The bitter ethnic war that has ravaged Sri Lanka for 25 years has entered a new and terrible phase. Since 1983, Sri Lanka’s government, which represents the majority community, Sinhalese and Buddhist, has been battling the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which is seeking a homeland in the north and east for the Hindu and Tamil minority. A cease-fire, brokered by Norway in 2002, promised an end to the violence that has claimed at least 70,000 lives. But the election of a belligerent Sinhalese-nationalist government in late 2005, led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, stirred both sides to fresh atrocities. In the past 18 months, 5,000 have died; compared to fewer than 200 in the previous three years. Full Story