Jaffna Hospital massacre by Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF)

Today marks the 34th anniversary of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) massacre at the Jaffna Hospital.

 #அறிவோம்ஈழம் #WarCriminalRajivGandhi #IndianArmy

At least 68 civilians, including 21 medical personnel, were killed by Indian troops as they stormed the hospital building on 21 and 22 October 1987, throwing grenades and firing indiscriminately at staff and patients. 

Timeline of events

October 21. 1987

• 11h - The hospital environment came under cannon fire from the vicinity of Jaffna DutchFort and from overhead helicopters.

• 11h30 - A shell fell on the Outpatients Department (O.P.D) building.

• 13h - The chief consultant on duty was informed that Indian troops had been sighted at nearby Shanti Theatre Lane.

• 13h30 - A shell fell on Ward 8, killing seven persons. The chief consultant who went out with another doctor to survey the situation spotted some empty cartridges, suggesting that persons had been firing from inside the hospital premises.

• 14h - The chief consultant's attention was drawn to the presence of some armed LTTE fighters inside the hospital. The chief consultant went with Dr. Ganesharatnam and asked the group to leave the premises. The leader of the group agreed and they left.

• 14h5 - The chief consultant was informed that another group of LTTE men had come inside. Dr. Ganesbaratnam requested that the chief consultant goes with another doctor to speak to the LTTE group and ask them to leave. It is not clear if the LTTE men ever left the hospital. 14h, 16h - A few staff members left the hospital for lunch through the back door.

• 16h - Staff heard shooting for 15-20 minutes from the vicinity of the gasoline station on Hospital Road. No retaliatory fire from the hospital was heard.

• 16h20 and onward - According to an eyewitness, the IPKF entered the hospital grounds through the front gate, came up along the corridor, and warned everybody inside the hospital. The IPKF fired into the Overseer's office and other offices. The eyewitness saw many of his fellow workers killed, including the overseer and an ambulance driver. The eyewitness also saw a soldier throw a grenade at a man, killing several people. According to another eyewitness, the IPKF came into the Radiology room, which was filled with people including the patients evacuated from Ward 8, and fired indiscriminately. Those who pretended to be dead by lying on the floor escaped the attack. Throughout the night a few bursts of fire and grenade explosions were heard.

October 22. 1987

• 8h30 - Dr. Sivapathasundaram was seen walking out of the hospital with three nurses. They were walking with their hands up shouting, "We surrender, we are innocent doctors and nurses." Shots were fired; Dr. Sivapathasundaran was killed and the nurses were injured.

• 11h - An Indian Army officer turned up at one of the wards and was confronted by a doctor. The doctor explained the situation to the officer and later, with the help of the officer, she called out to her colleagues and those who were injured to come out with their hands up. About 10 staff members who were alive were escorted out. They found their colleague Dr. Ganesharatnam dead. Later in the day all the dead bodies in the hospital were collected and burned

Eyewitness accounts:

'We were in the radiology block in the tea room at that time. The whole place was crammed with people including the patients from the evacuated ward 7 as well. We heard the noise of firing coming closer. But we were sure that even if the Indian Army entered, they would check us, and then explanations could be offered. Dr. Ganesharatnam who was with us went out of the room. Some of our colleagues were still in the wards. The noise of the firing was drawing very close. All around us was the noise of firing. We realized the danger and lay flat on the floor.

The Indian Army came firing into the Radiology Block and fired indiscriminately at this whole mass of people huddled together. We saw patients dying. We lay there without moving a finger pretending to be dead. We were wondering all the time whether we would be burnt or shot when the bodies of the dead were collected.

In the night we heard a few bursts of fire. Most of the time we heard them moving on the floor above, where our quarters were situated. We were like this for almost 18 hours until 11:00 a.m. the next day:

Another eyewitness said:

All through the night as I lay awake, I heard noises, voices, an occasional spray of shooting above our heads, or a grenade thrown. I heard a child cry: 'Amma (mother), tea, tea, tea.

Another baby screamed. I thought maybe the mother had died. Another woman said: "My legs are numb. They are cold. There is a corpse on it. Please remove it. Unable to bear her moans, I shouted: 'Please anybody near her, can't you remove the corpse? Are you deaf?'

The woman continued to moan... till in the morning I knew the reason for the silence. All those around and the woman herself were dead. One man was reciting the Hindu religious work, the Sivapuranam, and was calling out: "Long live Rajiv. Long live Indira Gandhi"

Among the 21 medical personnel, nurses & hospital staff who were massacred were 2 nurses, paramedics, a supervisor, three then leading medical specialists, Dr.Sivapathasuntharam, Dr.Parimelalahar & Dr.Ganesharatnan. Also killed were 47 patients receiving treatment. 

An infant & few children were also victims of the IPKF when they made noise, watching these horrors.  Bullets were spent on innocent patients who tried to seek help. They did the same to the children and the aged who asked for water. Dr.Sivapathasuntharam, who unknowingly came into the hospital premises and attempted to save his injured coworkers, was killed by the army personnel who were on guard. The next day the IPKF collected all the dead bodies and burnt all of the bodies at the back of the mortuary.

34 years have elapsed, but the Indian state is yet to tender a public apology to Eezham Tamils for its brutal massacre at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital.  It is one of the most brutal massacres witnessed in the history of Jaffna. 

War crimes committed by the IPKF in Eezham Tamils have not been adequately investigated nor justice provided. Today we take a minute to remember the victims of this horrifying crime.