Sri Lanka’s Latest Casualty

Early on Oct. 18, five suicide boats, disguised as fishing vessels and crewed by members of the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (l.t.t.e.), attacked a navy base near the picturesque Sri Lankan town of Galle. The raidwhich destroyed two naval speedboats and killed one sailorcame just 72 hours after 100 sailors died in a suicide attack on a naval convoy, the deadliest in the nation’s history. This violence dims hopes for a cease-fire in Sri Lanka’s civil war, and further threatens its vital tourism industry, ravaged by war and by the 2004 tsunami. Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike says the attack near Gallea major tourist destinationcould have “serious consequences.” With the high season approaching, Sri Lanka’s travel industry is faltering: arrivals in September dropped 11% from last year, while Deccan Lanka, a budget airline scheduled to launch next month, has put its plans on hold. Late last week, Bandaranaike called an emergency meeting with Sri Lankan tour operators to deal with the crisis. While the government and the l.t.t.e. say they will attend peace talks in Geneva this week, the fighting continues: the Sri Lankan navy engaged Tiger rebels in a fierce sea battle last Friday, killing 20. Amid the mayhem, even hardy travelers are likely to rethink their vacation plans.