1998 Temple of the Tooth attack

Terrorist attack by LTTE January 2025 1998 Temple of the Tooth attack Sri Dalada Maligawa Attack 1.jpg 275px Damage caused to the Temple of the Tooth Kandy, Sri Lanka region:LK-2_type:event dms inline,title Temple of the Tooth 25 January 1998 6:10 am UTC+6 Suicide truck bombing 17 Paradise Lost: the bombing of the Temple of the Tooth — a UNESCO World Heritage site in Sri Lanka https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/abs/paradise-lost-the-bombing-of-the-temple-of-the-tooth-a-unesco-world-heritage-site-in-sri-lanka/08E30A3C65952AA42EB220CD6EDA5ABB Antiquity 1999 0003-598X 857–866 73 282 10.1017/S0003598X00065595 en Robin Coningham Nick Lewer subscription 25+ Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam To undermine preparations for the 50th independence day anniversary of Sri Lanka The 1998 Temple of the Tooth attack was an attack on the Temple of the Tooth Relic, located in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The shrine, which is considered to be important to the Buddhists in Sri Lanka, houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha and is also a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site.https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/450 World Heritage List: Sacred City of Kandy UNESCO 9 April 2012 22 September 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220922224209/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/450/ live East of Suez https://books.google.com/books?id=6w_bSP-V_LkC Echo Library Penfield, Frederic Courtland Frederic Courtland Penfield 1907 California 41–43 978-140-6894-27-1 In 1998, it was attacked by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state in the northern and eastern parts of the country from 1983 to 2009.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/50366.stm Eleven die in Sri Lankan temple suicide bomb BBC News 25 January 1998 8 April 2012 26 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161126181455/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/50366.stm live http://www.colombopage.com/archive_09/January2565223RA.html Religious ceremonies to commemorate the LTTE attack on Temple of tooth in Sri Lanka Colombo Page 25 January 2009 11 April 2012 Sri Lanka https://web.archive.org/web/20150402093342/http://www.colombopage.com/archive_09/January2565223RA.html 2 April 2015 usurped Sri Lanka: Current Issues and Historical Background https://books.google.com/books?id=Iudi2JJLaUAC Nova Publishers Nubin, Walter 2003 New York 11 978-159-0335-73-4 World and Its Peoples: Eastern and Southern Asia https://books.google.com/books?id=5ZBaVhmRvCkC Marshall Cavendish Marshall Cavendish Corporation 2007 Singapore 553 978-076-1476-31-3 Creating Peace in Sri Lanka: Civil War and Reconciliation https://books.google.com/books?id=GsAkOjSilgoC Brookings Institution Rotberg, Robert I. 1999 Washington, D.C. 2 978-081-5775-78-2 Background During the latter part of the 1990s, Sri Lanka was at the height of a civil war. In 1995, Sri Lankan armed forces captured the Jaffna Peninsula at the country's Northern periphery, which was occupied by the LTTE for years.https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/5/newsid_4618000/4618661.stm 1995: Jaffna falls to Sri Lankan army BBC 5 December 1995 12 April 2012 26 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161126171717/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/5/newsid_4618000/4618661.stm live In 1996, the LTTE retaliated by taking the town of Mullaitivu, and inflicting heavy casualties to the government forces.http://sundaytimes.lk/961013/sitrep.html Censorship out: then events unfurled The Sunday Times 13 October 1996 12 April 2012 Athas, Iqbal Iqbal Athas 31 January 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090131202209/http://sundaytimes.lk/961013/sitrep.html live The government launched the Operation Jayasikurui, and captured several LTTE held areas in 1997.http://sundaytimes.lk/980510/sitrep.html Operation Jaya Sikurui one year: how justifiable? The Sunday Times 10 May 1998 12 April 2012 Athas, Iqbal Iqbal Athas Amid fighting, the LTTE carried out a number of suicide attacks on military, economic and civilian targets within the government held areas. In early 1998, Sri Lanka was ready to celebrate its 50th independence anniversary from Great Britain. The Prince of Wales (now Charles III) and a number of foreign dignitaries were scheduled to arrive in the following days. Kandy city, in the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka, was selected as the host for independence day activity on 4 February. Meanwhile, on 28 January, Jaffna city was going to hold its local government election, after