By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – The Tamils or Tamil Tigers, who make up the minority population have rebelled against the majority Sinhalese since 1983.  The rebels have desired to secede from Sri Lanka due to the marginalization of the government controlled by the Sinhalese.  Since then, 70,000 people have reportedly been killed because of the fighting.

Last week, the Sri Lankan military attacked the Tigers in an effort to regain the rebel controlled territory, primarily in the north and eastern parts of the country.  The government’s military offensive included air strikes, helicopter attacks and ground assaults.  Fighter aircraft attacked a Tiger intelligence center in the north in response to a Tiger air raid of a military base.  As a result, a reported 47 rebels were killed and 13 military soldiers were dead or missing.

Just in this past week, thousands of civilians were forced to flee their homes.  According to Amnesty International, approximately one third are living in open air with no shelter.  Many cannot receive food, tents or other goods due to restrictions on what passes through rebel territory.  The rebels have also restricted the movement of civilians out of the territory.  The government has even held civilians in de facto detention centers, not allowing them to leave except for food.

“Both sides to this long conflict have again shown that they will jeopardize the lives of thousands of ordinary people in the pursuit of military objectives,” said Yolanda Foster. “In the absence of independent international monitors, Sri Lankan civilians lack protection and remain at the mercy of two forces with long records of abuse.”

The UN Secretary General stated that the conflict had “grave humanitarian consequences for civilians”.  Moreover, “he reminds all concerned of their responsibility to take active steps to ensure the safety and freedom of movement of civilians, allowing humanitarian organizations to do their work in safety, as well as to reach persons affected by the fighting who need humanitarian assistance,” a statement said.

For more information, please see:

Amnesty International – Sri Lanka:  Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Government endangering tens of thousands of lives – 14 August 2008

Asia Times Online – Civilians Caught in Sri Lanka’s ‘Clean War’ – 11 September 2008

BBC – Sri Lanka Jets Bomb ‘Rebel Base’ – 10 September 2008

USA Today – Sri Lankan Military:  47 Tamil Tiger Fighters Killed in Fighting – 03 September 2008