Sri Lanka: a forgotten conflict

The conflict in Sri Lanka between the government and the " the Tigers", or Rebels, is very old, but for a long period of time it was forgotten. The biggest reason for it disappearing from everybody's minds is journalism. The journalists are not allowed to personally see the war, so there is little information on what is happening. The government is trying to eradicate all the Rebel bases, recently they found one, but it was empty. The War goes on, and the government is winning. We can't understand the details of the conflict, because the information that come from the government are "a little" biased.

The conflict was forgotten for many years, and it was only recently rediscovered. The main reason for this is that the government does not allow journalists to personally see the conflict, but it gives all the information itself. As a consequence the public is more interested in other conflicts were they see the actual fighting and the condition of the people, like the conflict in the middle east. This covers the conflict in Sri Lanka with a blanket, a blanket from which little is filtered out.

A recent fact is the discovery of a rebel base, but when it was discovered, it had already been abandoned. The rebels continue moving in the small piece of land they still control, making the task of finding them almost impossible. The "tigers" used the guerrilla warfare. This warfare consists of small and mobile units who attack the enemy with ambushes and raids. This warfare was very efficient, so the government army also started using it and it proved a good decision, bringing a fast victory over the rebels.

Although the conflict is mysterious the winner is evident. The government controls the majority of the country, it has better weapons, and more troops; while the rebels are a disorganized group of normal people, who fight with what they can find. One day the government will take control, it can be now or later, but it will happen. This conflict does not affect me personaly, but I found it interesting for two reasons, firstly because the government only gives information about it, and secondly because the conflict is going on from thirty years and my parents have lived most of their lives with the war, without knowing it.

The Sri Lanka conflict is a mysterious and old war; mysterious because the government doesn't leave journalists personally see the war, but it gives the information itself. The rebels move continuously, making the eradication of their bases difficult, also if they find a base it is empty. Both the government and the Rebels use the Guerrilla warfare, which consists of raids, and ambushes. The winner is certain; the government, it is better armed, more organized, and numerically superior, so the war gives little surprises.