By

D.B.S.Jeyaraj

October 1990 was the month in which the Tamil speaking Muslims of the Northern province were forcibly expelled en masse by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) 35 years ago. This two-part article re-visits the horrible happenings of “Black October 1990” on this thirty-fifth anniversary year. The first part of this article published last week focused on the mass expulsion of Muslims from the northern districts in the mainland like Mannar, Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Mullaitheevu and also Chavakachcheri in the Jaffna peninsula.. In this second and final part, the primary focus is on the plight of Muslims expelled from Jaffna town.

As stated last week, the expulsions of \muslims by the tigers had begun in several parts of the north in mid-october 1990.Even as the expulsions were taking place in the northern mainland Wanni, the Jaffna Muslims were unperturbed. Even the Chavakachcheri Muslims had already been chased out but the Jaffna town area Muslims could not see any danger befalling them. These were things happening to others for different reasons. Jaffna Muslims saw themselves as integral to Jaffna. Nothing could happen to them from their Tamil brethren. They were in for a terrible shock on October 30.

It was about 10.30 am in the morning when the LTTE vehicles with loudspeakers began plying the roads and lanes of the Jaffna Muslim residential areas. A terse announcement was repeated incessantly that representatives of each Muslim family should assemble at the Jinnah stadium of Osmania College by twelve noon. Armed tigers began patrolling the streets. Some began house to house announcements in the thickly populated lanes and by – lanes.

Aanchaneyar/Ilamparithy

The people abandoned whatever they were doing and hurried to the grounds. At 12. 30 pm a senior tiger leader Aanchaneyar addressed them. Aanchaneyar later went by another name Ilamparithy. Aanchaneyar or Ilamparithy had a brief message.The LTTE high command for reasons of security (Paathukaappu) had decided that all Muslims should leave Jaffna within two hours. Failure to do so meant punishment. No further explanation was given.

When people started to question him Ilamparithy lost his cool. He barked loudly that the Muslims should simply follow orders or face consequences. He then fired his gun several times in the air. A few of his bodyguards followed suit. The message was clear. The people thought initially that the army was going to invade Jaffna and that the LTTE was asking everyone to leave. Only belatedly did they realise that only the Muslims were being ordered to leave.

With more and more armed tigers coming into the area the perturbed Muslims began packing. Initially they were not told of any restrictions on the things they could carry. So people packed clothes, valuables, jewels and money. Buses, vans and lorries were made available for transport by the tigers. Many Muslims made their private transport arrangements too.

“Ainthumuchanthi” Junction

The Muslims streaming out of their homes were now given a fresh order. They were asked to queue up at the “Ainthumuchanthi” junction. As the hapless people lined up they were in for another shock. Male and female cadres of the LTTE began demanding that the Muslim people hand over all their money, belongings and jewellery to them. Each person would be allowed only 150 rupees each. Each person would be allowed only one set of clothes.

Feeble protests were raised. The brandishing of sophisticated weapons and threats in aggressive tones quickly silenced them. The suitcases with clothes and other belongings were confiscated. They were opened first and selected clothes taken out. If a person wore trousers an extra set of trouser and shirt was given. If a person wore a sarong an extra sarong and shirt was given. All the money and documents including title deeds to property,cheque books and national identity cards were confiscated.

Women and girls were stripped of jewels. Some women cadres were brutal even pulling out ear studs with blood spurting in the ear lobes. The children were not spared. Not a watch was left. Jaffna Muslims reported later that Karikalan from Batticaloa was supervising the entire operation.

At least 35 wealthy Muslim businessmen were abducted. They were detained by the LTTE. Some Muslim jewellers were tortured for details of hidden gold. One jeweller was killed by the beatings in front of the others. Later huge sums of money were demanded for their release. Some paid up to 3 million. The abducted persons were released in stages over the years. 13 people however never returned and are presumed dead.

After expelling the Jaffna Muslims the LTTE cordoned off their areas with ropes. The “Virakesari” of Nov 2nd 1990 reported that this was done to protect the property till the Muslims returned. Some of the dazed Muslims too thought that their expulsion was only temporary. It took months for them to understand the true state of affairs. As time went on some of the once rich – now pauperised – Muslims found themselves unable to adjust to the new situation. Their quality of life declined greatly over the years.

