The Sri Lankan Civil War

The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict centered around ethnic tensions and separatist desires, running from 1983 to 2009. It began as an insurgent movement by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as they fought for the creation of an independent Tamil State known as Tamil Eelam due to Tamil discrimination by the Sinhalese people, who dominated the Sri Lankan government. There are an estimated 100,000 deaths, as well as multiple human rights violations, from rape to kidnapping and torture on both sides. Most notably, the LTTE was known for its use of child soldiers and suicide bombings, especially after it orchestrated the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Eventually, the Sri Lankan military took back control of the conquered areas and ended the conflict in 2009. For the committee, delegates will represent individuals from the LTTE, the Sri Lankan government, India, the US, Pakistan, China, and reporters focusing on human rights violations, as well as key organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, whose main goals are to evacuate civilians and provide aid through cooperation with other countries. The simulation will start in 1988, a few years into the war, when the Indian military became more involved in peacekeeping efforts after the first Eelam war. It is up to the delegates to decide how to engage with each other and how to accomplish their respective goals and eventually work toward some type of compromise.