Part II Would Reconciliation Process Work in Post-war Sri Lanka

8/20/2019 Part II Would Reconciliation Process Work in Post-war Sri Lanka

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Part II: Would reconciliation process work in

post-war Sri Lanka?

by Satheesan Kumarasamy

(From previous issue)

( July 30, 2015, Colombo, Sri Lana !uar"ian) #amils $erepropa%atin% throu%h #amil me"ia outlets an" a&a"emi& 'ournals in &ountries $here#amils live, su&h as n"ia, Sri Lana, alaysia, Sin%apore, Fi'i, et&*, that #amils losttheir in%"oms a+ter the o&&upation o+ their &ountries +rom +orei%n inva"ers* #hus,proponent o+ the primor"ialist theory on ethni& &on+li&t is vali" in Sri Lanas ethni&&on+li&t be&ause, in the &onte-t o+ South .+ri&a, bla&s sa$ $hites as a threat to theiri"entity an" allo$e" them to mar%inali/e in all se&tors o+ their lives in&lu"in%e&onomi&s an" politi&s*

http://www.slguardian.org/part-ii-would-reconciliation-process-work-in-post-war-sri-lanka/http://www.slguardian.org/part-ii-would-reconciliation-process-work-in-post-war-sri-lanka/http://www.slguardian.org/would-reconciliation-process-work-in-post-conflict-sri-lanka/https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/299940_214821948578772_529830194_n.jpg?oh=039614989e0c0feac1af8d94995b265a&oe=5655D10Chttp://www.slguardian.org/would-reconciliation-process-work-in-post-conflict-sri-lanka/http://www.slguardian.org/part-ii-would-reconciliation-process-work-in-post-war-sri-lanka/http://www.slguardian.org/part-ii-would-reconciliation-process-work-in-post-war-sri-lanka/


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#he meanin%+ul &ase stu"y an" the theory applie" in South .+ri&a is vali", an" is the&ase in point* ven thou%h Sri Lana "oes not allo$ the international &ommunity tointervene in the internal &on+li&t, the %ro$in% issue o+ human ri%hts abuse is &ru&ial*

nternational pressure o+ten pro"u&es meanin%+ul truth &ommissions or some other+orms o+ a&&ountability, espe&ially as international human ri%hts norms have

"evelope"* .s truth &ommissions have be&ome more &ommon an" %aine" morea"herents, they "emonstrate alternative, inherent bene+its o+ their o$n an" not simplya se&on"best option to &riminal prose&ution*

espite the +a&t that the me&hanism o+ re"ressin% past $ron%s is relatively ne$ inpea&emain% an" pea&ebuil"in% pro&esses, more than 20 truth &ommissions $ereestablishe" $orl"$i"e in the past 20 years* #he most prominent $as South .+ri&as#C, set up in 1445, $hi&h ultimately &apture" the $orl"s attention be&ause o+ theuniue opportunity an" &hallen%es asso&iate" $ith this novel initiative bein% use" in avery polari/e" an" +ra%ile situation*

#he restorative +rame$or base" on the South .+ri&an &onte-t is relevant to SriLanas situation, an" the uestion o+ $hat is nee"e" +or meanin%+ul re&on&iliationprimarily relie" on the %overnment to tae the ne-t step to heal the $oun"s o+ thepeople rather than "eepenin% the $oun"*

#677L7!8

#his resear&h stu"y is base" primarily on library an" nternet sour&es, an" the &asestu"y $ill be taen +rom South .+ri&a* Sin&e the South .+ri&an stu"y $as su&&ess+ul, itis pivotal to stu"y this &ase be&ause the #ruth Commission o+ South .+ri&a $as&reate" a+ter years o+ aparthei" rule* #his &ommission attempte" to heal the $oun"s o+ the vi&tims in or"er to &reate a sense o+ trust amon% the a++e&te" people*

#he &ommission in South .+ri&a $as aime" at healin% the $oun"s o+ the minority asthe ma'ority 9bla&s tar%ete" the minority 9$hites +or $hat the 9$hites ha" "one to the9bla&s "urin% the &olonial era* t $as "ue to the ma%nanimity o+ an"ela an" #ututhat the &ommission $as a su&&ess* :ut the &ase o+ Sri Lana $as that the ma'oritythe 9Sinhalese tar%ete" minority 9#amils +or $hat the minority 9#amils en'oye" "urin%the &olonial era*

t is meanin%+ul to see i+ su&h &ommission as in South .+ri&a $oul" brin% permanenthealin% to the $oun"s &ause" amon% the $arrin% parties in Sri Lana* t is vital +or SriLana be&ause the ma'ority Sinhalese an" minority #amils, as $ell as #amilspeain%

uslims, $ere a++e&te" by the $ar, even thou%h over$helmin%ly the #amilspeain%people $ere the vi&tims* Little has been "one to heal the $oun"s in Sri Lana*

C.S S#;8S7;#6 .FC.

