Seventeen years after the Tamil genocide, the pain and trauma still linger.

By Hamshika Krishnamoorthy:

 

2009: Why were Tamil civilians targeted inside the “No Fire Zones”, where hundreds of thousands of people had been told they would be safe? It is very clear that this was a systematic genocide against Tamil civilians carried out during the final phase of the war.

According to multiple reports and investigations, an estimated 40,000 to 70,000 Tamil civilians

were killed during the final months of the war in 2009, with the exact number uninvestigated but the highest estimate reaching as many as

169,796. while many others were injured, displaced, detained, or subjected to enforced disappearances. There have also been

longstanding allegations of torture, sexual violence, unlawful killings, and other serious human rights abuses against Tamils during and after the

war. Seventeen years have passed since the war ended, but the pain and trauma still remain. Many Tamil children were born during the war, grew

up surrounded by violence, displacement, fear, and loss, and struggled to continue their education under war conditions. Many families lost their

homes, livelihoods, and loved ones, leaving deep scars that continue across generations. Even today, many Tamils continue to face the lasting effects of the

conflict, including militarization, land disputes, economic hardship, lack of justice, and fear caused by ongoing intimidation and surveillance in

some areas. Many women, children, and war survivors continue to suffer from deep psychological trauma, yet there is still not enough mental

health and psychological support available for affected communities. Many families are still searching for loved ones who disappeared during

the war and continue to demand truth, accountability, freedom, dignity, and equal rights.

The Sri Lankan government should be held accountable for the civilians who were killed and forcibly disappeared, while survivors and affected

families continue their search for truth and justice.