Historical truth, democratic accountability and the lessons we must learn
A response to open letter by Lionel Bopage and Professor Athula Sumathipala I have read with care the open letter addressed to me by Mr Lionel Bopage and Professor Athula Sumathipala, published in The Island on 16 October 2026 under the title “Black July: The Need to Tell the Whole Truth”. I thank them for […]
In response to an open letter, the editor acknowledges the seriousness of the contributors' contributions and regrets expressing an apology in Parliament concerning the events of Black July. The editor emphasizes that historical truth must not be selective, distinguishing established events, personal testimony, contested allegations, and legal findings.
The editor recognizes the importance of examining various factors that led to the anti-Tamil violence of July 1983, including the deprivation of civic rights, the extension of Parliament's term, violence during the 1981 Jaffna District Development Council elections, the destruction of the Jaffna Public Library, and the detention of opposition figures.
The editor also highlights the significance of the 1983 proscription of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the treatment of those subsequently detained, urging careful historical and legal examination of these matters.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Island Sri Lanka's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.