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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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CO. 882/10

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH---NOT TO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON,

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subscriptions of each member were entered, and a meeting was arranged for the 28th May. On the 28th May the people were told to collect when the bell in the neighbouring Vihara was rung. This bell was rung about midday on the 1st June, and large crowds collected at the junction about 2 p.m. Speeches were delivered by the crier of the Samagama, and the crowd split up into different bodies and started looting about midnight. On the 2nd the crowd again collected and aided in the looting of Kabatowita. On the evening of the 2nd and 3rd rumours were spread that the Moors were marching to attack them, and great preparations were made. The rumours were, of course, groundless, and everything was quiet by the 4th.

The evidence as to the conduct of the chief members of the Samagama is some- what contradictory. I have little doubt that they were present at the meetings, and that their opinions were expressed by the crier. That is, however, no evidence that the President and the Vice-President took any active part.

The Vice-President. undoubtedly protected the Moor boutiques at the junction where the meeting was held, though these boutiques were afterwards looted by a mob coming from Pasyala. The rioting at Pasyala deserves special mention. There is a Sub-Inspector of Police and three men stationed there. On the evening of the 1st June the Sub- Inspector was called away to a murder case. On his return he found that a Moor boutique had been looted. The police had taken no action, but on his return the Sub-Inspector immediately got some of the accused arrested.

On the evening of the 2nd large crowds assembled near the police station and- tried to rush it. The Sub-Inspector gave the order to fire, but this must have been too late, as the station was broken into and the prisoners rescued. After this the remaining boutiques were looted. A detachment of Punjabis appeared on the 3rd while looting was going on, and some rioters were shot. In all about ten men were killed.

The next most important centre was Radawana and Meddegama. I have been informed by the police that one, Rancot Banda, a Kandyan, after addressing crowds at Veyangoda Railway Station, went round the whole of Siyana Korale East and stirred up the people. This is probably the same man who gave the signal for the rioting at Pepiliyawela. The crowd then marched on to Pugoda, and it is probable that a nucleus from this crowd crossed the Kelani and carried on the rioting towards Hanwella.

The last important centre was round about Walgama, a Moor village in Siyana Korale West. All the surrounding villages took part in the attack on the Moors there on the 2nd June.

From the fact that the rioting started simultaneously in several different centres it is almost certain that the disturbances were preconcerted. Little direct evidence. however, has been obtained on this point. Certainly the Samagama at Attanagala organized the rioting there, and it is almost certain that the Samagama organized the rioting near Pepiliyawela. The rioting in the other parts of the Korale possibly spread from other centres and may not have been preconcerted.

During the riots no serious injuries have been inflicted on the Moors. One to two Moormen complained of having been chased by crowds, but the only injury brought to my notice was a superficial one on the head of a coast Moorman in Kapu- goda. However, every boutique of any size in this district has been looted. Occa- sionally a tea boutique has escaped, some through being overlooked, and one probably through being guarded by a police vidane. On the other hand, every mosque, except the one at Nambaluwa has been destroyed, and nearly every Moor house has been completely rifled. Only two communities escaped. At Udugoda the Moors fled

early into the jungle, and their property was protected by the Sinhalese police vidane. The police vidane deserves all the more credit, as this village is only a short distance from Kahatowita, which was looted by an enormous crowd on the 2nd of June, while the neighbouring village, Ogodapola, was looted on the 3rd June. The village of Nambaluwa probably owed its escape to the presence of the police at Pasyala and to the fact that the Punjabis appeared early on the scene.

The main object of the rioting was undoubtedly to harass the Moors and to loot their property. There are many reports of seditious speeches, such as is no English Government now, we have a Sinhalese Government and our people There are in the Kachcheries and Government offices." Many of these reports are probably false. However, the presence of flags, which were acclaimed as Buddhist flags, has to be accounted for, and it is probable that these were supplied by some seditious society.

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The efforts of the headmen to quell the disturbances were entirely without effect. The Korale Mudaliyar was unable to protect the boutiques at Nambadaluwa, which belong to his family, though he detailed many of the minor headmen round about for this duty, Some of these minor headmen themselves led the rioting the next day. This is a typical example of how the rioting spread from village to village. The efforts of the Muhandiram and the President of the village tribunal were so futile as to raise suspicion that they themselves actively encouraged the rioters. Two vidane Arachchies and eight police vidanes have been convicted for leading the rioters. Many others were undoubtedly implicated, though sufficient evidence against them is lacking. I can only say with certainty that one police vidane, the police vidane of Udugoda, made any effort to help the Moors. The effect of his intervention is seen from the fact that all the Moor property in his village was saved. It may be said that nearly every inhabitant in the Korale has assisted in the rioting. There is only one village consisting wholly of Roman Catholics, and even from that some of the villagers joined in the looting.

There are two police stations in the Korale, each with a Sub-Inspector and three men. The Sub-Inspector of Pugoda aided the Muhandiram and village President in their suspicious futile efforts. The Sub-Inspector at Pasyala undoubtedly did what he could, but he fled when his police station was broken into on the 2nd of June. On the whole I would say that the rioting subsided largely because all the Moor property in the Korale had been looted.

At first there was not much difficulty in assessing the damage, as the Moors were fairly moderate in their statements. Later on, however, the claims were greatly exaggerated and many false claims were put forward. Mr. Bowen, the District Engineer, has undertaken the work of repairing the mosques and buildings.

N. IZAT,

42213

No. 47.

Special Commissioner.

THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 1.57 p.m., 13th September, 1915.)

TELEGRAM.

[Answered by No. 48.]

DIRECTION requested in respect to conditions of imprisonment persons sen- tenced to penal servitude and hard labour by court martial under Order in Council, 26th October, 1896. Prior to recent Indemnity Order in Council they were detained in intermediate civil custody under Sections 60 and 65 Army Act, pending arrange- ments under Sections 131 and Sub-section 2 in Section 65, but by that Order may be detained now in prisons of Colony till expiration of sentences. Penal servitude

and hard labour are not forms of imprisonment known to Colonial law, which recog nizes only two forms of imprisonment, simple and rigorous. No information obtainable here as to condition of hard labour and penal servitude as compared with rigorous imprisonment. Recommend that both [classes] of prisoners should be subject to conditions of rigorous imprisonment. Otherwise please send directions necessary and cable intermediate instructions.-CHALMERS.

42213

No. 48.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR. (Sent 5.55 p.m., 22nd September, 1915.) TELEGRAM.

YOUR telegram 13th September.*

BONAR LAW.

* No. 47.

Courts martial; proposals approved.—