a break of 16 years due to the conflict. Despite heavy clashes in Kilinochchi and surrounding areas, the Sri Lankan government was eager to demonstrate that a normal life has returned to its people. Incident On 25 January 1998, the LTTE exploded a massive truck bomb inside the Temple of the Tooth premises, which was to be the centre of the independence day celebrations.The Commonwealth Yearbook https://books.google.com/books?id=PsALI1fatKIC Nexus Strategic Partnerships Ltd. Commonwealth Secretariat Commonwealth Secretariat 2006 Great Britain 369 978-095-4962-94-4 Three suicide LTTE Black Tigers drove an explosive laden truck along the King's Street (Raja Veediya), firing at soldiers manning road blocks around the place, crashed through the entrance and detonated the bomb around 6:10 am, local time.http://www.sinhaya.com/kandy1.htm LTTE Terrorists Attack Holy Shrine sinhaya.com 12 April 2012 27 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161127142539/http://www.sinhaya.com/kandy1.htm dead https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jan-26-mn-12396-story.html 11 Killed in Assault on Buddhist Shrine Los Angeles Times 26 January 1998 11 April 2012 8 August 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200808211840/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jan-26-mn-12396-story.html live Two explosions were heard. The truck contained 300–400 kg of high explosives.http://kms1.isn.ethz.ch/serviceengine/Files/ISN/29174/ipublicationdocument_singledocument/9e7f2527-5f41-4e2f-b212-44f33a25ef71/en/5_Suicide_Terrorism_in_Sri_Lanka.pdf Suicide Terrorism in Sri Lanka Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies 12 April 2012 Ramasubramanian, R IPCS Research Papers August 2004 IPCS conference New Delhi 23 https://web.archive.org/web/20140112144614/http://kms1.isn.ethz.ch/serviceengine/Files/ISN/29174/ipublicationdocument_singledocument/9e7f2527-5f41-4e2f-b212-44f33a25ef71/en/5_Suicide_Terrorism_in_Sri_Lanka.pdf 12 January 2014 dead 17 people, including the 3 attackers and a 2-year-old infant were killed in the incident.http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/shrilanka/database/data_suicide_killings.htm Suicide Attacks by the LTTE South Asian Terrorism Portal 11 April 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924114749/http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/shrilanka/database/data_suicide_killings.htm 24 September 2015 dead http://pact.lk/25-january-1998/ Tigers bomb Temple of the Tooth Peace and Conflict Timeline 8 April 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120730165404/http://pact.lk/25-january-1998/ 30 July 2012 dead Paradise Lost: the bombing of the Temple of the Tooth — a UNESCO World Heritage site in Sri Lanka https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/abs/paradise-lost-the-bombing-of-the-temple-of-the-tooth-a-unesco-world-heritage-site-in-sri-lanka/08E30A3C65952AA42EB220CD6EDA5ABB Antiquity 1999 0003-598X 857–866 73 282 10.1017/S0003598X00065595 en Robin Coningham Nick Lewer subscription Over 25 people, including four women, a monk and a police officer were injured.http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9801/25/sri.lanka.blast/index.html 8 killed in Sri Lankan blast at temple CNN 25 January 2012 Reuters 11 April 2012 26 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161126181311/http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9801/25/sri.lanka.blast/index.html dead P. W. Withanage, a professor of geology also died due to shock after hearing the incident.http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=43898 Fourteenth anniversary of LTTE attack on Temple of the tooth The Island 24 January 2012 11 April 2012 Wimalasurendre, Cyril Kandy 3 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235255/http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=43898 live The powerful attack left most of the buildings within a radius of 5 km damaged, and glass panes broken. Aftermath The bombing sparked a backlash among the public. Crowds gathered around the temple, and set fire to three vehicles and burned down a Hindu cultural center in Kandy.http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country,,,CHRON,LKA,,469f38e0c,0.html Chronology for Sri Lankan Tamils in Sri Lanka United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 11 April 2012 Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.http://www.anusha.com/kandy.htm 8 Killed in Truck Bombing at Kandy, Sri Lanka Buddhist Site anusha.com 26 January 1998 Associated Press 11 April 2012 27 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161127144934/http://www.anusha.com/kandy.htm live A 1000-strong mob then attacked and looted the Sri Selva Vinayagar Hindu temple at Katukelle in Kandy where the statues of 22 deities were damaged.Sivanayagam, S. Sri Lanka: Witness to History - A Journalist's Memoirs (1930–2004). 