Q. SAKAMAKI PHOTOGRAPHY

Gallery: Sri Lanka

The image of a Sri Lanka government soldier is accidentally overlapped with the image of a Tamil girl staying at a war-torn church in Jaffna, where the long civil war has devastated people’s life and economy and now the residents are facing the fresh fighting between the Sri Lanka government troops and LTTE rebel, despite the 2002 ceasefire. Jaffna, Sri Lanka, June 2006.
   
During the funeral of Major General Parami Kulathunga who was killed allegedly by LTTE’s suicide attack two days before, soldiers of the Sri Lankan Army gather to pay homage at Borella cemetery, while a member of its special force is in presence in front of them. Colombo, Sri Lanka, June 18, 2006.
   
In Kilinochchi, the most stronghold of LTTE, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , Tamil civilians take military training under LTTE's command, as the fresh violence between the government and the rebel has been escalating. Although trainees use logs as guns, LTTE distributes such weapons to their homes. Also some participants come from the government controlled areas, such as capital Colombo, to join the training. Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka, June 13 2006.
     
  
In Kilinochchi, the most stronghold of LTTE, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , Tamil civilians take military training under LTTE's command, as the fresh violence between the government and the rebel has been escalating. Although trainees use logs as guns, LTTE distributes such weapons to their homes. Also some participants come from the government controlled areas, such as capital Colombo, to join the training. Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka, June 13 2006.
   
In Kilinochchi, the most stronghold of LTTE, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , Tamil civilians take military training under LTTE's command, as the fresh violence between the government and the rebel has been escalating. Although trainees use logs as guns, LTTE distributes such weapons to their homes. Also some participants come from the government controlled areas, such as capital Colombo, to join the training. Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka, June 13 2006.
   
Fresh refugees, who escaped from the fighting zone in Jaffna, arrive and stay at a war-torn school in Kilinochchi, a stronghold of LTTE rebel. Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka, June 12, 2006.
     
  
A newly fresh fighting and the Sri Lankan government attack on LTTE-controlled Sumpur, a town in North Eastern Sri Lanka, have created thousands of Tamil refugees and many of them, like this woman, take shelter in a Christian church’s site in Mutur, another town of North Eastern Sri Lanak. Mutur, Sri Lanka, June 15, 2006.
   
A Tamil girl is hanging out at a war-torn town of Jaffna, while government soldiers patrol. Jaffna is one of the most critical places for LTTE and the Sri Lankan government -- the absolute majority of the town is Tamil but controlled by the government. And in the town, unemployment prevails and many face extreme poverty and dangerous situations due to the long civil war and the current fresh fighting, as well as Tsunami. Jaffna, Sri Lanka, June 23, 2006.
   
In a war-torn town of Jaffna, one of the most critical places for LTTE and the Sri Lankan government – the absolute majority of the town is Tamil but controlled by the government-- government soldiers are stationing at a checkpoint, while a Tamil school child walks nearby. In Jaffna, unemployment prevails and a large number of people have been escaping as refugees due to the long civil war and the current fresh fighting, as well as Tsunami. The political violence between the government and LTTE is escalating, and the situation just seems to be at the brink of the restart of war. Jaffna, Sri Lanka, June 23, 2006.
     
  
A Tamil mother and a daughter walk through in a war-torn village of Mutur, while a government soldier stay inside of the ruins, as the fresh fighting between the Sri Lankan government and LTTE rebel is dramatically escalating. Mutur, Sri Lanka, June 18, 2006.
   
Tamils are forced to get off the bus and to be checked by at a government checkpoint of the war-torn town of Jaffna, one of the most critical places for LTTE and the Sri Lankan government -- the absolute majority of the town is Tamil but controlled by the government. In Jaffna, unemployment prevails and a large number of people have been escaping as refugees due to the long civil war and the current fresh fighting, as well as Tsunami. Jaffna, Sri Lanka, June 23, 2006.
   
A daily scene of capital Colombo in Sri Lanka, one can see a soldiers nearly everywhere in the street, as the fresh violence has been escalating. Colombo, Sri Lanka, June 26 2006.
     
  
In Kilinochchi, the most stronghold of LTTE, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , female Tamil civilians take military training with LTTE’s command, as the fresh violence between the government and the rebel has been escalating. Although trainees use logs as guns, LTTE distributes such weapons to their homes. Also some participants come from the government controlled areas, such as capital Colombo, to join the training. Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka, June 13 2006.
   
Muslim girls take the learning at a war-torn classroom in Mutur, a town of North Eastern Sri Lanka, where Tsunami destroyed it devastatingly and now the residents are facing the fresh fighting between the Sri Lankan government and LTTE rebel. Mutur, Sri Lanka, June 18, 2006.
   
At a war-torn project in Jaffna, Tamil youths and children play football. In the town, unemployment prevails due to the long civil war and the current fresh fighting, as well as Tsunami. Many residents seek for the escape due to the fear of deadly human rights oppressions. Jaffna, Sri Lanka, June 22, 2006.
     
  
A Tamil woman stays at her war-torn house in Jaffna, one of the most critical places for LTTE and the Sri Lankan government -- the absolute majority of the town is Tamil but controlled by the government. In Jaffna, unemployment prevails and many face extreme poverty and dangerous situations due to the long civil war and the current fresh fighting, as well as Tsunami. Jaffna, Sri Lanka, June 23, 2006.
   
