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More than 500 Sri Lankan soldiers have been isolated, following a suspected outbreak of encephalitis at an occupying military camp in Mannar this week.
The Sri Lankan military continues to conduct extensive training exercises in these areas, with the most recent involving troops who are suspected to have encephalitis. Even though it has been 15 years since the end of Sri Lanka’s armed conflict, the North-East remains one of the most heavily militarized regions in the world.
The latest incident involves the Periyamadu Commando Army Training Camp, located on the Mannar-Jaffna main road. It has been reported that over 500 soldiers stationed at this camp have been isolated after several fell seriously ill. Some of the soldiers were admitted to the Mannar District General Hospital, where medical examinations confirmed cases of encephalitis.
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Dr. Azad M. Haneepa, the Medical Superintendent of Mannar District General Hospital, verified the diagnosis. The military has had to suspend all training operations in the facility to prevent further spread of the illness.
The continued use of such camps underscores the Sri Lankan military’s pervasive presence in the North-East, a region that was already devastated by decades of genocide and continued occupation.