2005. p.542 In the end, no one was physically harmed and the violence did not spread.https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/despatches/50433.stm Despatches: Suzy Price BBC 25 January 1998 11 April 2012 Price, Suzy Sri Lanka 27 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161127145234/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/despatches/50433.stm live Community leaders, including the then Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga urged the Sinhalese community not to retaliate against the Tamil community, which the LTTE claimed to represent.http://tamilweek.com/news-features/archives/808 Why LTTE will not negotiate for political settlement? Tamil Week 3 March 2007 12 April 2012 Narapalasingam, S. 4 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304100507/http://tamilweek.com/news-features/archives/808 dead Next day, the Sri Lankan government officially banned LTTE for the first time, as a direct result of this attack.http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2012/01/24/day-infamy-%E2%80%93-january-25-1998 Day of infamy – January 25, 1998 Asian Tribune 25 January 2012 11 April 2012 Perera, Janaka 4 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003043/http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2012/01/24/day-infamy-%E2%80%93-january-25-1998 live It had not been banned previously as the government claimed that it wanted to bring the LTTE to the democratic path. This ban formally ended public advocacy for negotiations by the Kumaratunga government.http://tamilnation.co/tamileelam/chronology.htm Summarised Chronology of the Sri Lankan Conflict tamilnation.co 11 April 2012 24 October 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131024131040/http://www.tamilnation.co/tamileelam/chronology.htm live The then Sri Lanka's minister of defence Anuruddha Ratwatte handed over his resignation, taking responsibility for the security lapse which led to the bomb blast.http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=794 Gen. Ratwatte submits resignation TamilNet 28 January 1998 12 April 2012 27 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161127151619/http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=794 live Despite the violence, local government elections were held in Jaffna, and a high voter turnout was observed. Independence day celebrations were shifted to Colombo; but the foreign dignitaries including Prince Charles arrived in the capital.http://www.indianexpress.com/Storyold/20749/ Charles in Lanka for I-Day jubilee The Indian Express Colombo 4 February 1998 12 April 2012 Coincidentally, Madras High Court issued execution warrants to the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and 25 others on 28 January, in connection to the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.http://ejournalist.com.au/v3n2/kasun&linda.pdf One Temple, one Bomb, and three lines of Political Narrative Central Queensland University 2003 12 April 2012 Brady, Linda Ubayasiri, Kasun 26 https://web.archive.org/web/20110823221338/http://www.ejournalist.com.au/v3n2/kasun%26linda.pdf 23 August 2011 dead thumb|300px|right|Two restored stone carvings at the entrance of the temple: elephant carving (left) and the moonstone (right). The attack left the original moonstone shattered into 43 pieces. But remains of the original carvings are reconstructed in a museum inside the temple.http://sundaytimes.lk/990131/plusm.html One year after the LTTE attack, Maligawa is slowly returning to its former glory The Sunday Times 31 January 1999 12 April 2012 Attygala, Udena In October 2003, three LTTE cadres involved in the attack were convicted by the Kandy high court and sentenced to death.http://www.sinhalaya.com/news/english/wmview.php?ArtID=1519 Sixth anniversary of LTTE attack to the holiest shrine of Buddhists Sinhalaya News Agency 26 January 2004 11 April 2012 6 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160306004927/http://sinhalaya.com/news/english/wmview.php?artid=1519 dead Two others were sentenced to 680 years of rigorous imprisonment and third to 490 years.http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2007/1/11695_space.html Today is the 9th Anniversary of LTTE's bomb Attack – Sri Dalada Maligawa lankanewspapers.com 25 January 2007 12 April 2012 15 July 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130715002449/http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2007/1/11695_space.html live According to the Mackenzie Institute, part of the