three days after the Kandy riots—would seem to indicate that the disturbances were contagious in nature.
(c) The origin of the disturbances, as far as the general crowd of villagers was concerned, was the spreading of a rumour that the Moors were going to attack their temples or their villages. The villager, however, was a mere tool, and I can unhesitatingly state, as far as the bulk of the villagers in my district are concerned, the recent riots have very little political significance.
(d) A clear and distinct line can be drawn between the villagers who were collected together by rumours and the ringleaders who were responsible for the circulation of the rumours.
In this district the real leaders of the disturbances have, with very few excep.
ally low tions indeed, been low-country men. They have been connected with local tem- perance or social societies, whose ostensible object has been the moral welfare of the people, but the nature of the meetings can be deduced from the statement of one of the leading members of the Rambukkana Society that the subjects discussed at one meeting were gambling, drunkenness, and getting the plantain trade into the hands of the Sinhalese. None of the subjects are inherently bad, but the last one becomes significant in view of the disturbances.
* No. 48.
147
The control of these societies has usually been in the hands of half-educated The societies. individuals, and through their position in the societies they have obtained a consider- able amount of influence. The activity of these societies has indisputably, in fect on local certain instances, resulted in a weakening of the power of the local headmen-a tion. most significant and far-reaching result when it is considered that the headman's power is to a large extent dependent upon his influence.
In the case of the society at Dehiowita, I found that the members of the society are actually tried for offences such as drunkenness and immoral conduct before the society, and, if convicted, are fined.
As an indication of the intellectual status of the controllers of these societies,
I would state that the secretary and treasurer of the Meepitiya Society, Kegalle, are
a notary's clerk and a proctor's clerk respectively, drawing a salary of Rs. 15 per month.
administra
these
creased by
The leaders of these societies obtain an influence which is far greater than their The self-im- mental capacity can sustain. A policy of laissez-faire has tended to encourage in te society them the feeling of self-importance. Their letters are published in the vernacular leaders is in- Press and commented upon as though they were written by persons of standing, the vernace- Their attacks on the chief headmen and Government servants are published, and lar Press remain unanswered. The result is that all sense of proportion is lost, and this is reflected in their conduct in the village, where they assume an arrogant independence of the headmen, which not infrequently develops into actual opposition.
societies in
Our system of local administration, so far as it affects the villager, depends Effect of the largely upon the influence of the headmen in the village, and where there are success- the village. ful attempts to set up societies which arrogate to themselves the right of giving orders to the villagers this aspect of our administration becomes correspondingly weakened. It is a noticeable feature as regards the rioting in this district that No rioting when there was no rioting there were no societies.
As far as this district is concerned the disturbances can be eventually traced to the activities of the above societies, fostered, as they have been, by the vernacular Press.
The
no societies.
and commer
There has also undoubtedly been a considerable feeling against the Moors, which Economie has arisen from economic and commercial considerations. I have no doubt that, once clal rivalry. the disturbances were in progress, many villagers, with the remembrance of mort- gages foreclosed or debts accumulating, entered into the spoliation with zest. feeling was, however, much more pronounced against the coast" Moormen than it was against the "Ceylon Moors." In a very large number of cases the goods of the latter were effectually safeguarded by the Sinhalese themselves.
bances.
No injuries.
As regards the actual disturbances themselves, no case of murder of a Moorman The distar- occurred in this district. There was no instance of the use of the knife or of a gun by any rioter, either against any Moorman or anyone else. In some instances Moors were intimidated into leaving their boutiques and houses, and intimidation was also used towards Sinhalese to prevent them safeguarding the Moors, and also to compel them to join the rioters. The number of rioters killed was five by Moormen (four at Rambukkana and one at Nangalla) and five by troops.
Large amount
Dippitiya,
road, chief
Except at Rambukkana, where the actual looting and burning occurred on the 31st May, there is no doubt that the Moors were able to save a large proportion of of goods aaved their goods all over the district. In many places the Moors received warning before by the Moor band, and in many others great help was rendered by the Sinhalese.
There was a large amount of damage done, but, as stated above, there were some Aren areas where no disturbance occurred. A regrettable feature was the large amount Rambukka of burning. The Rambukkana and Dippitiya boutiques were practically all burnt, Pladeni and practically every house and boutique between Atale and Kotikakumbure was places barat burnt. Most of the Rambukkana and Dippitiya boutiques were substantial build. after looding. ings, but the houses and boutiques on the Pindeniya road were made of wattle and Losting - daub with cadjan roofs. In other places, such as Dehiowita, Bulathkohupitiya, Bulathkohe Warakapola, Dummaladeniya, and Napawela, all the Moorish boutiques were looted, p In addition to these there were a number of villages which only possessed one or two Dummala
Warakapola, Moorish boutiques which were looted. It is pleasing to relate, however, that the
dantys, Moorish boutiques in a number of large bazaars were not touched.
Napawela Mawanella, Hingula, Undugoda, Paragammana, and Neluadeniya bazaars all contain important Mawanella,
Undamaged- Moorish boutiques, especially the three first mentioned, but no damage occurred at goda,
Hingula any of these places, although large crowds had actually collected at nearly all these Paragam places.
Debiowita,
Nelundeniya.
1
}
L 2