After having defeated the Tamil Tigers in the beginning of 2009, the Human Rights Watch is concerned, with good reason, about the poor conditions enforced on the 260, 000 people still living in makeshift camps spread around Sri Lanka. (Pascoe)
Why have these people gotten into this position? Because of a long history of fighting between the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan government. For more than 20 years, the Tigers, based in the north east of Sri Lanka, have been fighting violently on and off against the Sri Lankan government. Many say that the Tamil Tigers “are one of the most organized, effective and brutal terrorist groups in the world.” (Pickert) The FBI says that they are the only terrorist group de have assassinated two world leaders. The Tigers are made up of 5,000 to possibly 10,000 guerillas who are all fighting with the mission to separate themselves from the island of Sri Lanka. As their name suggests, the guerillas are Tamils who immigrated to Sri Lanka from southern India. Sri Lanka is made up mostly of Sinhalese, compared to the 10-15% of Tamils occupying the territory. (Pickert) In 1972, the government of Sri Lanka (which is controlled by the Sinhalese) made Sinhala and Buddhism the official language and religion of the nation. The Tamils, who are practicers of hinduism and speak a different tongue, got insulted, which lead to the foundation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) by Vellupillai Prabhakaran. (Pickert)
In their first years, the Tigers were one of many small groups who had formed who were competing for support from the Tamil population. After 1983, when LTTE attacks created riots and killed hundreds of Tamils, they became the dominant Tamil supporter group. Soon, the Tigers were plotting violent attacks using more than 200 suicide bombs in public buildings, Buddhist temples, and other common locations. The Tigers have also acquired many weapons such as rockets and grenade launchers. In 1980, India sent peacekeeping troops to help reduce violence and tone down the hostility, but they pulled out by 1990 since it seemed an impossible feat. Through the early 1990s, the Tigers continued attacks, such as assassinations of their president in 1993, and the prime minister of India in 1991. The conflict has continued until now.
These concentration camps are no place to be living in if there is no need anymore; problems such as overcrowding, and inadequate medical care increase the risk of health problems, especially as the monsoon season approaches. (Pascoe) The sriLankan authorities are also not being honest with the populations in the camps about the date they can return home, leaving the residents in a constant state of perturbation. In an effort to give the camp residents a sliver of hope to cling on to, the Human Rights Watch sent a letter to the European Union, hoping that they could help the situation. (Pascoe) U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon toured Manik Farm, one major camp in Kandy and said “the government is doing its utmost, but the government lacks resources.” (Charbonneau)
“The civilians locked up in these detention camps have a right to liberty now, not when the government gets around to it,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “World leaders should support calls from the UN to restore full freedom of movement to these people, who already have suffered mightily from war and displacement.” (Adams)
Since March 2008, everyone displaced by the war between the Tamil Tigers and the government of Sri Lanka has been confined to detention camps. This course of action taken by the government is a deprivation of their freedom, and a large human rights violation. Of these 264, 583 displaced people on September 15, 2009, only roughly 12, 000 have been released and allowed to return home to their families. Human Rights Watch says that these claims are false, and that many of the people were not truly released. On September 12th, 2009, a statement published on the Ministry of Defense’s website claimed that nearly 10,000 people were returned to their homes the preceding day. However, the blatant truth is that these people had been released, but not to return to their families, but to camps in their home districts. Now, these people are undergoing further screening, which according to the government could take several months. However, the strange thing is that it seems each person has been screened and cleared for release multiple times already. (Adams)
Why is it taking so long? President Mahinda Rajapaska responded by saying that the return of the civilians depends on the progress of the demining of the areas where these individuals live. “Demining is crucial, but the presence of landmines is not a valid basis for keeping people locked up,” (Adams) said Adams. “Many of the displaced can stay with relatives and host families far from any mined areas.” (Adams)
The government has detained more than 10,000 people, accusing them of having been involved with the LTTE. (Adams) These people have been separated from their families and transferred to camps and prisons. There have been several cases, in which the authorities have not informed families about where these individuals are, creating worry for these families. People in the detention camps have no way of being able to trace missing relatives that may be in other camps or detention centers. The authorities said they are finished making the lists registering residents, however, there is no way for the general public to access these lists, detrimental to finding their missing family members. In addition to that, the International Committee of the Red Cross, which traces family members, has been barred from the main camps since July. Other humanitarian organizations such as the UN have been prevented from monitoring protection in the camps. The military insists on listening in on conversations between these organizations and camp residents so as to stop confidential exchanges of information, such as the dire conditions of these camps. Even the Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission (a government organization) needs military permission to enter the camps. Finally, during monsoon season, the camp’s conditions are anticipated to go downhill: serious flooding could destroy tents and shelters, roads could collapse making it hard to deliver crucial items to the people (such as water, food and first aid kits), and the threat of disease concerns many. The residents lack proper medical care because the health facilities are understaffed and under-resourced. Residents wait in line for hours due to this, leaving people without access to medical care in emergencies. (Adams)
“Sadly, the Sri Lankan government has a track record of lying, deceiving and breaking promises to civilians displaced by the conflict,” (Adams) said Adams. “The UN, donors, and bilateral partners should demand immediate, concrete progress and not let themselves be fooled again by empty government promises.” (Adams)
We can only hope that changes are made so that these unlucky individuals can be let out of this infinite state of anxiety and return to their homes
