This article discusses even more struggles faced by innocent people due to increased violence around the world. The fighting in Sri Lanka has recently caused 36,000 people to evacuate to refuge camps to escape the war zone. Like you would expect, the refuges are full of harrowing tales of escape from rebel-held territory. Dodging artillery shells and bullets, before being evacuated to the government-run camps. The International Committee of the Red Cross believes that up to 150,000 civilians are under fire and in desperate need of food, water, shelter and medical care. A makeshift hospital in the war zone has just eight doctors and few drugs. Many of the displaced Tamil civilians are huddled on a barren beach, awaiting rescue from what is supposed to be a government-designated “safe zone”. India and other countries are calling for a pause in the fighting so that non-combatants can leave, however, this has not worked thus far. As usual the government is downplaying the whole thing and is currently saying that only 70,000 people are at risk; while the United Nations estimates it to run around 200,000. The organization causing the bulk of the attacks are known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The Tigers say they have proposed a ceasefire as a prelude to peace talks but as of yet nothing has stopped. It is sad to see such horrific events occurring almost everywhere you look. The plot seems to always be the same, innocent people die while governments and other organizations continue to fight with complete disregard for innocent lives.
By: Brian Meents
http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13243335&source=hptextfeature
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