Sri Lankan Civil War: Sri Lankan Tamil politician and former MP A. Chandranehru dies of injuries sustained in an ambush the previous day.
The Sri Lankan Civil War, known in Sinhala as ශ්රී ලංකාවේ සිවිල් යුද්ධය and in Tamil as இலங்கை உள்நாட்டுப் போர் (Ilaṅkai uḷnāṭṭup pōr), was a protracted armed conflict that spanned 26 years, from 1983 to 2009. This internal war pitted the Sri Lankan government against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), also widely referred to as the Tamil Tigers, a formidable insurgent group led by Velupillai Prabhakaran. The conflict officially began on July 23, 1983, evolving from an intermittent insurgency into a full-scale civil war that devastated the island nation.
The primary objective of the LTTE was to establish an independent Tamil state, known as Tamil Eelam, in the northern and eastern regions of Sri Lanka. This demand stemmed from decades of systemic discrimination and violent persecution faced by Sri Lankan Tamils at the hands of the Sinhalese-dominated Sri Lankan Government. Following Sri Lanka's independence from the British Empire in 1948, a series of policies and events exacerbated ethnic tensions. Notably, the "Sinhala Only Act" of 1956 officially recognized Sinhala as the sole official language of the nation, effectively marginalizing the Tamil-speaking population in public life, education, and employment. This institutional discrimination often spiraled into violent anti-Tamil pogroms, which saw widespread mob violence, frequently with alleged state support. Significant instances include the anti-Tamil pogroms of 1956, 1958, 1977, 1981, and the infamous "Black July" of 1983, which marked the true escalation of the conflict. A particularly symbolic act of cultural vandalism during this period was the burning of the Jaffna Public Library in 1981, a vast repository of Tamil literary and historical documents.
After a relentless 26-year military campaign, the Sri Lankan Armed Forces achieved a decisive military victory over the Tamil Tigers in May 2009, bringing the long and brutal civil war to an end.
Casualties and Unaccounted Persons
The human cost of the Sri Lankan Civil War was immense, though exact casualty figures remain a contentious issue. By 2007, an estimated 70,000 individuals had been killed. Immediately following the conclusion of the war on May 20, 2009, the United Nations initially estimated the total deaths to be between 80,000 and 100,000. However, reports from various credible sources presented divergent figures, particularly concerning the final phase of the war in 2009:
- In 2011, the Report of the Secretary-General's Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka indicated that "a number of credible sources have estimated that there could have been as many as 40,000 civilian deaths" during the final phase of the conflict.
- Other analyses, drawing from discrepancies in census figures, suggested that up to 140,000 people were unaccounted for during this period alone.
- The Secretary-General's Internal Review Panel on United Nations Action in Sri Lanka, in its 2012 report, acknowledged these disparities, noting the Panel of Experts' estimate of 40,000 civilian deaths, contrasting with government sources that cited numbers well below 10,000. This review panel also highlighted "credible information indicating that over 70,000 people are unaccounted for."
These varying estimates underscore the profound impact of the conflict and the difficulty in establishing a definitive toll.
Human Rights Allegations and Accountability Concerns
Both the Sri Lankan government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam faced severe accusations of human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law during and after the conflict.
Allegations Against the Sri Lankan Government
The Sri Lankan government has consistently refused calls for an independent, international investigation into the full impact of the war, drawing significant global criticism. Allegations against government forces include:
- Committing war crimes through actions such as bombing civilian targets and the indiscriminate usage of heavy weaponry in densely populated areas.
- Engaging in systematic human rights violations, including the abduction, torture, and massacres of Sri Lankan Tamils.
- Sexual violence against Tamil individuals, particularly those involved in documenting deaths and disappearances.
- A pattern of systematic impunity for serious human rights violations, suggesting a lack of accountability for perpetrators.
- Lack of respect for habeas corpus in arbitrary detentions, leading to widespread forced disappearances, often referred to as "white van abductions."
