JAFFNA, SRI LANKA, Aug, 23, 2001: Two decades of civil war in northern Sri Lanka have caused widespread psychological trauma to an estimated 40% of Tamil civilians of Jaffna by years of bombardment, displacement, disappearances and terror at the hands of both Tamil militants and the Sri Lankan army. In a conservative society where people traditionally don’t show their emotions, drama can be a trigger for pent-up rage. Young professionals are being trained to use role-playing as a tool for therapy. They stand in a large circle imitating the sounds of a tropical rainstorm by clapping their hands and stamping their feet in a sort of group therapy, among other methods. One actor so successfully imitated a politician making empty promises that he was attacked by the crowd. The people of Jaffna are suffering from cumulative trauma, according to Professor of Psychiatry at Jaffna University, Daya Somasonderam. “Apart from the effects on individuals now we are realizing that the conflict has a very long-term devastating effect on society.”
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