He resigned from Parliament on 21 July 1983 and left Sri Lanka after the Black July anti-Tamil riots.

Land Development Department employees from this scheme took part in the 1958 anti-Tamil riots.

The latest attacks come a week before the 13th anniversary of island-wide anti-Tamil riots that set off the ethnic conflict in which more than 50,000 people have died, according to Government estimates.

He is widely regarded as one of the key ministers responsible for the anti-Tamil riots of July 1983, which subsequently resulted in the outbreak of a 26 year civil war.

Following the anti-Tamil riots, the Tamil rebel movement grew progressively strong and increasingly violent.

This new orientation became explicit in the anti-Tamil riots of July 1983.

He was in Welikada prison when the July 1983 anti-Tamil riots began.

The first round of violence flared in 1983 when the killing of 13 Sri Lankan soldiers sparked anti-Tamil riots in which nearly 400 Tamils died.

It was the fourth time since 1983 that his business had been hit in anti-Tamil riots.

Due to its alleged role in anti-Tamil riots of July 1983, it was banned and its leadership went underground.