The TamilSinhala Conflict in Sri Lanka

1
The Tamil-Sinhala Conflict in Sri Lanka

• Part Two

2
Table of Contents

• Effects of the conflict (slides 3-7)
• Peace process (slides 8-13)
• What would it take to achieve peace? (slides
  14-17)

3
A Short List of Effects

• Economic development is erratic and slow
• Social services for the entire population are
  inadequately funded
  
• The entire population is bitterly divided along
  possible options to settle the conflict
  
• The country is being under threat of becoming
  subservient to another external power
  
• People are alienated and unable to plan a bright
  future

4
The Economic Consequences an Overview

• A statistical profile (World Bank Data)
• GNI per capita US 1,010 (World Bank, 2005)
• But the economy has done well in the last five
  years
  
• Is this due to the ceasefire?
• What was the situation between 1971 and 2000?
• The country has considerable amount of foreign
  debts
  
• Per capita income has risen slowly
• Inflation is high
• The country has not achieved its potential
  (summary verdict of the World Bank) (full report
  of the World Bank)
  
• The countrys ability to succeed depends on the
  resolution of its conflict

5
Where has the Money Gone?

• Increased military expenditure has consumed a
  large share of national income since 1982
  
• The spending on health, education and welfare has
  not increased in proportion to the population
  growth
  
• Infrastructure facilities are inadequate and not
  properly maintained
  
• Tertiary education is restricted by inadequate
  funds and lack of enough trained lecturers
  
• Information is hard to get
• Here is a case study
• Here is another study on poverty reduction
• Part One
• Part Two

6
Retardation of Economic Development

• Economic development in independent Sri Lanka has
  been uneven regionally
  
• This state of affairs has been accentuated due to
  various reasons since 1960
  
• Unemployment and under-employment are increasing
  locally
  
• There is internal population movement making
  economic development difficult at local levels
  
• Industrialization is progressing very slowly
• The conflict inflicts a heavy toll on tourism,
  which is a major income earning industry

7
Social Cost of the Conflict

• Displacement of people
• A culture of fear and intimidation
• The lost childhood for a large number of
  children
  
• Fighting children
• Victimized children
• Will they ever be normal?
• Deprivation of education and stable family life
• Loss of life
• Funds for the development are diverted elsewhere

8
Ceasefire of 2002 Nuts and Bolts

• February 2002 The ceasefire was arranged by
  Norway working together with the UNP government
  (prime minister Wickramasinghe)
  
• March-May 2002 decommissioning of weapons and
  restoring links with Jaffna
  
• September 2002 ban on the LTTE is lifted,
  exchange of prisoners and the drop of demand for
  separate state
  
• December 2002 peace talks in Norway (share of
  power and autonomy for north and east)

9
Behind the Scene

• It has been suggested that Norway is actually
  supporting the LTTE with funds and equipment
  
• Norway is not an impartial mediator, to judge by
  its regular pro-LTTE stance
  
• Norway peace monitoring mission has been partial
  towards the LTTE
  
• Norway peace mediators (foreign ministry) have
  bypassed the Sri Lankan state institutions to
  initiate peace
  
• The executive president (Chandrika
  Kumaratunga-Bandaranaike) was sidelined
  
• A detailed analysis of Norways role in Sri Lanka

10
Peace Broken

• The presidents actions brought Norways peace
  mission to a grinding halt
  
• April 2004 The SLFP victory at the general
  election
  
• July 2004 first suicide blast in Colombo since
  2001
  
• December 2004 Tsunami
• August 2005 Kadiragamar assassinated
• What do these events mean?
• The LTTE was not pleased with the fall of UNP
• Opposed to the SLFP regime
• Use intimidation to coax the government

11
New Political Reality

• The new coalition government consists of two
  parties JVP and SLFP
  
• What do they stand for?
• JVP extreme nationalist (pro-Sinhala) and has a
  violent past (since 1971)
  
• Constituency
• JVP mostly Buddhist Sinhalese
• SLFP Sinhalese (and others) and pro-Buddhist but
  no discrimination on the ground of religion
  
• SLFP centre-left and pro-western with restrain
• Both oppose separate state for the Tamils
• Pro devolution of power and autonomy for north
  within a unitary state
  
• Against Norways intrusive and biased
  intervention

12
Opposition Party

• The UNP is publicly supportive of the government,
  but in fact against its peace plan
  
• Constituency profile
• Mostly Sinhalese and from all religions
• Pro-western and for unrestrained foreign
  investment
  
• Power elite consists of mostly Christian and rich
  people
  
• Little sympathy for traditional culture
• Notoriously deficient in vision and the ability
  to bring people together

13
Positions

• The LTTE is unwilling to negotiate with the
  government
  
• The government is unhappy with Norways
  intervention
  
• The government is under pressure not to provide
  more than devolution and autonomy in regional
  affairs
  
• The government is also under pressure to curb
  killings by paramilitary groups
  
• The LTTE is under pressure to stop its violent
  activity
  
• Both parties are under pressure to achieve peace

14
Solutions

• Proposed solutions
• Separate states unacceptable to the Sinhalese
  and the Muslims
  
• A federal state unacceptable to the majority of
  people
  
• Devolution of power and autonomy in regional
  affairs within a unitary state acceptable to the
  majority of people
  
• Why certain options are unacceptable
• Separation or federal state will not end the
  conflict
  
• A greater Tamil state with Tamilnadu is a
  possibility
  
• It will be a catalyst for Indias brake-up

15
What would it Take . . .?

• A compromise political solution acceptable to all
  people
  
• An equitable share of resources
• A plan for economic development for the country
  as a whole
  
• Justice to all communities
• Freedom to move and live anywhere
• Human rights recognized
• Curb extremism
• Charity begins at home
• Eliminate undue external influence

16
Aftermath

• National building is essential for stability and
  prosperity of people
  
• Education as a means to achieve understanding and
  cohesion
  
• A greater role for English in education
• A carefully prepared education policy to foster
  racial harmony
  
• Cross-cultural relations have always been cordial
  except in rare instances
  
• They should be used consciously to promote unity

17
Grant Them Peace

• Both parties have walked back from the brink of
  war
  
• Let us hope they will walk along the road to
  peace