Solving Sri Lanka’s ‘Tamil problem’ in 2012
About 200,000 displaced people are still living in refugee camps in northern Sri Lanka, even though southerners believe everything is back to normal. The government organises trips to the war zone only to show monuments that celebrate the army’s victory. Almost three years since the end of 30 years of ethnic conflict, Sri Lanka has not yet resolved its so-called ‘Tamil problem’. About 200,000 Tamil internally displaced people live in refugee camps in the northern part of the country under military control, unable to go home to their villages. Ethnic Sinhalese appear oblivious of what went on (bombardment and war crimes) and is going on trips to the former war zone. Here is a story of courage and hope of a priest who visited the refugee camps in Cheddikulam. Most Sinhalese in southern Sri Lanka do not believe a ‘Tamil problem’ exists.