By Alok Bhatt
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
KATHANKULUM, Sri Lanka – Approximately 6,000 Tamil ethnic minorities have at least been permitted to return home from refugee camps run by the Sri Lankan government. Over 250,000 internally displaced Tamils were confined to derisory conditions in the government’s supposed sanctuary camp since the end of a 25 year war against the Tamil Tigers rebel group. The Tamils now being released signify the largest number of liberated persons since the onset of the struggle between the government and the militant Tamil independence movement. With the release of the encamped Tamils, Sri Lankan nationals finally have the opportunity to repopulate lands once in the control of the Tamil Tigers.
Government forces dismantled the Tigers in May. After establishing numerous safe-zones across Sri Lankan territory, the government escorted droves of Sri Lankan Tamils to its camps until the population could be screened for militants among the civilians. The government also contended that they needed to detonate mines surrounding the vicinity of the camps.
Although the Tamils were supposedly safe from enemy attack, food, water, and clothing quickly became scarce in the government’s camps. Also, heavy rains and subsequent flooding raised further health issues as water-borne diseases were feared to spread among the confined Tamils. Monsoon rains also increased the difficulty of transporting supplies as pertinent routes become submerged, or otherwise impossible to traverse.
The Sri Lankan government has released statements demonstrating its intent to release nearly 40,000 internally displaced Tamils over the coming weeks. These seemingly abrupt liberation measures have actually been realized after months of international pressure. Reports of the subhuman living conditions at the refugee camps and occurrences of civilian mistreatment by military and government agents have garnered the attention of alarmed state and non-government organizations. The U.N. has repeatedly chastised the Sri Lankan government for confining the Tamil minority citizens and failing to properly maintain and supply their camps.
Although significant evacuation processes are currently underway in Sri Lanka, the government must release approximately 270,000 Tamil internally displaced persons. The government has not given a specific time-frame as to when it plans on completing the evacuation process. However, it has suggested that compensation programs will come into effect in order to aid many of those who lost their homes. However, given the government’s history of unsubstantiated promises concerning the fate of the Tamil IDPs, the projected results of the evacuation and repopulation program remain unknowable.
For more information, please see:
BBC News – Thousands leave Sri Lankan camps – 22 October 2009
CDIC – Sri Lanka releases 4,300 ethnic Tamils… – 22 October 2009
Sri Lanka Guardian – Make Lankan Tamils free: CPI to Centre – 22 October 2009
