War and the Displaced Civilians in Sri Lanka’s Vanni Region

Besieged, Displaced, and Detained

The Plight of Civilians in Sri Lanka’s Vanni Region

A Report by Human Rights Watch, December 23, 2008

This 49-page report documents the Sri Lankan government’s responsibility for the plight of the 230,000 to 300,000 displaced persons trapped in the Vanni conflict zone. They face severe shortages of food and other essentials because of government restrictions on humanitarian assistance. Individuals and families who have managed to flee areas controlled by the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have been detained in poor conditions in army-controlled camps.

Besieged, Displaced, and Detained

Human Rights Watch, December 23, 2008