The Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority are on the verge of civil war in Sri Lanka. I visited that gorgeous land a few years ago. I hope peace contracts can avoid any more civil war and ethnic cleansing in that lovely land. Does anyone else have any thought on this matter?

Any news sources/stories to reference back to?

I remember the civil war that took place several years ago, and I sincerely hoped that once the Tamil Tigers and the majoritarian government had achieved a cease-fire that things would improve but it appears that there was bad faith and bad actions on both sides, which has led to the current crisis. I really don't know what to say about this, or what the solution might be short of a partitioning of the country. Didn't India try to mediate a settlement, including sending soldiers, a few years ago?

I had read this as well, FT. That's why I was wanting a news source citing, to see if this was old news coming to us, or if this was current news happening.

Wikipedia mentions a secession leader's assassination.

Sri Lanka looks like a beautiful, diverse island country. Hope the people settle their differences without a war.

Sadly it is news again. I last saw a story on the BBC saturday night. These two cultures of Sinhalese and Tamils have shared the island for millineum. The only differences between the two peoples are Sinhalese Buddhism and Tamil Hinduism as well as Linguistic differences. I could not tell one from the other just by looking at them. Both proud people with rich history. There is a Muslim and Christian tiny minority there too. I attended the Buddhist festival in Kandy with the processions of elephants all draped in capes and lighted up with fairy candles. If you haven't seen it then it is astonishing. PEACE TO SRI LANKA AND ALL OVER THE WORLD. SHALOM.