Valvai-89 massacre

Valvai, also known as Valveddithurai, is almost like a small town also incorporating four neighboring villages.

On 2, 3, & 4.08.1989, the Indian military imposed a curfew in Valvai. On the 02.08.1989, the Indian military from Urikkadu camp, and Polykandy camp moved towards the residential parts of Valvai. Brgdr Sankar Prasath was leading the Indian forces. With him were Capt Menan and Capt. Kapoor. Due to the curfew everyone was inside their homes. The military surrounded the town. The Indian military went to people’s homes and shot and cut many civilians to death. Some young men were taken to the junction and were shot and killed.

50 women were raped by the Indian military. Many temples were destroyed. Many homes and shops were set alight. Tamil people refer to this atrocity by the Indian military as India’s Mylai. 63 people died in the pogrom. One of the victim’s to this pogrom, N Seevaratnam, wrote as follows to one of the local dailies on 2002 to commemorate the day,

“I am from Valvai. At the time of the pogrom I lived in my home in Valvai with my relatives. All my belongings including my motor car were destroyed. My relatives who came to my home for protection were shot in front of my wife and children while they begged not to be shot.

Bodies lay in the home and along the road for three days. I with help from my wife and children brought all to the bodies to the road side and burnt it. There was no fire wood to burn the bodies. I used the wooden furniture in my home to burn the bodies. I went looking for something to burn the bodies. In the next road also there were bodies decaying. I burnt them as well.”

22 November 2006

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