Conflict in Sri Lanka

Has anyone noticed that the conflict in Sri Lanka contains striking similarities to the conflict between Israel and Hamas that occurred during Operation Cast Lead in January of this year? Apparently not. Maybe that's because there has come to light yet another example that highlights how much more bloody and horrific the conflict in Sri Lanka is, that of the bombing by the Sri-Lankan government of a hospital killing 91 civilians. Do we hear an international uproar over this though? Of course not.

The conflict in Sri Lanka is one of an independent terrorist organisation, the Tamil Tigers, fighting since 1983, against the Sri Lankan government for independence of the Tamil Eelam region in northern Sri Lanka. The conflict has caused over 70,000 deaths with thousands more injured and displaced (150,000 according to the ICRC). The Sri Lankan government, by any standards, has been waging a war many times more ruthless than that Israel Operation Cast Lead, though during that conflict and after the international community and the public at large has remained fairly laid back in its criticism. There have been demands for a ceasefire though without the public outcry there is less pressure as a whole to push Sri Lanka to put an end to its hostilities.

During the height of the fighting Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ratnasiri Wickremanayake said "We are not ready for a ceasefire and the war against terrorism is at the last stage....Some countries are pressurising us to go for ceasefire agreement. We cannot listen to the concerned international body or community which is putting pressure on us to accept a ceasefire agreement with LTTE. Our sovereignty must be respected and there should be no condition. We will not yield to any pressure." Sound familar? As a result, the terrorist organisation that is the Tamil Tigers, so the Sri Lankan government tells us, are nearing the last days of their existence as the war comes to an end.


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