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Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/13/world/asia/13lanka.html?_r=1
 * Fuller, Thomas. "Near Sri Lanka's War Zone, Wounded Civilians Struggle to Cope"**

The article I found was titled, ‘Near Sri Lanka’s War Zone, Wounded Civilians Struggle to Cope,’ written by Thomas Full on February 13, 2009. On Thursday February 12th, a total of 368 people were injured and attacked 40 miles from the front line in Sri Lanka. The article stressed that the Sri Lankan government is not allowing reports to be published about the injured people in the conflict zone. The article estimated that at least 100,000 people are trapped in the front lines and are being attacked. Mohan Raj, a man who was injured during the attack said that he doesn’t know who attacked him, the Sri Lankan government or the Tamil ethnic group. While the government has been reluctant to give reports on the matter, the article did say “government troops advanced farther into rebel territory on Thursday, capturing a facility that it described as a factory that made roadside bombs.” While it is unclear when the fighting will stop, it is clear that there will be more people injured until the turmoil in Sri Lanka is resolved. How it relates to the book: The article relates to ‘Anil’s ghost’ because the main character, Anil, has a hard time trusting Sarath Diyasena, a government archeologist she works with. In Thomas Full’s article, it is noted that the attacks made on people in Sri Lanka may have been from the Sri Lankan government or the Tamil Tigers. Anil is in Sri Lanka excavating bones and has a desire to find out if one specific body they found was a government involved murder. Anil doesn’t trust the Sri Lankan government, or Sarath because he has close ties with them. Anil begins to question his motives and sees his comments as a hint for her to censor herself since their discovery would implicate the Sri Lankan government. From Thomas Full’s article and the information from Anil’s ghost, it is prevalent that the Sri Lankan government is corrupt and isn’t helping to stop the war in Sri Lanka.

Tamil refugees forced to flee as the army battled rebels spoke to relatives over a fence inside a refugee camp in northern Sri Lanka. In the town of Vavuniya on Thursday, ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka buried relatives who were killed by Tamil Tiger rebels while trying to escape rebel-held territory. Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIx7aw-TVRQ Video of refugees. Government won't allow media into the war zone, and propaganda is arising from both the government and Tamil Tigers.
 * CNN News: Sri Lankan Government Corruption**

Link: [|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blYA_HDyztM] The Sri Lankan military deny firing into the zone, and Tamil Tigers deny using civilians as human shields. Thousand of Tamil are said to be fleeing the conflict zone, and the Sri Lankan military claim 50,000 have crossed the front line since January. UN said there are still 190,000 trapped and still in danger.
 * Tamil Tigers reject 'human shield' accusations**

Link: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6VC6-43X1JK2-2/2/440d92698663e69b5f23d228b2b41e09
 * Arunatilake, Nisha, Sisira Yayasuriya, and Seman Kelegama. "The Economic Cost of the War in Sri Lanka."**

The article “The Economic Cost of the War in Sri Lanka” by Nisha Arunatilake, Sisira Jayasuriya, and Saman Kelegama discusses the “economic costs of the long drawn-out and still ongoing ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.” At the beginning of the essay the history of the conflict in Sri Lanka is discussed. The Tamil minorities “have alleged discrimination in the post-colonial period by the Sinhalese majority.” Tension rose in 1956 “after Sinhalese was declared the only official language in 1956 and led to sporadic eruptions of violent ethnic conflicts.” In 1971, there was a Sinhalese uprising by the People’s Liberation Front (JVP). There has been an ethnic conflict since 1983 “when anti-Tamil violence in the south of the country including in the capital, Colombo, led to a mass exodus of Tamils.” The Indian army was unsuccessful as a peacekeeping force from 1987 to 1990. A negotiation “settlement to the conflict appeared possible when a ceasefire was declared in December 2001 and in 2002 a ceasefire agreement was singed with international mediation.” Hostilities were renewed in late 2005 when the “government landed a number of major military offensives against LITE beginning in July 2006, driving the LITE out of the entire eastern province of the island.” The government then “shifted its offensives to the north of the country, and formally announced a withdrawal from the ceasefire agreement on January 2, 2008, alleging that the LITE violated the agreement over 10,000 times.” On February 3, 2009 the United States, the European Union, Japan and Norway issued a joint statement urging the Tamil Tigers to lay down their arms and end hostilities, as there is just a short time before the Tigers lose all. While the economic, environmental and social affects of the civil war is prevalent, the number of deaths caused by the war is astounding. As a result of the war, “over 70,000 people have been officially listed as killed in the war since 1983.”

