WASHINGTON (ABP) — Sri Lanka's government has declared victory in its 26-year civil war, but a resulting humanitarian crisis is far from over.
Leaders of Sri Lankan Baptist Sangamaya (Union) handed out water, milk, footwear and other supplies to about 500 families in a temporary shelter May 11-12. The supplies were purchased with an initial grant of $5,000 from Baptist World Aid, relief-and-development arm of the Baptist World Alliance.
The struggle in the country, formerly known as the British colony of Ceylon, resulted from ethnic tensions. The minority Tamil accused the government of discrimination and fought for independence in the northeast part of the South Asian island nation. The majority Sinhalese said the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, also known as LTTE or the Tamil Tigers, was a terrorist group and denied there is an ethnic problem.
Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa officially declared victory May 19. Military leaders reported that rebel founder and leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is dead, though a Tamil leader said that is not confirmed.
On-and-off fighting since 1983 had intensified since January, leaving an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 civilians caught in the middle in a small strip held by the rebels. Thousands of displaced of mostly Tamil persons have begun to pour into already crowded government displacement camps, many malnourished and traumatized by months of living in constant fear.
E.K.Yasaratne, general secretary of the Sri Lankan Baptist Association, said relief workers are requesting additional supplies including mosquito nets to fight malaria, along with water, soap, towels, and items for baby care.
BWAid Director Paul Montacute asked Baptists worldwide to support Sri Lankan Baptists in helping those in need by donating to BWAid's Emergency Relief Fund.
Sri Lanka's president promised a political solution to the conflict acceptable to all communities in the country. He said the war was against terrorists and that all ethnic minorities are now Sri Lankans.
Groups including the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship worked with Sri Lankan Baptists to replace homes lost in the tsunami of December 2004. (BWA photo)
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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom says Sri Lanka's civil war spawned communal violence between Buddhists Sinhalese and Hindu Tamils that also involved Muslims and Christians. Though not directly related to the war effort, underlying tensions spilled over into violent attacks on Christian churches and ministers by groups espousing Buddhist nationalism, amid allegations that government forces did little to stop them.
Exacerbating tensions since the December 2004 tsunami were allegations that outside groups were using humanitarian aid to entice impoverished people into converting to Christianity. That has prompted Sri Lanka's parliament to consider amending the constitution to prohibit Buddhists from converting to another religion, earning Sri Lanka a place on the commission's watch list for freedom of religion.
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Bob Allen is senior writer for Associated Baptist Press.