- Tamil Information Monthly, 15 November 1984
Schools in Tamil areas in Sri Lanka, particularly
Jaffna, today function in a state of fear. Some schools
like Hartley College, Point Pedro, and Methodist Girls
School, Point Pedro, did not even function for a long
time following the burning of the Hartley College
library and, part of the buildings by Police Commandos
and indiscriminate attacks on students by armed
forces.
Another school which became the victim of terrorism
by government armed forces recently is St. Henry's
College, Illavalai. On the morning of 17th October the
army was stationed near the school, checking the
national Identity cards of all going along the road
including the students and staff while they were on
their way to school.
Suddenly at about 11.20 a.m. a barrage of gun shots
pierced the school walls and blackboards. The hail of
bullets traced a oath through the rows of students and
passed by the head of the teacher and struck the
blackboard. It was a miracle that none of the students
or the teachers was hit. The trail of bullets struck
the blackboard as on a bulls eye on a practice target.
The blackboard which forms part of the wall was found
to be pierced for a depth of 8-12 inches at several
places. Itwas a narrow escape for both the students and
the teachers. A Rev. Sister who was conducting a class
upstairs which is close to the main road also narrowly
escaped. The bullet from which the Rev. Sister escaped
can be seen on the wall. The firing continued for more
than forty five minutes. Shots were fired round the
premises: On hearing the gun shots the students and
teachers ran for their lives. As a result of the
stampede some injured themselves, breaking their legs
and hands.
Armed soldiers thereafter broke open the School gate
and the Rector walked up to the soldiers and told them
that the school was in session and not to create any
disturbances. Thereupon the Rector was ordered into a
armoured car at gun point. The armoured car with the
Rector inside was taken inside the school area pasing
several class rooms. While approaching the Science
laboratory some teachers and students inside the lab
raised their voices and told the Fr. Rector of their
presence inside. The soldiers thereupon pushed open the
door and asked the teachers and students to march out
raising their hands. One soldier suggested that they
should all be taken to the army camp. But Rev. Fr.
Rector pleaded with them and as a result they were
asked to remain in the staff room until further
notice.
Another group of soldiers who came in another
armoured car rushed into the staff room. The teachers
and students were ordered to stand still in a row and
raise the hands. "Shall we shoot them all" asked one
soldier. The teachers stood petrified and some of them
started mumbling their last prayers. Another soldier
wanted to know whether anybody among them knew Sinhala.
He asked one teacher who said he knew a little Sinhala
whether any one had run out of the room. The teacher
said no. Thereupon the soldier manhandled him saying
that he was telling. a lie. Simultaneously, four
students were assaulted with the butt end of a gun
below the knee.
Another set of teachers including women teachers
were with the students in the middle school, about a
hundred yards away from the main block. On hearing the
repeated gun shots they ran upstairs for shelter. Some
soldiers rushed in there, harassed and terrorised them
also.
The staff and students ultimately left in fear by
2.30 p.m. None of the students including hostelers had
gone back to school for nearly ten days after the
incident. The Teachers Guild of St. Henry's College has
sent a formal protest to the Director of Education,
Colombo.
