45 



42. The form of military tribunal selected to try these 

 offences of rioting and looting 1 is the Field-Court Martial, which 

 it is submitted is a makeshift Court, which sits in the Field to 

 summarily inquire into crimes when Government is at a stand- 

 still and all Municipal Courts are suspended by active hostilities 

 or armed rebellion. In Ceylon, even in the days of the rioting, 

 there was no resistance to the Government, no attacks on public 

 officers or public buildings, no attacks on persons or property 

 other than against the persons and property of those above re- 

 ferred to (Coast Moors and, later, of some Ceylon Moors after 

 they interfered). 



43. Since the cessation of the riots the military forces, as 

 well as the Town Guards, Volunteer Forces, etc., have been 

 employed not so much in suppressing disturbances or with the 

 exception of a small number in keeping the peace, but in assist- 

 ing the Commissioners and the police in collecting evidence, 

 assessing damages, and also in levying compensation, in carry- 

 ing out the orders made by the General and Commissioners under 

 the several Proclamations, such as the prohibition to be out of 

 doors after a certain hour, and to walk in the middle of the street, 

 even by personal violence amounting to cruelty, lashing being 

 resorted to in many instances. 



That even Magistrates did not set any limits to their 

 authority, and were not restrained when they exceeded their 

 powers, may be seen from the following case : 



At the village of Divulapitya, in the district of Negombo, 

 there were two rows of Bazaars facing each other on either side 

 of the street, belonging to two rival Sinhalese landlords, and 

 tenanted by Coast Moormen. One of the landlords took effective 

 steps to defend the Bazaars of the Coast Moor tenants from the 

 fury of the rioters. He collected his servants together, and with 

 a few pieces of firearms (which were not used) went forward and 

 succeeded not only in saving his property but the goods of his 

 tenants. The Bazaars opposite were demolished. Later, he 

 was arrested by the military and brought to Negombo. He was 

 taken back to his village, Divulapitya, by the Police Magistrate, 

 Mr. N. J. Luddington, under an armed military escort. Fire- 

 arms (according to my instructions two or three guns) which he 

 had in his possesssion, and which helped him, as stated above, to 



