INTRODUCTION TO MEMORY SITES
2018 marks seventy years of Independence for Sri Lanka, during which time the country has experienced unprecedented forms of violence and loss. It is therefore an opportune moment to start recalling and documenting such events of violence and memorialization in an accessible way, serving as a reminder for future generations.
Please regard this as a work in progress. You too can be part of it by writing to us with your comments, suggestions, photographs and memories.
The sites on the map have been selected according to carefully chosen criteria such as:
- Post-Independence events of violence and memorialization
- Includes civilian deaths limited to: large-scale massacres —40 or more persons and/or destruction of property
- Assassination of National figures
- Rape and murder investigated and tried in court
- Sites of existing memorials and monuments
- Key memorial sites that were demolished
- Attacks on sites of National importance
Widespread violent phenomena such as the youth insurrections of 1971 and 1989-1993, anti-Tamil riots in 1958, 1977, 1981 and 1983, and ‘disappearances’ that occurred in many parts of the island have not been captured here.
Malathi de Alwis
June 2017
Disclaimer: This section of our website is intended to provide easy and swift access to sites of violence & memorialization in Sri Lanka While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, it is possible that some content will contain inaccuracies or errors. We are committed to rectifying them as soon as they are discovered or pointed out.