uproot the entire population of the Jaffna peninsula to place them in detention camps. While detention of civilians might be acceptable in certain circumstances, humanitarian law did not permit military forces to remove an entire people to facilitate attacks on civilian population centres, or the detention of civilians solely on grounds of their political affiliation. 57. In Sri Lanka, the Government was waging war on the civilian population. Reliable reports indicated severe maltreatment and death of persons detained by the Sri Lankan forces in the Sithandi refugee camp in Batticaloa and the forced removal on 5 June 1990 and subsequent disappearance of 10 refugees held at Vantarmmullai University. According to the British Refugee Council, 600,000 persons already in camps or dispersed in the north and east were suffering food and medical shortages. Other reports concerning detainees included: the arrest in Colombo and subsequent shooting of 542 Tamil civilians; the detention and mistreatment of 1,002 persons fleeing from Batticaloa to Jaffna; the arrest of 84 Tamil civilians by the Sri Lankan army at Veeramunai of whom four had escaped and had witnessed the massacre of the other 80; the detention by Government forces in Sumanthurai of 57 Tamil and Muslim civilians, who had subsequently been found dead; and the disppearance in Kallaru of about 200 detainees. 58. If the United States of America, Japan and Sri Lanka could escape censure for those grave violations of human rights, the entire regime of international protection of human rights was sorely threatened. He hoped that the Sub-Commission would take forthright action on those and all other cases of violation of.the rights of detainees. E/CN.4/Sub.2/1990/SR.26 page 11 59. Mr. EYA NCHAMA (International Movement for Fraternal Union Among Races and Peoples) speaking in connection with the protection of staff members of 
**Analysis**
The text describes a situation of human rights violations and humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka, specifically mentioning the detention of civilians, maltreatment, and disappearance of people. It also refers to the protection of human rights and the responsibility of governments to ensure these rights. Given the context and content of the text, it is likely that the most fitting category is related to human rights and humanitarian issues.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, Human rights