LTTE's incentive for the attack was to spark widespread mob violence against the country's Tamil minority, by the Sinhalese majority, as occurred in 1983,http://www.mackenzieinstitute.com/2009/BN25-2009-apr%20The%20Liberation%20Tigers%20of%20Tamil%20Eelam.html The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam: Essential Points Mackenzie Institute April 2009 11 April 2012 Thompson, John https://web.archive.org/web/20120418195531/http://www.mackenzieinstitute.com/2009/BN25-2009-apr%20The%20Liberation%20Tigers%20of%20Tamil%20Eelam.html 18 April 2012 dead although it did not transpire. Damage and restoration thumb|right|Fully restored Temple of the Tooth in 2005. The attack caused severe damage to the temple; especially to its roof and the facade. But neither its inner chambers nor the tooth relic were harmed. Damaged parts of the temple include: Paththirippuwa (the octagon), Mahawahalkada (the grand entrance), the royal palace, sandakada pahana (the moonstone) at the entrance, the queen's bath, the library of the temple and some important sculptures in its exterior.http://www.spur.asn.au/extra/dalada3.htm LTTE bombs Sri Dalada Maligawa in Sri Lanka Society for Peace Unity and Human Rights in Sri Lanka – Australia 11 April 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120324013317/http://www.spur.asn.au/extra/dalada3.htm 24 March 2012 dead Nearby Queen's Hotel, Natha Devale and St. Paul's Church were also damaged.http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/ltte.htm Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) globalsecurity.org 11 April 2012 28 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161128144504/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/ltte.htm live After clearing debris, the temple was opened for the public on 10 February.http://sundaytimes.lk/980412/plusm.html Maligawa: A Slow Restoration The Sunday Times 12 April 1998 11 April 2012 Handunnetti, Dilrukshi But complete restoration took more than one and a half years to complete. A presidential task force, headed by President Kumaratunga, and a Temple of the Tooth restoration committee, headed by the then Sri Lankan minister of cultural affairs Lakshman Jayakody, were formed to oversee the work. Department of Archaeology, Central Cultural Fund, State Engineering Corporation, Buildings Department, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Water and Drainage Board and Ceylon Electricity Board were involved in restoration and conservation efforts. The badly damaged roofs were redone within two to four months, as a priority concern. Government initially granted two million Sri Lankan rupees for the restoration, following the attack. Public donations to the cause exceeded 100 million rupees, which was three times higher than the estimated cost. A number of local craftsmen and stone carvers were employed. This helped revival of the near-extinct profession of stone carving in Sri Lanka, which was confined to a few rural families at that time. In the end, all damaged sculptures were made new, and damaged paintings on lime plaster were reassembled and reintegrated with the existing pieces. The damage to the inner chambers revealed previously unknown paintings belonging to the Kirti Sri Rajasinha era. The restoration process was completed by August 1999.http://www.iccrom.org/pdf/ICCROM_ICS06_CulturalHeritagePostwar_en.pdf Cultural Heritage in Postwar Recovery International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property 12 April 2012 Wijesuriya, Gamini Stanley-Price, Nicolas Armed conflict and conservation: Promoting cultural heritage in postwar recovery October 2005 2nd ICCROM Forum Rome 87–97 92-9077-201-8 https://web.archive.org/web/20110516205323/http://www.iccrom.org/pdf/ICCROM_ICS06_CulturalHeritagePostwar_en.pdf 16 May 2011 dead Reaction The attack was condemned by various local and international organizations and individuals. Local Ven. Rambukwelle Sri Vipassi, the then mahanayake thero of the Malwatte chapter and Ven. Palipane Sri Chandananda, the then mahanayake thero of the Asgiriya chapter, the chief custodians of the relic of the tooth of the Buddha expressed their deep shock of the attack. Vipassi thero stated, "It is with immense pain of mind that I express my shock and profound sorrow on the extensive damage caused by terrorists to the sacred Sri Dalada Maligawa [Temple of the Tooth], which is held in deep veneration by the entirely of the Buddhist world." President of the Hindu Council of Sri Lanka, Yogendra Duraiswamy stated that the Hindu Council is "deeply concerned at the cowardly attack perpetrated on the Dalada Maligawa, the holiest temple of the Buddhists in Sri Lanka." The then Archbishop of Colombo, Nicholas