New Tamil refugees, who escaped from Jaffna two days before due to the fresh fighting between the government forces and LTTE rebel, stay a refugee camp at a school in the LTTE’s stronghold town of Kilinochchi. Despite the 2002 ceasefire agreement, the fresh violence is dramatically escalating, especially in North or North-East, like the town of Jaffna, where many residents are often facing deadly human rights oppressions. Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka, June 12, 2006.
   
Tamils obtain water from a well in a war-torn town of Jaffna, one of the most critical places for LTTE and the Sri Lankan government – the absolute majority of the town is Tamil but controlled by the government. In Jaffna, unemployment prevails and many face extreme poverty and dangerous situations due to the long civil war and the current fresh fighting, as well as Tsunami. The political violence between the government and LTTE is escalating, and the situation just seems to be at the brink of the restart of war. Jaffna, Sri Lanka, June 23, 2006.
     
  
A boy walks through in front of a destroyed church in LTTE rebel’s stronghold of Kilinochchi, as the long civil war and the current fresh fighting have devastated many parts of Sri Lanka. Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka, June 13, 2006.
   
A Muslim farmer poses in the middle of farming land in Mutur where fresh fighting is escalating between the Sri Lankan government and LTTE rebel. Muslims are often a target by LTTE, although the group denies it. Mutur, Sri Lanka, June 18, 2006.
   
Tamil civilians, who escaped from fresh fighting between the Sri Lankan government and LTTE rebel, stay at a refugee camp created in a Christian church’s compound. Despite the 2002 ceasefire agreement, the violence is escalating. Mutur, Sri Lanka, June 17, 2006.
     
  
Muslims, including a baby like this image, who escaped from a nearby LTTE-controlled village due to the fighting, take refuge at a school in Muslim Majority area of Mutur, a town in Northern Province. Muslims are often a target by LTTE, although the group denies it. Mutur, Sri Lanka, June 17, 2006.
   
Through an X-ray image of a brain-damaged skull, Nanjula Dilrukch, a 23 y-old victim of the June 15 bus attack, stays in a bed at a hospital in Anuradhpuraq, North Sri Lanka. Holding and checking the X-ray image, the doctor said that the damage would be permanent. The patient also lost her 1 year and half old baby due to the attack, but she did not know. The attack was, then, the biggest tragedy since the 2002 ceasefire agreement. The Sri Lankan government has accused LTTE of the terror, but the Tamil political organization denies the claim. Anuradhpuraq, Sri Lanka, June 15, 2006.
   
At a funeral home in Anuradhpuraq, North Sri Lanka, funeral workers care a child victim of the June 15 bus attack to prepare for mass burial. The attack was the biggest tragedy since the 2002 ceasefire agreement, although it has nearly been breached for the last six months. The Sri Lankan government accuses LTTE of the terror, but the Tamil political organization denies the claim. And the situation just seems to be at the brink of the restart of war. Sri Lanka, June 16, 2006.
     
  
A Tamil woman prays at a Hindu temple in Mandaitevu near Jaffna. The absolute majority of the Jaffna and its suburbs is Tamil Hindu, and most of them want independent from Sri Lanka. Mandaitevu, Jaffna, Sri Lanka, June 23, 2006.
   
Sinhalese child pilgrims at the Dambulla Cave Temple. The Sri Lankan Civil War is more territory war than religious one. However, the practice of religion, whether it is Buddhism, Hinduism, or Islam, creates the strong ethnic difference, by which unfortunately people discriminate each other often with hatred. Dambulla, Sri Lanka, June 2006.
   
A scene of a Christian cemetery in Jaffna, where many people died due to the civil war. And the residents are now facing the fresh fighting between the Sri Lankan government and LTTE rebel. Despite the 2002 ceasefire agreement, the violence is escalating. Jaffna, Sri Lanka, June 23, 2006.
     
  
Sinhalese victims of the June 15 bus attack are lined in the confines at a school in Kabithigollewa to make easy to be identified, while the relatives mourn nearby after the finding. The attack was, then, the biggest tragedy since the 2002 ceasefire agreement. The Sri Lankan government has accused LTTE of the terror, but the Tamil political organization denies the claim, while the political situation just seems to be at the brink of the restart of war. Kabithigollewa, Sri Lanka, June 16, 2006.
   
Family members of Sinhalese victims of the June 15 bus attack mourn before the mass burial. The attack was the biggest tragedy since the 2002 ceasefire agreement, although it has nearly been breached for the last six months. The Sri Lankan government accuses LTTE of the terror, but the Tamil political organization denies the claim. And the situation just seems to be at the brink of the restart of war. Kabithigollewa, Sri Lanka, June 16, 2006.
   
In a war-torn town of Jaffna, one of the most critical places for LTTE and the Sri Lankan government -- the absolute majority of the town is Tamil but controlled by the government—Sri Lanka’s Special Task Force (STF) soldiers patrol. In Jaffna, unemployment prevails and a large number of people have been escaping as refugees due to the long civil war and the current fresh fighting, as well as Tsunami. Jaffna, Sri Lanka, June 23, 2006.
     
  
At a funeral home in Anuradhpuraq, North Sri Lanka, funeral workers care small child victims of the June 15 bus attack to prepare for mass burial. The attack was, then, the biggest tragedy since the 2002 ceasefire agreement. The Sri Lankan government has accused LTTE of the terror, but the Tamil political organization denies the claim, while the political situation just seems to be at the brink of the restart of war. Sri Lanka, June 16, 2006.
   
The mass grave has been created due to the June 15 bus attack which killed more than 64 people, while their family members and friends gather and look on the burial. Kabithigollewa, Sri Lanka, June 16, 2006.