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The many faces of Sri Lanka's long armed conflict
06-06-2008 Photo gallery
In Sri Lanka, 25 years of armed conflict between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have had serious humanitarian consequences for civilians throughout the country. Over the years many people have fled their homes, particularly in the conflict-affected areas in the north and east of the country, and families have become separated. The ICRC has been working in Sri Lanka for almost two decades, aiming to improve the situation of affected populations on both sides of the armed conflict - including the internally displaced, the wounded and the sick, separated families and detainees.
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Sri Lanka has only one crossing point between government-controlled territory and that held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), at Omanthai. The ICRC helps to guarantee the smooth passage of people and goods across "the lines". Hundreds of people, including many traders, cross here every day.
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Omanthai is a vital gateway between north and south, allowing also for the movement of ambulances taking sick patients to health facilities in the south. An ICRC delegate looks on as an ambulance is checked by an army officer, before continuing on its journey.
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In its capacity as a neutral intermediary, the ICRC transfers the mortal remains of fallen fighters through Omanthai crossing point between the government and LTTE-controlled areas. Here, ICRC personnel are collecting the remains of dead fighters from the main hospital in Trincomalee, before transporting them onwards to Omanthai.
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The conflict has forced many people to flee their homes, both Tamils and Sinhalese. This girl lives in a camp for internally displaced people near the town of Kebitigollewa. The ICRC provided emergency shelter for more than 500 families when the camp was built in June 2006.
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These women and children fled their homes in the north of the country, and now live in Kalimoddai camp, near the western town of Mannar. The ICRC built several hundred emergency shelters at the camp.
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The ICRC also assists internally displaced people by providing them with hygiene and essential household items, baby care products and complementary food, as here near Trincomalee on Sri Lanka's east coast.
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Some areas of Sri Lanka are affected by landmines, particularly the Jaffna peninsula in the north. The ICRC supports the Jaffna Jaipur Centre for Disability Rehabilitation, which provides patients with orthopaedic devices, physiotherapy and a micro-credit facility for those wishing to start a new business.
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Jaffna Teaching Hospital is the biggest healthcare facility in the region. Since there is a shortage of specialists in certain fields, the ICRC provides a twice-weekly plane charter service to transfer patients with specific needs to hospitals in the capital, Colombo.
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Sri Lanka's long-running conflict has disrupted the economy, particularly in the most affected areas in the north and east of the country. The ICRC supports various income generation projects, like this one on the island of Velanai (Jaffna peninsula), which teaches young people the skills of masonry and carpentry.
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Life can be hard for the families of those detained by either side in the conflict. Here, an ICRC delegate brings a Red Cross Message (RCM) to the mother of a sailor in the Sri Lankan navy, who has been in detention since November 2006. RCMs are often the only means of communication between detainees and their families.
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