Marcus Fernando stated that no one in their normal senses would have thought of perpetrating such a crime which is not only against the Buddhists but against every citizen of the country. The Sri Lanka Islamic Centre (SLIC) and the International Buddhist Foundation also condemned the attack. Leader of the opposition in Sri Lanka parliament Ranil Wickremasinghe said, "Not even in the darkest moments of Sri Lanka's 2,000-year history has such an act of destruction been perpetrated against the very symbol of our civilisation and history."http://www.sinhaya.com/kandy2.htm Kandy Returns To Normality As More Details About The Attack Emerge sinhaya.com 12 April 2012 27 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161127143842/http://www.sinhaya.com/kandy2.htm dead International The then UNESCO Director General Federico Mayor Zaragoza, on 27 January stated, "I am deeply shocked by this act of blind violence perpetrated against a place of meditation, joy and peace. All religions are based on love and respect for life. Attacking a holy place means striking the very best in humanity, undermining its innocence and purity. Those who attack people through their faith can only be condemned. Religious differences can absolutely not be justification for conflict, and places of worship should in no case be used as targets."http://dh-web.org/place.names/posts/post_colonial_wars.pdf Post-Colonial Violence in Sri Lanka – a Narrative of Historical Evolutions and Contemporary Trends Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University 11 April 2012 Nanayakkara, Thrishantha Additionally, the office of the then United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan stated "The Secretary General UN has learnt with outrage of the news of a bomb attack on a major Buddhist shrine in Kandy, Sri Lanka and the resulting loss of life and destruction. As he has done on many occasions, the Secretary General strongly condemns the use of terror tactics in all circumstances. He deplores attempts to divide human beings on religious and ethnic grounds."http://www.defence.lk/LTTE/20110520MOT.asp Striking the very best in humanity; LTTE's attack on World Heritage Site Ministry of Defence (Sri Lanka) 11 April 2012 Amnesty International issued a statement condemning the killing of civilians at the Temple of the Tooth bombing. It called on the LTTE to abide by basic principles of international humanitarian law, especially the common article 3 of the Geneva Conventions and the Protocol II.https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa37/001/1998/en/ Sri Lanka: Amnesty International appalled at LTTE attack on civilians Amnesty International 26 January 1998 11 April 2012 22 November 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181122064439/https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa37/001/1998/en/ live Prince Charles, addressing the 50th independence anniversary celebrations in Colombo on 4 February stated, "A proud consciousness of this richness of heritage must have made your pain all the more acute when a bomb was exploded at the Temple of the Tooth last month. It was a brutal and malign act, and one which we all join in condemning. The Temple of the Tooth is a part of the world's heritage; it is not just Sri Lankan nor just Buddhist. So all your foreign guests wish you well in the long and painstaking task of restoring the Temple to its original splendour." The then–United States ambassador to Sri Lanka, Shaun Donnelly condemned the attack saying that "the entire world leadership had condemned the bomb blast on the sacred place. We should condemn this type of destruction of ancient places of religious and archaeological value."January 2025 See also 1989 Temple of the Tooth attack List of terrorist incidents, 1998 Terrorism in Sri Lanka References External links Kandy bombing: mindless carnage or military strategy?February 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes —A Tamil Guardian analysis "LTTE bomb killed mother on my visit to Dalada Maligawa"—Several eyewitness accounts of the attack Category:1990s massacres in the Sri Lankan civil war Category:1998 building bombings Category:Suicide bombings attributed to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Category:Car and truck bombings in 1998 Category:History of Kandy Category:January 1998 crimes Category:January 1998 in Asia Category:Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam attacks in Eelam War III Category:1998 mass murders Category:Persecution of Buddhists Category:Religious building bombings in Sri Lanka Category:Suicide bombings in 1998 Category:Suicide car and truck bombings in Sri Lanka Category:Terrorist incidents in Sri Lanka in 1998