Link: [|http://jcl.sagepub.com]
 * Burton, Antoinette. "Archive of Bones: Anil's Ghost and the Ends of History."**

Antoinette Burton discusses in her essay "Archive of Bones: Anil's Ghost and the Ends of History" whether or not forensic evidence is a verifiable account of history. Burton questions whether forensic evidence is “objective and verifiable evidence of criminal intent which in turn, [is] the basis for the pursuit justice in local, national and international tribunals” (Burton 39). Burton also discusses how the book is neither past nor present but “almost now” and because of this “history is a “half reveled form” whose truths are as exclusive as they are politically necessary” (Burton 42). The struggle between “forensic evidence [the dead] and the tension of maintaining professional composure” is seen through Anil, one of the main characters in Anil’s Ghost (Burton 42). The division between the two shows how the emotional war seen through the main characters is parallel to the civil war. Like Derrickson and Scanlan, Burton raises the point that there isn’t anybody to place the blame on for the murders that have taken place in Sri Lanka. Anil holds true to the ideology that “bones-as-evidence/bones-as-truth” (Burton 43). Later after talking to Palipana, Anil “admits the possibility that truth may not be deductible through the archive of bones” (Burton 44). Burton concludes the essays by saying that “archive of bones is proving increasingly unavailable and unreliable” (Burton 52). It is suggested that much more than forensic evidence is needed to implicate who’s at fault for the murders occurring in Sri Lanka.

Link: [|http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.uconn.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mzh&AN=2004360752&site=ehost-live]
 * Derrickson, Teresa. "Will the 'Un-truth' Set You Free? A Critical Look at Global Human Rights Discourse in Michael Ondaatje's Anil's Ghost."**

Teresa Derrickson’s essay "Will the 'Un-truth' Set You Free? A Critical Look at Global Human Rights Discourse in Michael Ondaatje's Anil's Ghost” discusses the struggle in Western ideology in relation to the UN and how the UN collectively contributes to the complicated truth that is engulfed in Sri Lankan politics. The initial reviews on how Anil’s Ghost was unfavorable due to the fact that the author showed disinterest in the political strife in Sri Lanka, took an “apolitical” stance on that matter, and had unfounded political claims in the novel. Derrickson states, “Ondaatje doesn’t go into deep analysis of the conflict between the two ethnic groups” (Derrickson 132). While Ondaatje’s novel may be “apolitical,” Ondaatje states a political stance on the UN involvement in the book believing that “justice in Sri Lankan people may not be obtained through a human rights mandate that is governed by cultural outsides” (Derrickson 137). Complaints against the UN drove Ondaatje to “write a novel in which questions about the possibility of achieving justice through UN (Derrickson 134). Overall Anil’s Ghost allows us to question “the brand of justice offered to the people of Sri Lanka by western-dominated legal institutions, the United Nations” (Derrickson 136).

Derrickson discusses major causalities of the war in Sri Lanka such as the open abductions and the burn victims Gamini has to deal with in his hospital. Derrickson, like Marget Scanlan, author of “Anil’s Ghost and Terrorism Time,” discusses how the result of war is seen through destructive social relationships seen through Anil and Sarath in the novel. Through looking at the casualties and destruction caused by war, Derrickson questions who is to blame in this matter. Derrickson focuses on a quote made by Sarath in Anil’s Ghost to be his analysis and answer for the concurring question. “Everybody has blood on their hands in Sri Lanka, not just the government” (Derrickson 140). Ondaatje disputed this point by saying, “murders [are] committed by all sides, and then no objective assessment of the situation can lead to the affixing [of] blame” (Derrickson 140). While Ondaatje suggests there is no one to blame and not one significant solution, towards the end of Derrickson's essay he suggests that there might be a solution in Anil's ghost. The suggestion to the Sri Lankan crisis is in the “material world itself, in the simple show of compassion that travels from person to person” (Derrickson 149). While this may or may not be the founding solution to crisis prevalent in Sri Lanka, Derrickson has sought out to emphasize that UN involvement is more destructive than helpful.

