Sri Lanka, Oct. 15 -- Violent conflicts lead to the emergence of two antagonistic categories - the victor and the vanquished. But the way the victor treats the vanquished varies depending on a variety of factors, such as: the culture and ideology of the country; the era in which the conflict occurred; and the nature of the conflict as perceived by the victor.

After brutally crushing the Uva-Wellessa rebellion in 1818, the British, who were still to establish themselves in the island and were therefore shaky, massacred Uva's male population above the age of 18 years, killed all the cattle, burnt homes and destroyed the irrigation system in an unparalleled show of vengeance. Brutality was also part and parcel of warfare those days, especia...