Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Crisis in Sri Lanka

So I've been writing about my days here, food, sites we've seen, etc. and haven't yet told you about what I'm doing here in Delhi!
I'm working for a small NGO that is completely self-funded in south Delhi. It's called the South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre (SAHRDC). They have a website if you enter that title into google. Our fearless leader, Ravi Nair, has been all over the world protesting human rights violations. Right now, our main focus has shifted from Refugees (what I thought I'd be working on mainly) to Sri Lanka. There is a civil war going on in Sri Lanka. Ravi says that it doesn't make mainstream news as much as it should because the world doesn't like to make noise about states that are geographically important, like Sri Lanka. It is strategically located as a port for ships, refueling and such. It is also a huge tea exporter.
There is a group called the Tamil Tigers that has been categorized as a "terrorist" organization. In reality, they have been the minority in Sri Lanka for centuries. When the British arrived, they tended to favor the Tamil. Anamosity grew among the majority. When the British left, the Tamil were persecuted by the majority. Ever since then, there have been people among the Tamil, the Tamil Tigers, who have fought back in a terrorist manner. Like most groups there are radicals but he majority of the Tamil people are peaceful.
Recently the president and Sri Lankan troops have overtaken the Tamil Tigers, calling for a national victory. In the process of this "victory" about 20,000 civilians are dead. So I'm investigating their war crimes. It's pretty intense and sad.
My job is to be the "big picture" person on this project. I am researching other cases by organizations like the Center for Justice and Accountability and Human Rights Watch to see what we need to put a case together and in what jurisdiction. It's really exciting! Check back for more updates and ask questions if you're interested!

1 comment:

  1. Gosh, Lindsey! This sounds so amazing! What an incredible opprotunity!

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