imported>Suneye1 at 14:58, 22 July 2021

2021-07-22T14:58:31Z

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{{More citations needed|date=January 2021}}

{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox civilian attack
| title = Manjolai labourers massacre
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| map = {{Location map|India#India Tamil Nadu
|alt = Location of massacre
|lat_deg = 8.601962
|lon_deg =77.264131
}}
| location = [[Tirunelveli]], Tamil Nadu, India
| target = Manjolai Labourers and [[Public]]
| coordinates = {{Coord|8.601962|77.264131|display=inline}}
| date = 23 July 1999
| time = 2:40 pm
| timezone = UTC+5:30
| type = [[Massacre]]
| fatalities = 17
| injuries =
| perps = [[Tamil Nadu Police]]
| weapons = Lathi-charge, [[Teargas]]
| numparts =
}}
{{Violence against Dalits in Tamil Nadu}}
'''Manjolai labourers massacre''' or [[Thamirabarani River|Thamirabarani]] massacre of 23 July 1999 was the death of 17 [[Dalit]] labourers, including two women and a two-year-old child, when they got into the river to escape [[Tamil Nadu Police]] lathi-charge. Public were going in procession to [[Tirunelveli]] Collectorate to submit a memorandum demanding wage settlement for the tea plantation workers of Manjolai estate. An altercation between the police and the marchers resulted in a [[Baton charge|lathi charge]] by police. When the marchers ran helter-skelter, many fell into the river and died.Human Rights Watch condemned the brutal police attack and killing of [[Dalit]] tea plantation workers.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hrw.org/news/1999/08/06/police-killings-tamil-nadu-india | title=Police Killings In Tamil Nadu, India | publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]] | date=6 August 1999 | accessdate=17 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/article30257742.ece | title=THE TIRUNELVELI MASSACRE | publisher=Frontline | date=31 July 1999 | accessdate=17 June 2021}}</ref>
== Background ==
On 23 July 1999, a large number of labourers from the Tea estates of Manjolai congregated in [[Tirunelveli]] and marched towards the [[Collectorate]] demanding the release of a number of estate workers, who were arrested earlier for staging protest demanding better wages. The workers were being paid [[File:Indian Rupee symbol link blue.svg|7px]] 70 per Day then and they were demanding the pay to be increased to [[File:Indian Rupee symbol link blue.svg|7px]] 100. The workers were also demanding maternity leave, periodical breaks for women during the eight-hour-long duty. They were also opposing the decision of the estate owners to force workers to stay in sheds with poor facilities and deny right to rear cattle or even raise Gardens.
A large contingent of stone throwing and lathi-wielding police brutally assaulted the protesters forcing them to run towards the river. As police continued to chase them to the river, many got into the river and drowned. Justice Mohan Commission that probed into the incident submitted that 11 of the 17 died due to drowning, while rest died due to injuries.
Even now, much of their demands have not been met, but the estate workers have since been kept satisfied with a pay of [[File:Indian Rupee symbol link blue.svg|7px]] 138 per Day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.timesofindia.com/city/madurai/Dalit-outfits-seek-memorial-for-Manjolai-victims/articleshow/15115774.cms|title=Dalit outfits seek memorial for Manjolai victims|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=24 July 2012|accessdate=16 March 2014}}</ref> <ref name="Thirumaavalavan2003">{{cite book|author=Thirumaavalavan|title=Talisman, Extreme Emotions of Dalit Liberation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VsE2KwKwh0YC&pg=PA54|accessdate=17 June 2021|year=2003|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=978-81-85604-68-8|pages=54–}}</ref><ref name="DasViswanathan2005">{{cite book|author1=Bhagwan Das|author2=S. Viswanathan|title=In Pursuit of Ambedkar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8IO3AAAAIAAJ|year=2005|publisher=Navayana|isbn=978-81-89059-05-7}}</ref>

== Documentary film ==
The theme of the incident '''Death of a river''' (Oru Nathiyin Maranam) a [[Tamil language]] Documentary film was released in 1999,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/15/stories/2008071557540200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080718185233/http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/15/stories/2008071557540200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 July 2008|title=Much water hasn't flowed since his documentary|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=15 July 2008|accessdate=18 March 2014}}</ref> The 59-minute film this Tamil film works by Kanchanai Film Society. And producer, script, videographer, and directed by R R Srinivasan.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://www.worldcat.org/title/death-of-a-river/oclc/048925528|title=Death of a river Documentary film|publisher=worldcat.org|date=2001–2014|oclc=048925528|accessdate=18 March 2014}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Paramakudi riots]]
*[[1957 Ramnad riots]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:1990s in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Politics of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Riots and civil disorder in India]]
[[Category:1999 riots]]
[[Category:1999 in India]]
[[Category:Crime in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Massacres in India]]
[[Category:Deaths in India]]
[[Category:Tirunelveli district]]
[[Category:Tirunelveli]]
[[Category:Violence against Dalits in Tamil Nadu]]

Manjolai labourers massacre - Revision history

imported>Suneye1 at 14:58, 22 July 2021