1. a) Name the capital and president of Sri Lanka.
b) Where is Sri Lanka?
c) The two main ethnic groups in Sri Lanka are the Tamils and the Sinhalese. To which religion does the majority of each group belong?

2. What happened to thousands of civilians trapped between the Tamil Tigers and government forces during fighting last month?

3. What is happening to Tamil civilians displaced in the civil war? Be specific. (see para. 2-3, 13, 15)

4. What led to the animosity/fighting between the Tamil Tigers and the Sinhalese government?

5. In what year did the war begin? - How many Sri Lankans have died since the war began?

6. The Tamil Tigers (LTTE) reportedly began as a peaceful resistance group. What types of actions did they take against the government after the civil war began?

7. How has the Red Cross contradicted the report by a Sri Lankan official that the government is actively helping the Tamil refugees?

8. How is the Sri Lankan government treating journalists in that country?

9. Despite reports and complaints by human rights groups, the U.N. Council on Human rights "commended measures taken by the government of Sri Lanka to address the urgent needs of the internally displaced persons."
The UN was founded in 1945 after World War II to replace the League of Nations, to stop wars between countries, and to provide a platform for dialogue.
Two of its stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in human rights, and achieve world peace.
a) Why do you think that the U.N. Human Rights Council has chosen to ignore the plight of displaced civilians in Sri Lanka?
b) How do you think the U.S. government should react to the U.N.'s response? Explain your answer.