"WAR ZONE WOMEN"

 

Sri Lanka has been tainted by ethnic conflict since its independence in 1948. According to a 2001 government census, Sri Lanka's main ethnic group is the Sinhalese at 83% and the Tamils are the largest majority at 9.4%. Burghers and Muslims also make up minority groups. Indian Tamil migrant plantation workers brought over by the British were refused citizenship. By 1972 Sinhala had replaced English as the official language and Buddhism became the official religion.

 

As discrimination towards Tamils grew various separatist-Tamil groups emerged, in 1976, the LTTE (the Tamil Tigers) formed under Velupillai Prabhakaran and campaigned for a separate Tamil state in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. In 1983, the LTTE bombed an army truck, killing thirteen soldiers and triggering riots, 3000 Tamils died as a result.

 

The government signed accords creating new councils for Tamil areas in the north, 100 000 Indian soldiers were deployed to Sri Lanka as part of peace-keeping efforts but left in 1990 after tension with the LTTE escalated.

 

In 1991 the LTTE assassinated Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Ghandi and Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa in 1993, the war escalated even further even though in 1994 President Kumaratunga came to power pledging to end war.

 

The war continued with the LTTE bombing the holiest Buddhist site in Sri Lanka, Kumaratunga was wounded in a bomb attack and a suicide attack occurred at the international airport.

 

In 2002 Norway mediated a peace-deal between the Government and the LTTE and a brief period of improvement occurred, where the LTTE reduced their demand of a separate state and weapons were decommissioned but they pulled out of peace talks the next year.

 

In 2004 the Tsunami devastated coastal areas and left over 30 000 people dead, there were then disagreements over how to split the aid money.

 

In 2005 the Sri Lankan foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, was killed by a suspected Tiger attack. Mahinda Rajapaksa, previously the Prime Minister became President.

 

Peace talks in Geneva failed in 2006, Police forced hundreds of Tamils out of the capital, citing security concerns. The 2007 - 2009 eastern and northern offensives left tens of thousands of civilians caught between the army and Tiger lines.

 

In January 2009 Sri Lankan troops captured Kilinochchi, Tamil Tiger territory for ten years and their former-administrative headquarters. Rajapakse urged the LTTE to surrender. In March, former rebel leader Karuna deflected to the government and became minister of national integration and reconciliation. In May the government declared victory over the LTTE and were congratulated by the UN but this victory cost the lives of 40 000- 140 000 Tamil civilians, who were shelled by government forces in supposed ‘no fire zones’. UN workers and NGOs were asked to leave vulnerable areas in the North. Tamils faced further human rights violations such as rape and torture in camps once the war was over.

 

In January 2010, Rajapaksa was voted in as President once again. In Novemeber 2013, Sri Lanka held the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The leaders of Canada, India and Mauritius refused to attend because of Sri Lanka's human rights record.

 

In January 2015, Maithripala Sirisena became president.

 

After the August 17th elections, the United National Party (UNP) won and Ranil Wickremesinghe is Prime Minister.