The incredible and brutal end of the Sri Lankan civil war last year gave hope for reconciliation between the government and the island nation’s Tamil ethnic population. Instead, the government rounded up and detained 300,000 mostly Tamil civilians. In the face of horrific humanitarian conditions, the international community picked up most of the tab for feeding and sheltering detainees.
The Sri Lankan government argued the camps were necessary to screen populations of Tamil Tiger rebels, hiding amongst the civilians. Ethnic Tamil civilians claim the camp are revenge for years of resisting government control. Southerns have taken the opportunity to move north and reclaim land lost to them during the long civil war.
Since the war’s end, detainees have been released slowly. Now, in the face of mounting international pressure, the Sri Lankan government is releasing the last 130,000 Tamils in the internment camps. The world is left to see if Tamil grievances over treatment in the camps give the Tigers new support and recruits.
Christopher R. Albon is a political science Ph.D. specializing in armed conflict, public health, human security, and health diplomacy.
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