Additionally, a military whistleblower accused government forces of orchestrating a cover-up, alleging that bodies were buried in mass graves and chemicals were used to dissolve skeletons to conceal evidence of atrocities.
Allegations Against the LTTE (Tamil Tigers)
The LTTE gained international notoriety for its brutal tactics, which ultimately led to its designation as a terrorist organization by 33 countries, including the United States, India, Canada, and the member nations of the European Union. Their methods included:
- Carrying out numerous attacks against civilians of all ethnicities, with a particular focus on Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Muslim communities.
- Systematic recruitment and use of child soldiers, often forcibly.
- Assassinations of prominent politicians and human rights activists who opposed their agenda or tactics.
- Extensive use of suicide bombings, primarily targeting military installations and personnel, but also impacting civilian areas.
Furthermore, British mercenaries working for the private military contractor Keenie Meenie Services, which provided training to the Special Task Force of the Sri Lanka Police, were investigated by the Metropolitan Police for alleged involvement in war crimes during the conflict, highlighting the international dimension of some of the abuses.
Peace Attempts and Escalation
Despite two decades of fierce fighting and four unsuccessful attempts at peace talks, a glimmer of hope for a lasting negotiated settlement emerged in December 2001 with the declaration of a ceasefire. This was followed by the signing of a comprehensive ceasefire agreement in 2002, facilitated by international mediation. Earlier efforts at intervention included the deployment of the Indian Army's Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) from 1987 to 1990. Initially intended to enforce peace, the IPKF became embroiled in direct conflict with the LTTE, ultimately failing to achieve its objectives and withdrawing.
However, the optimism of the 2002 ceasefire proved short-lived. Limited hostilities recommenced in late 2005, gradually escalating into renewed full-scale conflict. In July 2006, the government launched a series of major military offensives, successfully driving the LTTE out of the entire Eastern Province of the island. In response, the LTTE defiantly declared its intention to "resume their freedom struggle to achieve statehood."
The Final Offensive and LTTE's Defeat
By 2007, the government shifted its military focus to the north of the country. On January 2, 2008, Sri Lanka formally announced its withdrawal from the ceasefire agreement, citing over 10,000 alleged violations by the LTTE. The subsequent military campaign was significantly aided by international efforts, including the destruction of several large arms smuggling vessels belonging to the LTTE and a global crackdown on funding networks supporting the Tamil Tigers.
The Sri Lankan forces systematically recaptured areas previously controlled by the LTTE, including strategically vital locations such as:
- Kilinochchi: The de facto capital of the Tamil Tigers' administrative and political operations.
- Mullaitivu: Their primary military base and a key stronghold.
- The entire A9 highway: A crucial artery connecting the north to the south, essential for logistics and civilian movement.
These successive losses culminated in the LTTE finally admitting defeat on May 17, 2009. Following the LTTE's collapse, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), a prominent pro-LTTE political party, publicly dropped its demand for a separate state in favor of advocating for a federal solution within a united Sri Lanka.
Post-War Reconciliation Efforts
In May 2010, then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). The LLRC was tasked with assessing the conflict and its various impacts, specifically focusing on the period between the 2002 ceasefire agreement and the LTTE's defeat in 2009. The commission aimed to provide recommendations for fostering lasting peace and reconciliation within the country.
Remembrance and Notable Figures
The end of the Sri Lankan Civil War and its many victims are commemorated through various observances, including a general Remembrance Day. For the Tamil community, Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day, observed on May 18, holds particular significance as it marks the final days of the conflict and remembers those who perished in the last stages of the war.
Among the many individuals tragically affected by the conflict was Ariyanayagam Chandranehru (October 15, 1944 – February 8, 2005). A Sri Lankan Tamil merchant seaman, politician, and Member of Parliament, Chandranehru was notably assassinated by the LTTE, highlighting the internal political violence that also plagued the conflict.