Link: http://www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/region/asiapacific/090310-sri-lanka-tigers-mc
 * Melissen, Hans J. "Tamil Tigers in a tight corner."**

The article “Tamil Tigers in a tight corner” discusses who was behind a suicide attack that occurred on March 10th, 2009. The attack occurred “160 kilometers south of Colombo” and “15 people lost their lives, while dozens more were injured.” It took place in an area where the Tamil’s are the majority and Sri Lanka’s minister of telecommunications, who was injured by the attack, said, “Who says the Tamil Tigers were behind this? It could also be people from the government itself?” A Tamil in the area commented, “You never known precisely what’s going on here. You can’t trust the Sri Lanka media. They only write what the government tells them to.” Even if peace is negotiated “the Tamil Tigers will continue carrying out individual attacks in various parts of the country.” The attacks are increasingly growing and the government estimates that they are 70,00 civilians inside the Tamil Tiger controlled zone.

Link: http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.lib.uconn.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mzh&AN=2004532727&site=ehost-live
 * Scanlan, Margaret. "Anil's Ghost and Terrorism's Time."**

Margaret Scanlan’s essay “Anil’s Ghost and Terrorism’s Time” discusses terrorism seen through Michael Ondaatje book “Anil’s Ghost.” While “Anil’s Ghost” emphasizes the terrorism in the country “it reproduces no political, rhetoric, adjudicates no political claim, projects no political solutions” (Scanlan 302). Scanlan believes his [Micheal Ondaatje] “distinctive achievement in Anil’s Ghost is to create a narrative structure the replicates the experience of terror” (Scanlan 302). The postmodern theory of the book suggests Ondaatje’s “unwillingness to take sides or other solutions” (Scanlan 303). Although Micheal Ondaatje discusses key events in history in the book they “do not suggest the extent to which Sri Lanka’s ethnic groups are divided among themselves” (Scanlan 304). In the book it is “evident that political enemies were secretly joined in financial deals” (Scanlan 305). Ondaatje consequently says, “The reason for war is war” (Ondaatje 43). Scanlan’s essay discusses how the government responsibility in the war is undisputable and Anil and Sarath are merely “attempting to uncover a deliberately concealed story” by the government (Scanlan 309). Through the victims of terror such as Palipana, Gamini, Anil and Sarth one can see how personal relationships shows the corruption of war. One specific relationship Scanlan focuses on is Sarath’s relationship with his brother Gamini. Scanlan comments that their tormented relationship shows the bases for the war in Sri Lanka, commenting that “the brothers conflict began “with the desire to be the other” (Ondaatje 221). Through Scanlan’s essay one can see how terrorism in war can shape personal relationships and distort a whole country.

Link: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06E5D8113FF934A35752C1A9609C8B63&scp=1sq=kidnapping%20return%20to%20haunt%20long%20ethnic%20war%20in%20sri%20lanka%20&st=cse
 * Sengupta, Somini. "Kidnappings Return to Haunt Long Ethnic War in Sri Lanka."**

The article “Kidnappings Return to Haunt Long ethnic War in Sri Lanka” portrays the vast number of Sri Lankans that have been kidnapped in 2006. Most of the crimes have gone unsolved and “it is difficult to know who is responsible.” The “ethnic Sinhalese dominated government has been locked in battle with Tamil separatist guerillas” for nearly a quarter of a century.” The International Committee of the Red Cross says they have “more than 350 reports of disappeared persons through late October and the National Human Rights Commission logged 419 such complaints between last December and September.” While the disappearances are indeed unsettling, it is more nerving to know that most of the abductions “have been carried out in government-controlled territories.” Even though the Tamil Tigers have been “repeatedly accused of abductions,” there seems to be little consensus within the government on who is behind the abductions.” The Sri Lankan police seized files on missing persons reports President Rajapkse had intended to hand over to the United Nations. It is undetermined who is behind the attacks even to this day.