Jaffna Municipality

In retrospect it appears that the LTTE was particularly cruel in the case of Jaffna Muslims. The Jaffna Muslims were concentrated in two or three densely populated wards of the Jaffna Municipality. Sonaka theru, Ottumadam and Bommaively were their areas. They were an integral part of Jaffna society.

There was a time when the Jaffna new market opened by former Mayor Alfred Duraiappah was virtually dominated by Muslims. Two of the three blocks were monopolised by Muslims. The hardware, lorry transport, jewellery and meat trades in Jaffna were dominated by Muslims.

The Muslims of Jaffna like the Jaffna Tamils had also built up a proud educational tradition. Former civil servant and Zahira Principal AMA Azeez, Supreme Court Judge Abdul Cader, Appeal Court Judge MM Jameel. Education Director Munsoor etc being some leading lights of the Jaffna Muslims. There were several Municipal Councillors and two former MMCs Basheer and Sultan had even served as deputy – mayors and acting mayors of Jaffna.

Puttalam District

Most of the Muslims expelled from the North were temporarily re- settled in the Puttalam district. Many found their way to Vavuniya, Negombo and Colombo districts. Others relocated to the Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, Gampaha , Matale and Kandy districts. Quite a lot of Jaffna Muslims went abroad as refugees.

Thousands of Muslims languished for many years in camps set up for Internally displaced persons in Puttalam district.The largest concentrations of displaced Muslims from the northern mainland were in Kalpitiya and Pulichakulam areas. The largest concentration of displaced Jaffna peninsula Muslims were in the Thillaiyaddy area of Puttalam.

Meanwhile the LTTE looted almost all possessions left in the Muslim houses. Many houses were stripped of tiles, wooden frames, doors, windows, etc. Much of the looted furniture was sold to Tamils through the LTTE Shops or “Makkal Kadai”. Some Muslims returning to the North after the 2002 ceasefire recognized their possessions in other houses and businesses. Many Muslim houses,lands and vehicles were sold illegally to Tamils by the LTTE.

Eastern Province

Why did the LTTE carry out this mass expulsion of Northern Muslims in Black October 1990?There are various explanations but it appears that the course of events in the Eastern province greatly influenced this terrible tragedy in the northern province.

The LTTE had gained control of the greater part of the northern province after the departure of the Indian army in March 1990. War had erupted in June 1990.The northern Muslims like their Tamil counterparts were equally affected by the on going war then. They too like Tamil civilians had from time to time vacated their homes during intense shelling or bombing.They had always returned home in a few days. But the eastern province situation took a different turn.

Tamil – Muslim hostilities were increasing in the East. The desertion of some Muslim cadres in the LTTE and a few of them going over to the enemy incensed the Eastern LTTE under Karuna (military commander) and Karikalan (political commissar). Many other Muslim cadres in the LTTE were executed by the leadership. An anti – Muslim spirit pervaded the eastern LTTE then.

On the other hand. the UNP govt of the day headed by President Ranasinghe Premadasa also exploited and aggravated these feelings. Many Muslim anti-social elements were inducted as homeguards. These sections collaborated with the security forces in promoting anti-Tamil violence.

In some cases Muslim homeguards were responsible for Tamil civilian massacres. Some Tamil hamlets and villages were destroyed by Muslim homeguard led mobs. They were given covert support by sections of the security forces.

The LTTE in turn responded with gruesome massacres of Muslim civilians. The Sammanthurai and Kattankudi attacks on Mosques and killing of Muslims while praying and the massacres of civilians at the Saddham Hussein model village of Eravur being notorious examples. There was also the enforced disappearance and killing of returning Muslim pilgrims from Saudi Arabia near Kurukkalmadam.

A diabolical aspect to this state of affairs was the deliberate attempt to foment Tamil – Muslim friction by a section of the security establishment. A case in point was the shady phenomenon of “Captain Munas”. A “unit” under the command of this Captain Munas was reportedly responsible for many disappearances and executions of Tamils in Batticaloa in 1990 like those at Sathurukkondaan and Vanthaarumoolai..

The name Captain Munas was loathed and feared by Tamils. It was assumed that he was a Muslim. However in later years the Soza commission of inquiry appointed by President Chandrika Kumaratunga revealed that the so called Capt. Munas was in actual fact a Sinhala “intelligence” official named Richard Dias.

