With the deterioration of the peace accord between the Government of Sri Lanka and the separatist LTTE, Sri Lanka has once again become world news. If you have not already heard or read about the recent resumption of hostilities, it’s a decades old, armed struggle. However, it is NOT an island wide conflict and is restricted to a section of the country far from the main gem producing regions and areas most frequented by tourists. The ethnic based civil unrest in Sri Lanka has been ongoing for OVER 20 years with the LTTE banned in the US as a terrorist organization. It is a battle mainly between the ethnic Tamil LTTE and the primarily Sinhalese Buddhist government. Approximately 20% of the population is Tamil while approximately 70% is Sinhalese. Fortunately most of Sri Lanka is only indirectly affected by the conflict because the conflict is mostly confined to the north east which is the only area of Sri Lanka with concentrated Tamil population. Ratnapura is in the southwest. Thousands of foreigners continue living in Sri Lanka safely, including the famous Arthur C. Clark. I am an American originally from New York, and college educated on the east coast. With over 25 years of first hand experience of living, working and dealing in Sri Lanka I can assure you your visit will be safe, productive and highly interesting as you are immersed into the exotic world of gems, at their source. A world many consider safer than Los Angeles or New York! It has been my repeated experience over the last 25 years that the best gem deals are to be had when there is civil disruption. The fear generated by the press keeps the unknowing traveler from having a wonderful and productive experience in Sri Lanka. I have been involved in every aspect of gemology including: designing and running a jungle mining operation; field research for the G.I.A.; contributor to Gems and Gemology magazine; all aspects of analytical field gemology; gem faceting and marketing. This is a truly unique opportunity to experience the old style British colonial ways in the settings of the gem infested tropical suburbs of Ratnapura.