Sri Lanka’s Black July
Summary
Host Lindsey Graham recounts Sri Lanka’s “Black July” pogroms of 1983, triggered by a Tamil militant ambush of soldiers. The episode details the subsequent week of state-sanctioned violence against Tamil civilians, including mob attacks and government inaction. It highlights President J.R. Jayawardene’s inflammatory response, which exacerbated ethnic tensions and fueled a 26-year civil war.
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