Sri Lanka Far From True Peace After Civil War: Think Tank

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Sri Lanka's postwar policies are a hindrance to reconciliation between the country's embittered ethnic communities, two years after the end of a civil war, an international think tank has said.

Belgium-based International Crisis Group said in a report published Monday that "the government's intransigence and triumphalism" after defeating Tamil Tiger rebels "has meant the country is yet to see any semblance of compromise or inclusiveness."

Sri Lanka's 25-year civil war ended in May 2009 after government forces crushed the Tamil Tiger rebels who had been fighting for an independent state for minority Tamils, after decades of marginalization by governments controlled by the Sinhalese majority.

Between 80,000-100,000 people may have been killed in the war, including at least 7,000 ethnic Tamil civilians in the last five months of the conflict.

A U.N. expert panel report in April accused Sri Lanka's government and the rebels of serious rights violations and potential war crimes and recommended an independent international inquiry. The government has denied deliberately targeting civilians and did not comment immediately Tuesday on the latest allegations.

The group said that after the war, President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government "has refused to acknowledge, let alone address, the Tamil minority's legitimate grievances against the state."

It also urged authorities to end the state of emergency, revise powerful anti-terrorism laws and stop repression of media and political opponents.

"Restoring the rule of law and accountability is essential, as is a political settlement to provide real devolution of power," the group said. It also said attention should be paid to victims of the war and political violence and rebuilding relations among communities.

"All of this will take years, but the sooner it starts the more likely renewed conflict will be avoided," it said.

While the government tells a different story to the international community and to its people about its agenda, claiming that it is pursuing reconciliation and taking care of the victims, reality in the war-devastated north is different with resentment already growing among many Tamils, the group said.

"Contrary to the image it projects, the government has increasingly cut minorities and opponents out of decisions on their economic and political futures rather than work toward reconciliation," the group said.

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Comments

[kopanko]

10:00 AM on 07/19/2011

They have "peace" there like they have "peace" in Israel+Palestine. The Tamils are in a horrible plight and they've been second-clas citizens there forever. The Tigers arose in actual RESPONSE to something, not gratuitously. The U.S. came to stupidly side with the oppressors during the "War on Terror" hysteria of George W Bush. Yes, these people do use terrorism--but they do it as an oppressed minority to achieve justice through separation and self-rule: Not to invade or wreck havoc on anyone else's country or sovereignty. "Terrorism" is a pejorative label assigned depending on whose side you're on. Technically, the French Resistance were "terrorists". The zionists in pre-Israel Palestine were "terrorists". George Washington was a "terrorist". You've got to look at the CONTEXT of WHAT IS GOING ON. The IRA was a "terrorist" organization that U.S. congress members supported, and got away with it because 1) there are actually a large number of people of ethnic Irish descent in the U.S. and 2) The context is that the English were unjustly occupying a part of another country. Well the Sinhalese are also occupying a part of another country (Tamil Eelam) and brutally oppressing a long-existing minority--who are a majority there. Our government doesn't pay attention to this and gets away with it because it is a remote place no one cares about, and there aren't many Tamils here in the U.S.

[goodmarina]

06:37 PM on 07/19/2011

While it is true that there was a massive Nationalist movement that marginalized Tamils, Muslims and the Burghers (after its Independence from England in 1948), to say that the Tigers -- a brutal terrorist organization -- arose in RESPONSE is misleading.   

Truth is, the UN, EU, Canada and the United States formally recognized the Tamil Tigers as one of THE MOST DANGEROUS terrorist organizations in the world.

The Tigers are the authors of suicide bombing and have had no trouble using children and pregnant women to carry out these missions.

While it is true that the Tamils with no means were left behind and have borne the brunt of the backlash of the Sinhala majority, it is also true that those with means used "asylum" provisions in Western Countries around the world as backdoor immigration means.  Ask Germany, Canada, Australia, France, the United Kingdom about it.

What do you mean that the Sinhalese are occupying another part of the country?   There is no "country" or region called Tamil Eelam.   Sri Lanka has always been an island nation where the North (Jaffna region) and the East (Batticola region) had an ethnic Tamil majority occupying it.  

BTW - the word Eelam means "freedom".  

These Ace Manipulators learned to use propaganda with fake data to their advantage.   They created networks of Tamil sympathizers around world to fund-raise and purchase WMD's -- including jets, naval vessels, etc.  Plenty of such sympathizers serve jail time around the world.  In 2008, the US busted a terror cell in NY.  

You decrying discrimination; thus, justifying Terrorism is unfounded.  Some of the wealthiest business owners, , MP's, cabinet members, Judges, Doctors, Lawyers, Architects, Teachers, etc. are and have been Tamils.   

All Sri Lankans are good people who have learned to live in harmony for centuries -- understandably the country has been shattered by decades of civil war.  The staggering economic set-backs, and loss of hundreds of thousands of civilians & military lives has left a Nation reeling.  

The Government exploited the situation to centralize power.  A nepotistic Defense Ministry and its approach in the last 3 years ending Terrorism has been troubling.  

The current government has a long way to go in its pursuit of racial harmony and bringing back a sense of normalcy to regions predominantly impacted by this several decades long civil war.   There's too much money to be made and power is intoxicating.   The recent engagements with China, Venezuela and Iran is very troubling.   In that, I do agree with the UN's report.

But I vehemently disagree with your characterization of the situation (historic or present).

[Rianna]

09:06 AM on 07/19/2011

There may never be a resolution to ethnic conflicts until both sides admit to their failings, and address it. The Sri Lankan government have constantly deflected any reports as "Western countries out to get us", and does not admit to any human rights violations, while it is logical that both sides must have resorted to it, towards the end of the war. The majority in any country, tries to rule with arrogance and policies that favor it, and the minority have to keep fighting for their rights. The country is now run by (more of a dictatorship, to some) a man who has around 200 or more family members in his government, and the present ambassador to the US, is also supposed to be a close relative.

[althea me]

09:40 AM on 07/19/2011

I have read about sri-lankan history that spans over 2500 years and tamil and sinhaleese community have lived in this land for ages.

Once the British made it a colony as British were not comfortable to give positions of authority to sinhaleese fearing that may lead to rebelion by sinhala majority against them they were more comfortable with minority tamils. Hence tamils were given disproportionate share of offices during their rule even though the distribution of ethnicity was 75% sinhalese and 20% tamils and others roughly 5%.

Since independence from 1948 tamils feel they have lost previously held advantage.

This lead to many unfortunate incidents however even now majority of the tamils live among Sinhalese genocide going by definition is totally incorrect.

During operations some Tamils protected even Sinhala soldiers, Sinhalese protected Tamils from few extremist.

The present govt has stopped the war.

If 15 people from Tamils were getting killed and another 20 from Sinhalese were getting killed per day since the war ended on may 19th 2009 to date the present govt has saved LIVES OF 11,640 TAMILS, 15,520 SINHALESE. As the population of Tamils are much smaller the current govt has saved greater proportion of Tamil community be it terrorist or others who would have been at danger had the war continued to date and beyond not only Sinhalese be it soldiers or otherwise.

War is sometimes an economic activity for unknown few, war ravage area economy grew by 22% during the last year.

[goodmarina]

06:39 PM on 07/19/2011

spot on to highlight some truths often - conveniently - overlooked by those seeking to justify terrorism.

There's nothing like discussing a situation with some real facts - bravo!

happy to be fan #1

[goodmarina]

06:40 PM on 07/19/2011

@Rianna - i do agree with your concerns of Nepotism.  The present Ambassador to the US is the brother-in-law of the President.