Creating Peace in Sri Lanka: Civil War and Reconciliation (World Peace Foundation Study)

This book of essays by Sri Lankan and Western authors examines the causes of war in Sri Lanka and the possibilities for peace.

Sri Lanka, one of the most promising states in Asia following independence in 1948, has been torn apart for the past fifteen years by a vicious civil war. The majority Sinhala and minority Tamils have killed each other with increasing ferocity. The Tamils, who are primarily Hindu, fear losing their identity and being overwhelmed by the majority, who are Buddhist. The Sinhala, in turn, fear that the Tamils, with the backing of their ethnic kin in the Indian province of Tamil Nadu, will destabilize and take over control of the Sri Lankan government. Colonial-era rivalries and deep-rooted distrust fuel the tensions. What will bring about an end to this destructive conflict, and how will the island nation heal its physical and psychic wounds following a peace? How will a sustainable peace be arranged? Can mediation help? This book of essays by Sri Lankan and Western authors examines the causes of war and the possibilities for peace. Contributors are Chandra R. de Silva, Old Dominion University; Rohan Edrisinha, University of Colombo; Saman Kelegama, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka; David Little, United States Institute of Peace; Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake, Columbia University; Teresita C. Schaffer, former U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka; David Scott, Johns Hopkins University; Donald R. Snodgrass, Harvard Institute for International Development; Jayadeva Uyangoda, Sri Lanka Foundation; William Weisberg and Donna Hicks, Harvard University. A World Peace Foundation Book

1. Sri Lanka's civil war : from mayhem toward diplomatic resolution / Robert I. Rotberg — 2. South Asia's enduring war / Chris Smith — 3. Religion and ethnicity in the Sri Lankan civil war / David Little — 4. The dangers of devolution : the hidden economies of armed conflict / Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake — 5. Economic costs of conflict in Sri Lanka / Saman Kelegama — 6. The economic development of Sri Lanka : a tale of missed opportunities / Donald R. Snodgrass — 7. The role of education in ameliorating political violence in Sri Lanka / Chandra R. de Silva — 8. Peacemaking in Sri Lanka : the Kumaratunga initiative / Teresita C. Schaffer — 9. Overcoming obstacles to peace : an examination of third party processes / William Weisberg and Donna Hicks — 10. A political culture of conflict / Jayadeva Uyangoda — 11. Constitutionalism, pluralism, and ethnic conflict : the need for a new initiative / Rohan Edrisinha — 12. Devolution and the elusive quest for peace in Sri Lanka — Neelan Tiruchelvam.