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Nature of Ethnic Strife

Nature of Ethnic Strife. Tamils in Northeast (yellow) Sinhalese in Central & South (gray) Population: 20 million 20% Tamils (Hindus & Christians) 72% Sinhalese (Buddhists & Christians) 8% Mixed (Muslims). Needs to be cleaned up.

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Nature of Ethnic Strife

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  1. Nature of Ethnic Strife Tamils in Northeast (yellow) Sinhalese in Central & South (gray) Population: 20 million 20% Tamils (Hindus & Christians) 72% Sinhalese (Buddhists & Christians) 8% Mixed (Muslims)

  2. Needs to be cleaned up

  3. Tyranny of the Majority(60 yrs of SLG’s Oppressive Rule Against Tamils) • Institutional discrimination against Tamils • Forced colonization • Sinhala as only National Language • Discrimination in education and employment • Recurrent Government sponsored pogroms • Constitution written to protect majority rights only • Elected Tamil leaders’ voiced for minority rights Crushed with Violence • Tamils Rights and Rights to self determination never delivered • Oppressive measures and deprivation of rights eventually lead to Tamil youths into arm struggle • Govt attacked Own Tamil citizens indiscriminately to crush rebels • In 2002 International Community (lead by US) assisted ceasefire. • Abrogation of PTOMs by Supreme Court

  4. Humanitarian Crisis in Sri Lanka Current Dire Humanitarian Crisis in Northeast Sri Lanka Urgent Actions Required Long Term Political Solutions

  5. Humanitarian Crisis in Sri Lanka(Life in Peril) • Over 300,000 people facing devastating humanitarian crisis • cornered into 20 sq.km area • without access to food, medicine and water • living under trees and makeshift camps – mostly under bunkers • Over 3,000 people killed in “so-called” safe zone within last 3 months • Over 7,000 people severely injured

  6. Humanitarian Crisis in Sri Lanka(Daily Bombing of Safe Zone) • Daily indiscriminate shelling & aerial bombing by Sri Lankan Government (SLG) on designated safe zone • Some days 5,000 shells are fired by SLG • SLG uses banned cluster bombs & phosphorus fire bombs • Hospitals and food storages are deliberately targeted • SLG said, “Hospitals are legitimate targets”

  7. Humanitarian Crisis in Sri Lanka(War without Witness) • All NGOs ordered out by SLG last year • Journalists are forbidden from the region • SLG publically threatened to chase out international media • Local journalists killed and intimidated • TV stations bombed • Remaining healthcare workers were ordered out by SLG or face dire consequences • Only 7 doctors and few hundred healthcare workers serving 300,000

  8. Humanitarian Crisis in Sri Lanka(Food and Medicine as Weapons of War) • Medicine • No medical supply • Complete collapse of health system • Mass casualty of civilian war victims • Lack of even basic medications – amputation, child deaths • Infectious diseases • Foods • No food convey was allowed for a long time • Lack of food and water • Deaths due to starvation

  9. Humanitarian Crisis in Sri Lanka(Indefinite Internment) • “Internment Camps” • Military & paramilitary run camps • People moved away from conflict zones put in internment camp run by SLG • No free movement inside or outside the camp • Families are separated and relatives are not allowed to visit • Parents are not allowed to stay with severely injured children in hospital (HRW Report) • Lack of adequate food and basic health care • No free access for NGOs and Journalists • Disappearances and sexual assaults inside the camps. Screaming inside the camps in nights. (HRW eye witness report). • SLG plans to hold people inside the camps for unspecified time. ALL of the Above ACTIONS HIGHLIGHT GENOCIDAL INTEND OF SLG

  10. Urgent Actions • Bring immediate ceasefire • Allow food and medicine • Allow international observers and media into conflict zone & internment camps • Free movement of people • No forced evacuation

  11. WORLD CAN HELP! • Appoint special envoy for the crisis • Stop financial aids from IMF, ADB and World Bank • Trade embargo or sanction against SLG • Declare Sri Lanka as a terror nation • Support genocidal indictment against SLG Leaders • Bring this crisis to UN security council

  12. Long Term Political Solutions • Two Nations at peace is better than one nation at war • Recognize Tamil homeland and the right to self govern • There is no military solution to the conflict

  13. Long Term Political Solution • Who can represent of Tamils ? • Representation should include combination of TNA, LTTE and Tamil Diaspora. • Internationally monitored Referendum

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