Trincomalee, called Thrikanaamale in Sinhala and Thirukonamalai in Tamil, is once again very much in the news. A cycle of violence in mid-April resulted in more than 35 deaths and 60 injuries. The seriousness of the situation saw Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressing concern to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse over the telephone, and evoked stark memories of the July 1983 anti-Tamil violence on the island. While the hostilities had ceased by the time of writing, the smouldering tension can once again erupt at the slightest provocation.
'Trinco', known for its geo-strategically important deepwater natural harbour, has in recent times become a communal powder keg. At the beginning of the 20th century, the coastal town had a Tamil majority of just under 80 percent, but their numbers decreased over the years. Today, Tamils make up about half of the population, with Sinhalas at 30 percent and Muslims making up 20 percent.
In the larger district, also called Trincomalee, the three communities can be found in nearly equal proportions. With such a heterogeneous ethnic mix, both the town and the district could easily have been a showpiece of racial harmony. But the downhill slide of ethnic relations throughout Sri Lanka is also reflected in Trincomalee, where again and again the underlying tension results in bouts of violence, as happened last month.
It all started with an assassination, when on 7 April 51-year-old Vanniyasingham Vigneswaran was gunned down at the bank where he worked, located amidst a high-security zone in close proximity of the police and navy headquarters. Vigneswaran was a reputed Tamil political activist and regarded as an important supporter of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). It is widely believed that the killing was done by Tamil paramilitaries affiliated with the state.