Overview

In just four months in 2009, Sri Lanka's 26 year-old desperate civil war came to a brutal and bloody end on a desolate stretch of beach in the island's north east. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed when the government decimated the guerilla organisation, the Tamil Tigers. Gordon Weiss witnessed the conflict at first hand as a UN spokesman in Colombo. His devastating account unravels the compelling history that led up to that final horrific episode, peeling back the Sri Lankan government's cloak of silence to reveal the truth of those tragic events.

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9780099548478

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Reviews

<p> An excellent account of how [the government] victory was won, and of the price paid for the present peace by Sri Lankans. . . . scrupulously fair. -- Economist <p> One of the best books published by an Australian this year . . . Himself the grandson of a man who was murdered in Auschwitz, Weiss is aware of the thin line that separates civilised societies from those that sink into collective madness governed by hatred. -- Spectator <p> [Weiss] writes with passion and a depth of knowledge . . . The Cage is a courageous document that holds to account the brutality of a rogue state that is all too often simply seen as a beautiful tourist destination. -- Sydney Morning Herald <p> A striking account of the ruthless terror wreaked by both sides on the innocent civilians. -- Sunday Times <p> [A] painstakingly researched and referenced study, and [Weiss'] conclusions are nothing short of horrific. -- Scotsman <p> A fair and brilliantly written tour de force of this long forgotten war. A book that is long overdue. --ROMA TEARNE, author of The Mosquito <br>

A striking account of the ruthless terror wreaked by both sides on the innocent civilians trapped in the pocket of land ... he has published the first comprehensive, factual account of the mass killing and why the UN was powerless to prevent it -- Jon Swain Sunday Times Comprehensive, fair and well-written -- Jason Burke Literary Review 'What does the Sri Lankan government have to hide? That's the question Gordon Weiss sets out to answer in this painstakingly researched and referenced study, and his conclusions are nothing short of horrific' Scotsman

Author Information

Gordon Weiss was the United Nations Spokesman in Sri Lanka for two years during the recent civil war. For two decades, he worked as a journalist and for international organisations in numerous conflict and natural disaster zones. He is currently a Visiting Scholar at the University of Sydney, Australia. Twitter @gordonkweiss / www.gordonweissauthor.com

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