Though Tamil-Muslim relations were at a low point in the East the situation was quite different in the North especially Jaffna. Both communities continued to co – exist there peacefully. One reason being that Muslims were a small minority posing no threat whatsoever to the Tamil majorit

Karikalan

This situation of Muslims living peacefully in the North while tensions prevailed in the East was unacceptable to the Eastern tigers. A delegation led by Karikalan the then LTTE eastern political chief came to the North to persuade tiger supremo Prabhakaran that “stern” action should be taken against Muslims. Karikalan apparently wanted a lesson to be taught to the Muslims.

Even as this pressure was being exerted on the tiger hierarchy an incident occurred at Chavakachcheri in the Thenmaraaatchi sector of the Jaffna peninsula. The LTTE allegedly discovered about 75 swords concealed in a shop owned by a prominent Muslim trader. This was seen as part of a deadly conspiracy. Even if this explanation were true, one cannot see 75 swords being of any use against the Kalashnikovs of the LTTE.

The shop where the swords were found belonged to a Muslim businessman whose lorries travelled to and from Colombo for trade. The LTTE intelligence wing, known for its excessive paranoia, suspected a greater conspiracy. It was suspected that the security-intelligence apparatus could be using Muslim businessmen travelling frequently to Colombo as agents to engage in sabotage or act as spies. According to “tiger” sources , LTTE supremo Prabhakaran and his deputy chief Mahathaya then decided to expel the Muslims from the north as a “pre-cautionary “measure.

According to explanations provided by the LTTE later, the presence of an Eastern contingent under Karikalan in the North in October was greatly responsible for the decision of mass expulsion. Eastern tiger political commissar Karikalan was reportedly present in Jaffna town overseeing the Muslim expulsion. Essentially the mass expulsion was depicted as some form of retaliatory warning to the eastern Muslims. This decision was further influenced by the exaggerated threat perception.

No Justification

In a blatantly paranoid mindset the Muslims were seen as potential fifth columnists. It was against this backdrop that the mass expulsion exercise took place. Even if the reasons given for the mass expulsion were true, it merely provides an explanation for what had happened. It cannot be a justification.In fact there can be no justification for that terrible act.

Five years later Tamils too were forced into fleeing Jaffna in large numbers during the engineered exodus of 1995. Later in 2007 – 2009 Tamils in the northern mainland of Wanni had to move from place to place as the war escalated. Ultimately they were restricted to a small strip of littoral on the Mullaitheevu coast. Some may say perhaps that these are manifestations of the greater law of Karma or the universal principle of Dharma!

I have in the past written several times about the mass expulsion of the Northern Muslims. Much of the information was provided by directly affected Northern Muslims. I was the first Tamil to write in detail about the happenings of Black October 1990 in English.

Ethnic Cleansing

I was also the first Tamil journalist to describe the mass expulsion as ethnic cleansing. I did so when the LTTE was powerfully active. I was at the receiving end of severe criticism my tiger minions for this. Nevertheless I have continued to write about this great injustice done to Northern Muslims just as I keep writing about the plight and problems of Sri Lankans in general and Tamils in particular.

I would like to conclude by reiterating a few points made by me in several earlier articles.One of the greatest attributes of some expelled Muslims that I have come across is their lack of visible bitterness with Tamils. They realise that it was the LTTE which was responsible for their predicament and the reasons for it. They do not blame the ordinary Tamil for it. Above all their fondness for the Tamil language, its literature, films,drama and media have not decreased.

North is our Homeland too

Furthermore they are wistfully nostalgic about Jaffna, asserting proudly that the North is their homeland too. In the past when expelled Muslims emphasised their right of return, they constantly reminded the Tamils “Vadakku Engalin Thaayagamum Kooda” (The North is our Homeland too)

This magnanimity in spite of the injustice meted out to them shames the Tamil community at large. Except for a few voices there has been no powerful outcry against the LTTE for having perpetrated this atrocity against the Muslims.

Genuine Rapprochement

In an environment where reconciliation is being talked about nationally and globally there is an imperative need for genuine rapprochement between the Tamils and Muslims of the North. A strong sincere hand of friendship should be stretched towards the Muslims.A genuine and humble mass apology should be extended towards the Muslims by Tamil political leaders for the mass expulsion thirty -five years ago by the LTTE.

D.B.S.Jeyaraj can be reached at dbsjeyaraj@yahoo.com

This article appears in the “DBS Jeyaraj Column”of the “Daily Mirror”dated 18 October 2025. It can be reached here –

https://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/Mass-Expulsion-of-Northern-Muslims-in-1990-Why-did-the-LTTE-do-it/172-322630

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