Since the defeat of the LTTE (the Tamil Tigers) by the Sri Lankan army in mid 2009, many workers had hoped a new period of peace would return to the island. Contrary to these expectations, the government of Pres Rajapaksa has unleashed a growing wave of repression against all opponents. At the forefront of this repression have been abductions, disappearances and murders by unknown assailants in ‘white vans’. A recent incident has unmasked the military as being behind this repression. A forum in Melbourne will examine these issues later this month.
Since the defeat of the LTTE (the Tamil Tigers) by the Sri Lankan army in mid 2009, many workers had hoped a new period of peace would return to the island. Contrary to these expectations, the government of Pres Rajapaksa has unleashed a growing wave of repression against all opponents. At the forefront of this repression have been abductions, disappearances and murders by unknown assailants in ‘white vans’. A recent incident has unmasked the military as being behind this repression. A forum in Melbourne will examine these issues later this month.
