"...during and after the war, the Sri Lankan military has systematically raped Tamil women – and, yes, even men – mostly in the north. Not occasionally or in a sudden fit of insanity. Systematically." (For the full article, see: www.groundviews.org) orts that two Tamils girls, aged 10 and 11, were raped in Jaffna by a Sinhalese sailor. The children are receiving treatment in hospital. Other “incidents” involving adults pass unrecorded for several reasons. A complaint can be made only to the army who are, invariably, the perpetrators: sheep complaining to foxes about attacks by foxes. This, in turn, results in bullying and with punishment of different kinds. Why complain when there is no hope of justice and every possibility of further harm? Then there is the factor of shame, particularly in what is a “traditional” society: rape is often simply not talked about, much less reported. But rape is a form of torture. It has been found that those who have been tortured, or have undergone a similar extreme experience, never recover. They never regain their former self, and remain for ever tortured or raped. In short, what was a single happening is, in fact, life-long. Rape has both physical and psychological effects, among the latter are:- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – feelings of severe anxiety and stress Depression Flashbacks – memories of rape as if it is taking place again Personality disorder Sleep disorders Guilt and shame Distrust of others; uneasy in everyday social situations Sudden anger Feelings of personal powerlessness – victims feel the rapist robbed them of control over their bodies Suicide or attempted suicide In Sri Lanka, in the areas occupied by the SINHALA Army – more in the North than in the East - a whole population has been delivered to security personnel to do what they want!

Qadri Ismail, in his 'Responding to Aluthgama' (Groundviews, 10 July 2014) is not writing about Tamils but about the vicious (state-countenanced, if not instigated) attack on Muslims by fanatical Buddhists. Yet passing comments can be revelatory and significant. I quote: "...during and after the war, the Sri Lankan military has systematically raped Tamil women – and, yes, even men – mostly in the north. Not occasionally or in a sudden fit of insanity. Systematically." (For the full article, see: www.groundviews.org) 18 July 2014. The media today carries reports that two Tamils girls, aged 10 and 11, were raped in Jaffna by a Sinhalese sailor. The children are receiving treatment in hospital. Other “incidents” involving adults pass unrecorded for several reasons. A complaint can be made only to the army who are, invariably, the perpetrators: sheep complaining to foxes about attacks by foxes. This, in turn, results in bullying and with punishment of different kinds. Why complain when there is no hope of justice and every possibility of further harm? Then there is the factor of shame, particularly in what is a “traditional” society: rape is often simply not talked about, much less reported. But rape is a form of torture. It has been found that those who have been tortured, or have undergone a similar extreme experience, never recover. They never regain their former self, and remain for ever tortured or raped. In short, what was a single happening is, in fact, life-long. Rape has both physical and psychological effects, among the latter are:- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – feelings of severe anxiety and stress Depression Flashbacks – memories of rape as if it is taking place again Personality disorder Sleep disorders Guilt and shame Distrust of others; uneasy in everyday social situations Sudden anger Feelings of personal powerlessness – victims feel the rapist robbed them of control over their bodies Suicide or attempted suicide In Sri Lanka, in the areas occupied by the army – more in the North than in the East - a whole population has been delivered to security personnel to do what they will with them. Even Sinhalese civilians can act as they please vis-à-vis the Tamils knowing that the army and the police are with them. This state of affairs is not dramatic, such as the shooting down of a Malaysian plane or the onslaught on Gaza, and so the world is unaware and, being unaware, unheeding. Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? (Lamentations, 1:12) .......PROF.C.SARVAN, BERLIN