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Conflict Profile.
The Roots of the Conflict
Tensions in Sri Lanka first boiled over into a civil war in 1983, but the roots of the conflict extend far further than that. The conflict takes its roots from the tensions between the mainly Buddhist Sinhalese majority and the mainly Hindu Tamil minority, who now make up 82% and 9% of the country’s population respectively. Prior to the conflict these statistics were 74% and 18%, indicating the huge numbers of Tamils who have fled the country.
Prior to independence in 1948, the Sinhalese felt discriminated against by their British rulers, leading to the development of Sinhalese political nationalism. With independence and the establishment of a first-past-the-post electoral system, much of the power was placed in the hands of Sinhalese governments. These governments brought in legislation leading to the increasing marginalisation of the Tamil minority, including the 1956 Official Language Act. This led to increasingly strained relations between the two groups and numerous violent riots.
Conflict History
This increasing violence led to the eventual outbreak of war in July 1983. Conflict in the North and East was mainly between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE); however the violence in Sri Lanka has also been fuelled by insurrections carried out by the Sinhalese Peoples Liberation Front (JVP). The situation has also been worsened by the 2003 Tsunami which affected all of the communities in Sri Lanka. After the outbreak of war numerous attempts at peace negotiations and ceasefires were interspersed with further conflict outbreaks. After the failure of the most recent peace talks President Rajapaksa began a military offensive aimed at achieving complete victory over the LTTE. Victory was declared in May 2009 after the last of the LTTE controlled areas were captured, but numerous questions remain over the country’s prospects for peace.
Prospects for Peace
The presidential elections were held in January 2010. President Rajapaksa was re-elected with 57% of the vote, but has faced allegations of intimidation and misuse of state resources. His main rival, General Foneska gained 40% of the votes and was quickly arrested after the election.
It is clear that the country is still far from creating a stable peace. The issues at the root of the LTTE insurgency have not been addressed – in fact the brutal nature of the final days of the war may have exacerbated them. It is estimated that the war has killed approximately 80,000 people and displaced around 1 million civilians .  The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre estimates there are approximately 370,000 internally displaced people in Sri Lanka. Navi Pillay, UN Commissioner for Human Rights in 2009 has accused both sides of war crimes and there is little indication that the government has any plans to deal with these allegations. In addition to the allegations against President Rajapaksa, there are allegations of government corruption, and the absence of media freedom raises further concerns.
Displaced Civilians, Sri Lanka
Conflict Timeline
Key People & Parties
Resources
| Conflict. | Resolution. |
|---|---|
Ethnic secession movement: Discriminatory legislation and practices by successive majority Sinhalese governments prompted the Tamil secession movement in the North and East. The Tamil claim to a separate ‘ethnic homeland’ in the North and East is rejected by the State and the major cause of conflict. | — Local peacebuilding can assist in developing policy to adress the causes of conflict, as well as specific flashpoints of ethnic violence, such as elections. — Social Policy Analysis Research Centre (SPARC) SPARC operates within Sri Lankan universities to provide a focal point for developing means addressing conflict. — Jeewa Shakthi Foundation promotes good governance, and works against electoral violence — Peace and Health Progressing Organisation (PHPO) participated in talks between the government & LTTE. |
Ethno-religious tension Years of ethnically-based conflict have severely weakened inter-ethnic/religious trust, which is essential for a sustainable peace. | — Through programmes that help to break down stereotypes local peacebuilding can be extremely successful at rebuilding a shared consensus for peace reduce fear and mistrust of ‘the other’. — Sithumina Sithumina promotes the development of multi-ethnic communities. — Centre for Peacebuilding and Reconciliation (CPBR)aims to create a network of peacebuilders — Batticaloa Befrienders encourages peaceful relations between Muslim and Tamil communities — Human Resource and Environmental Protection Organisation (HREPO) foster the development of inter-ethnic relationships. — Rural Development Foundation (RDF) focuses on developing mutal understanding amoung different ethnic groups. — Samasevaya promotes peace by raising awareness of coexistance. — Universal Human Development Foundation (UDHF) brings different ethnic groups together through joint projects |
Government repression: Government repression has taken the form of discriminatory legislation and practices against ethnic minority communities. There is also repression of political and social freedoms, intimidation, and violence against those who don’t conform to majority-held views. | — Local peacebuilding can be effective at advocating for change at a political level and there are some initiatives that focus on training leaders in non-violent strategies for resolving conflict — Widaloka Cultural Foundation (WCF) spreads knowledge of basic human rights & responsibilities |
Media: According to the Reporters Without Borders 2008 Press Freedom Index, Sri Lanka ranked 165th out of 173, the worst of any democratic country. All sides of the conflict attempt to silence inconvenient reporters, and media is largely split along ethnic lines. | — Power Foundation provides a Tamil language radio station that promotes peaceful coexistance |
Micro-conflicts: Religious/Ethnic tensions and localised community conflicts contribute to the overall violence and insecurity in Sri Lanka. | — Local peacebuilding is very effective at addressing localised community conflict. — Jaffna Social Action Centre (JASC) prevents conflict between displaced people and host communities |