[]
 * Sri Lanka Is at War, Truce Monitors Says**

The article I found titled “Sri Lanka Is at War, Truce Monitor Says” is about a “low intensity” ethnic war that is occurring. It states that just because there is a cease fire agreement does not mean that there is a peace agreement…they are still technically at war. The article explains that a bombing occurred in “rebel territory” (Tamil Tiger’s territory) which was the worst military clash since the cease-fire agreement began in 2002. The government and Tamil Tigers said they will comply with the cease-fire agreement, but the war resembles periods of the island’s two-decade civil war which claimed the lives of over 64,000 people. [] Sri Lankans' endure disappearances, raids and explosions, like this one in Colombo in February, which caused no deaths.
 * Ethnic Divide Worsens as Sri Lanka Conflicts Escalates**

Summary: “Ethnic Divide Worsens as Sri Lanka Conflict Escalates” explains how the truce between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers is no longer in effect. The media is not allowed anywhere near the war zone and information is occasionally released. During this occasional release, the Red Cross confirmed 180 civilians had been killed; the word to describe this result – “appalling”. The public mood was compared to an ‘old scratch that has festered into a gaping wound.’ This analogy clearly shows how poorly situations are becoming. One man explained the problems that are going on in Sri Lanka; “We have economic problems, we have other problems, there is inflation, but people are tolerating because the war is going great.” There is a great deal of anxiety and panic-stricken people among Sri Lanka due to such dangerous situations. Not many people are found on the streets at night because they fear an arrest or abduction…these people live in constant fear of what might happen next; life in Sri Lanka is displayed as pure chaos and fear. When a 20 year old man arrived home less than 30 minutes late his mother was in sheer terror that something terrible had happened to him. The police officers jumped on a bus and demanded to see I.D. cards. This young man had to hide his fear and act as if everything was normal which saved him from trouble. Attacks on civilian targets are becoming more frequent and are because of the Tamil Tigers. The violent incident of a suicide bomber sent a powerful message- the insurgents had people and explosives, and they are ready in the heart of the heavily fortified capital, despite its many checkpoints. The article "Ethnic Divide Worsens as Sri Lanka Conflict Escalates" describes how the Sri Lankan government has refused to allow United Nations human rights monitors to enter the country."Only occasionally does a glimpse of the war's damage surface, as when the red cross confirmed that in the first six weeks of this year alone, 180 civilians have been killed,[...]" The continued struggle against the minority Tamil Tigers by the majority Sinhalese, has gained much public enthusiasm. Due to the public's overwhelming response, the Sinhalese have terrorized the Tamils. "Anxiety prevails, sometimes panic. They say they stay off the streets in the evenings for fear of arrest or abduction.[...]Tamil neighborhoods are raided at night." Many Tamil's are desperately trying to leave the country in order to escape the constant harassment. The two groups did sign a cease fire which both sides failed to follow, in 2002, the cease fire was officially ended. Human rights groups including investigators from the U.N. have tried to enter Sri Lanka to investigate the abductions and the killings that have been going on. The article claims that in most cases, the investigations are called off because the government refuses to cooperate. Since the cease fire there have been numerous attacks, all of which have been blamed on the Tamil Tigers. The Sinhalese government is using this to their advantage through the use of anti-Tamil propaganda. The majority of the country is standing behind the government and the hopeful eradication of the Tamils.

Lund, Ragnhild, __Women and Development Planning in Sri Lanka__ This article talks about the role that women play in area and sector development in Sri Lanka. The author states that although they may play a minor role, they are still held back by the inequalities present in their society. "Women's participation in development is limited in both sector and rural area development becaue of problems of discrimination at all aggregate levels(domestic, local, regional, national)". The article describes that despite the fact that women have begun to work menial jobs, they still aren't full participants in developmental decisions. "Women are considered passive participants as they ahve either not accepted or expanded their roles beyond those of wives and mothers, or they have been prevented from active participation". The article depicts reasons for why women are overlooked when decisions need to be made. The most important reasons are level of education, caste system, marital status, and religion. The author thinks that the way men have treated women in the past is faulty, and that with proper training, women could be made to be extremely useful." Steps should be taken to provide modern agricultural and industrial training for women, to introduce labour saving devices, to enforce laws to protect the rights of women as household heads, creditors and cooperative members. If such rights are not granted, however, women will probably lag helplessly behind in future development".

Evidence of Abuse of Women in Sri Lanka Map of Sri Lanka http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/asia/sri-lanka/map_of_sri-lanka.jpg Kidnapping and killings of Tamil Civilians have resumed in Sri Lanka after SAARC Conference http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgV_LrHVyuw Sri Lankan military, comprised of the Sinhala people, are intensley involved in illegal sexual activity including rape and kidnaping and prostitution businesses of Haiti women and Tamil women http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbdWItfmbVg

An aid group linked to the Tamil Tigers releases video they say shows civilians suffering.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2009/02/02/sidner.sri.lanka.tamil.cnn?iref=videosearch