Riots and Martial Law in Ceylon 1915

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This book deals with the 1915 riots in Ceylon which broke out between the Sinhalese Buddhists and a small section of Mohammedans or Ceylon Moors and the brutal suppression of it by the British colonial authorities. The riots started on 28 May 1915 at Kandy with intolerance and aggressive-ness of a small section of the Mohammedans, known to the Sinhalese as Hambayas, and their insistence on the religious processions of the Sinhalese Buddhists passing in silence before their mosques in Gampola and Kandy. It soon spread to neighbouring villages on 30 May 1915. Fearing it to be a native uprising, martial law was first declared by the British colonialists there on 2 June 1915 and was only terminated on 30 August 1915, during which many summary executions and other atrocities were carried out by the colonial rulers. It was the beginning of the Freedom movement in Ceylon.

P. Ramanathan (1851-1930) was a Ceylonese Tamil lawyer, politician and later Solicitor General of Ceylon in 1892.

I BEG to call the attention of the sympathetic reader to the following extract from The Ceylon Legislative Council Debates of the 14th of October last, in explanation of the need for this book,—to obtain through the Rt. Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies and the British Parliament the redress which I failed to get from the Government of Ceylon on behalf of the Sinhalese :

" The non-official Members of Council, Sir, dare not turn a deaf ear to the lamentations of the people as expressed in their petitions before us. If we do, we shall lay ourselves open to the charge of betraying the trust reposed upon us by His Majesty the King and the people alike. I believe, Sir, the Legislative Council has received about 350 petitions already, and I know not how many more have reached Your Excellency. I have a heap of them here on the table addressed to you, which I have not yet presented. " When I read these petitions, Sir, feel very sorry. I feel that I must do something for the people who are groaning under the misfortunes which they have suffered for no fault of their own. And I expect you, Sir, who have been so sympathetic and have extended to me your private friendship, to try and do something for the people on this extraordinary occasion. I have gone amongst them, and I have seen grown-up men and women weeping bitter tears owinr, to the untold sufferings that have been imposed on them by the atrocities of the martial law, and by the illegal and unrighteous acts of the Commissioners appointed by Your Excellency, not knowing how inexperienced, and how wanting in the sense of justice-

" His Excellency the Governor :-Mr. Ramana-than, there are three of them here, and I am sure your words do not apply to them.

" The Hon. Mr. Ramanathan :-I wish them to stand up and answer, Sir.

" His Excellency the Governor :-I am sure you do not mean to make any imputations against any member.

" The Hon. Mr. Ramanathan I have seen the work of the Special Commissioners, I have heard of their doings-

" His Excellency the Governor :-I take it that your remarks do not apply to any members of this Council.