SRI LANKA Marginalisation and reconciliation in a post-conflict community.
RECONCILIATION & MARGINALISATION IN POST WAR SRI LANKA words and photographs by James Morgan. The civil war in Sri Lanka ended in May 2009, leading the government to formally recognise itself as the first modern democracy to eradicate terrorism on its own soil. Since then there has been enormous international pressure for an investigation into the huge loss of civilian lives and the disconcerting number of disappeared persons during the final stage of the war. In order to deflect some of this attention, President Rajapaksa commissioned a report entitled The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). The report, although controversially lacking in any steps towards accountability (Amnesty International have discredited it as being fundamentally flawed at every level ), has been hailed by many pro-government supporters as a roadmap to reconciliation. This feature looks at what has happened in the three years since the war ended. And at what hasn t. Much of the government s rebuilding, despite relying heavily on Chinese loans, appears positive. In 2010, the Colombo stock exchange was the fastest growing stock exchange in the world. However, if the government continues to pay little more than lip service to Sri Lanka s marginalised and disaffected Tamil, Muslim and indigenous Veddah communities, it will never have a peaceful state and it will never escape the prying eyes of the UN human rights council. Above: Manchula Navaratnam, 16, sufferered multiple displacements during the war. She has been seperated from her family since she was 13. The last three years she has been living in Menik Farm IDP camp. She was reunited with her father just two weeks ago. Vavuniya Dictrict, North Sri Lanka, 02 March 2012. Left: Sinhalese tourists visit the underground bunker of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in Mullaitivu district. The completion of the northbound A9 road and the opening up of the north of Sri Lanka has bought with it a booming domestic war tourism industry. Sinhalese people from Colombo are coming in their hundreds to see memorials to their fallen soldiers and to visit sites of the major battles. March 2012.
ABOVE: Traders cross the floor in the lobby of the World Trade Center, Colombo. In 2010, the year after the civil war ended, Sri Lanka was the best performing stock market in the world. March 2012. RIGHT TOP: Mullaitivu district, in the north east of Sri Lanka, remains heavily militarised. Many of the small businesses that have sprung up after the war are owned by the military and locals must pass regular military checkpoints when moving between villages. Many Tamils question the need for continued military presence three years after the was has finished. Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka, March 2012 RIGHT BOTTOM: A young girl travels by train in Sri Lanka. The country has opened up after the war, with very few areas now off-limits. Despite this, research by youth-led, grass roots organisation Sri Lanka Unites suggests that 60-70% of Sri Lankan children still don t have friends outside their ethnic group. May 2011. caption about this photo
LEFT TOP: Tamil communities in Jaffna are predominantly Hindu but there is also a strong Christian presence. San Anthony s church, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, March 2012. LEFT BOTTOM: The Veddahs are the indigenous people of Sri Lanka. Inhabiting the island long before the Sinhalese and Tamils. They have been marginalised through out Sri Lanka. Originally jungle dwelling peoples, this Veddah community in Batticalao were chased out of the forest by Indian Peacekeeping Forces, they were then hit by the tsunami and recruited to fight for the LTTE during the war. They now live in a resetllement camp north of Batticaloa. Sri Lanka, February 2012. BELOW: There are an estimated 80,000 war widows in the north and east of Sri Lanka. These woman headed households are incredibly vulnerable to violence, whilst often struggling to support multiple children. Many women still believe their husbands to be alive. Many men are still unaccounted for after the war, some may have died, some may be in rehabilitation centers and others may have resetlled. Batticaloa, Sri Lanka, February 2012.
The completion of the northbound A9 road and the subsequent opening up of the north of Sri Lanka has bought with it a booming domestic war tourism industry. Sinhalese people from Colombo are coming in their hundreds to see memorials to their fallen soldiers and to visit sites of the major battles. ABOVE: Sinhalese tourists visit the underground bunker of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in Mullaitivu district. RIGHT TOP: A tourist stall on Nainativu island sells model soldiers. The war in Sri Lanka ended less than three years ago and many war affected people are still picking up the pieces financially and emotionally RIGHT BOTTOM: Photographs of President Mahinda Rajapaksa adorn the walls of a temple on Nainativu Island. The temple is very significant to the Sinhalese Buddhist community and, with the north now open to domestic tourists, many are making the trip from Colombo on pilgrimage.
ABOVE: Pilgrims approach the summit of Sri Pada,, or Adam s Peak, a mountain sacred to Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Muslims. Central Sri Lanka, March 2012. ABOVE: A muslim woman looks out to sea a little down the coast from central Colombo. The future of her country lies firmly in the hands of the government. The economy is starting to emerge from the war, but dialogue around reconciliation and social integration after the war remains sparse and problematic. Colombo, March 2012. For a complete edit of photographs see: http://james.photoshelter.com/gallery/papua-elections-2012/g0000xnbuww_tbpw For more info contact: james@jamesmorganphotography.co.uk 0044 (0)7518902552