I was in Sri Lanka (Jaffna & Killanochi) on peace keeping/humanitarian aid posts between 1990 & 2003 whilst we witnessed some horrendous incidents, the country was stunning and the people among the most hospitable I have ever met. I did not see last nights program but do hope the country is in a better state than when I left.
I also remember bumping into a Tamil Fighter (LTTE) wearing our Blue Woolwich Building Society Shirt, his famile had sent him it!
I have mixed memories of Sri Lanka, mostly memorable for the right reasons and would love to return one day.
Another example of ancient enmities .. Sri Lankans and Tamils .. the degree of mistrust and hatred between the two ethnicities is almost beyond the comprehension of a 21st Century Englishman
Literally just left Sri Lanka today (Now in India). Obviously didn't see programme. I'm not really up on the Tamil situation and didn't visit the North. But my experience was of busy towns of mixed faiths side by side just getting on. Seemed to be working but obviously reality might be different underneath. But I never trust a government that has huge advertising boards with the presidents image everywhere.
As SE7 said; Friendly people and stunning countryside. Towns are a mass of construction now; Lots of Chinese money been invested.
Another example of ancient enmities .. Sri Lankans and Tamils .. the degree of mistrust and hatred between the two ethnicities is almost beyond the comprehension of a 21st Century Englishman
And another example of a country messed around with by 19th Century Englishman and then left to pic up the pieces...
I was in Sri Lanka (Jaffna & Killanochi) on peace keeping/humanitarian aid posts between 1990 & 2003 whilst we witnessed some horrendous incidents, the country was stunning and the people among the most hospitable I have ever met. I did not see last nights program but do hope the country is in a better state than when I left.
I also remember bumping into a Tamil Fighter (LTTE) wearing our Blue Woolwich Building Society Shirt, his famile had sent him it!
I have mixed memories of Sri Lanka, mostly memorable for the right reasons and would love to return one day.
Literally just left Sri Lanka today (Now in India). Obviously didn't see programme. I'm not really up on the Tamil situation and didn't visit the North. But my experience was of busy towns of mixed faiths side by side just getting on. Seemed to be working but obviously reality might be different underneath. But I never trust a government that has huge advertising boards with the presidents image everywhere.
As SE7 said; Friendly people and stunning countryside. Towns are a mass of construction now; Lots of Chinese money been invested.
Thanks for your interesting posts. Never been anywhere like that.
I went there about 10 years ago, as others have said it is a stunning place. Went to the usual places, Galle, Kandy, The surfing place (cant remember its name), Sigiriya, Bentota, Colombo, but also east and north where it was in the midst of an uprising. I seem to remember plenty of road blocks stopping traffic travelling around the East (Batticoloa) and the north (Trincomalee). as others have said the people were the kindest friendliest people I have ever met and they couldn't do enough for you, will definitely be back.
There was a bloody sunday incident whilst I was in Jaffna where Sikh peace keeping troops claim to have been shot at during a religious festival where lots of fireworks were going off across the city, a dozen or so Tamil doctors were killed in the teaching hospital as a result. On the other side of the coin government SL troops were ambushed on elephant pass Killinochi by the LTTE and 90+ were killed, we had seen nothing like it before, I got to the scene a day or so after, incredible, something I will never forget. I could really see no end to the war out there when I last left, thankfully I was wrong.
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I also remember bumping into a Tamil Fighter (LTTE) wearing our Blue Woolwich Building Society Shirt, his famile had sent him it!
I have mixed memories of Sri Lanka, mostly memorable for the right reasons and would love to return one day.
But I never trust a government that has huge advertising boards with the presidents image everywhere.
As SE7 said; Friendly people and stunning countryside. Towns are a mass of construction now; Lots of Chinese money been invested.
The videa of the Tigers TV anchor lady----then semi nude surounded by SL troups and the final pic of her dead after being gang raped.
The videos of the hospitals targeted and kids being blown to bits
The two leaders of the Tigers told to surender under a white flag and the pics of them shot hours later
The viedo of Tiger fighters executed.
The UN driving off knowing what was going to happen as the UN guy explained.
Horrific TV but isnt that what the mass media should be for?
On the other side of the coin government SL troops were ambushed on elephant pass Killinochi by the LTTE and 90+ were killed, we had seen nothing like it before, I got to the scene a day or so after, incredible, something I will never forget. I could really see no end to the war out there when I last left, thankfully I was wrong.