.+ter the :ritons &apture" the Cape o+ !oo" 6ope in 1


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#he poli&y o+ &onsistent ra&ial separation $as intro"u&e" in 1410 throu%h la$s that+urther &urtaile" the ri%hts o+ the bla& ma'ority* Further "is&riminatory poli&ies $ereimplemente", an" insur%en&y $as not preventable be&ause o+ the "is&riminatorypoli&ies o+ the :ritons*

(#o be &ontinue")

(#he author &an be rea&he" at email> satheesanumarasamy?yahoo*&om)

Would reconciliation process work in post-

conflict Sri Lanka?#he L## &arrie" out many hi%hpro+ile atta&s "urin% their 30 years o+military &ampai%n +or an in"epen"ent state +or #amils, in&lu"in% theassassinations o+ several hi%hranin% Sri Lanan an" n"ianpoliti&ians, as $ell as most senior Sri Lanan ministers an" military

&omman"ers* L## pioneere" the use o+ sui&i"e belts, an" use" li%htair&ra+t in some o+ their atta&s*

by Satheesan Kumarasamy@ie$s e-presse" in this arti&le are author o$n

( July 20, 2015, Colombo, Sri Lana !uar"ian) espite %ro$in%pressure +rom the international &ommunity (C), little has been "one bythe Sri Lanan %overnment to en" one o+ the $orl"s ol"est ethni&&on+li&ts, even thou%h the bloo"y &ivil $ar en"e" in 2004 $ith over1A0,000 &ivilian "eaths* #he C has "eman"e" an impartial #ruth an"

e&on&iliation Commission (#B ) to investi%ate abuses &ommitte" byboth $arrin% parties* . %enuine truth an" re&on&iliation $ith the"etermination to see a +air an" reasonable 'usti&e to the $oun"e" isthe +un"amental ob'e&tive o+ # B * . restorative +rame$or base" onthe metho"olo%y o+ the South .+ri&an #ruth an" e&on&iliationCommission $ill s&rutini/e $hether the # B $oul" be meanin%+ul toe-amine in Sri Lanas ethni& &on+li&t* #he restorative approa&h is ametho" to trans+orm the hatre" an" reven%e, an" to buil" &ommunityby emphasi/in% re&on&iliation an" seein% a&&ountability +or ri%htsabuses* #he uestion Dhat is nee"e" +or meanin%+ul re&on&iliation in

Sri LanaE is to be ans$ere" appropriately*G#7;C#7G

ver sin&e it %aine" in"epen"en&e +rom :ritain in 14A


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Sinhala rulers* #he various a&ts that &ame into +or&e "urin% this perio"$ere aime" at pro%ressively main% the #amils se&on"&lass &iti/ens,un"er the belie+ that these steps to$ar" re"ressin% the imbalan&e&reate" by the :ritish re%ime $ere ne&essary to $in +avor $ithe-tremist elements amon% the ma'ority Sinhalese*

#he unitary arran%ement in Sri Lana le" to le%islative "is&riminationa%ainst the #amils by the Sinhalese ma'ority* #his resulte" in a "eman"+or +e"eration $hi&h, in the 14H0s, %re$ into a movement +or an

autonomous #amil &ountry* #he situation "eteriorate" into &ivil $ar inthe early 14


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Sri Lanan arme" +or&es* 7n 7&tober 30, 1440, L## tru&s "rovethrou%h the streets, or"erin% uslim +amilies to assemble at 7smaniaColle%e in Ja++na in northern Sri Lana* #here, they $ere tol" to e-it the&ity $ithin t$o hours* #he entire uslim population $as e-pelle" +romJa++na* n total, over 1A,A00 uslim +amilies, rou%hly H2,000 people,$ere +or&ibly evi&te" +rom L##&ontrolle" areas o+ the north* #his

in&lu"e" 3


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internal revie$ &ommission that investi%ate" the ;Gs o$ninvesti%ations an" +oun" that the ;G "eliberately i%nore" Sri Lanashu%es&ale human ri%hts violations*

#he ;G Se&retary!enerals internal revie$ panel +oun" that H0,000#amil &ivilians $ere ille" in the +inal phase o+ the $ar* n this &onte-t,

the uestion o+ #B &omes into play, espe&ially to e-amine $hetherthe South .+ri&an #C &oul" be a mo"el +or Sri Lana, even thou%h theSouth .+ri&an &onte-t $as "i++erent +rom the Sri Lanan situation in that,in South .+ri&a, the ma'ority population $as "is&riminate" a%ainst bythe minority in Sri Lana, the ma'ority Sinhalese "is&riminate" a%ainstthe minority #amils* 6o$ever, it is meanin%+ul to +in" an alternate to&on+li&t throu%h re&on&iliation, $hether it is si%ni+i&ant in Sri Lana toen" the three"e&a"esol" military stru%%le an" the latter three"e&a"esol" politi&al stru%%le by the #amils*

S.C6 ;S#7G

#he problems o+ violations an" abuses o+ human ri%hts an" $ar a%ainsthumanity have been the &entral issue over the past t$o "e&a"es*#o"ay, # B &ommissions have be&ome a "e&isive element o+ theresponse o+ states, espe&ially those %oin% throu%h politi&al transition, toserious a&ts o+ human ri%hts violations $ith impunity o&&asione" by ahistory o+ prolon%e" &on+li&ts an" hostility* Dhat is nee"e" +ormeanin%+ul re&on&iliation in Sri LanaE is a uestion embe""e" in thepost$ar &on+li&t in Sri Lana be&ause the lea"ership o+ Sri Lananresi"ent ahin"a a'apasa &rushe" the L## in ay 2004, but he$ill remain in po$er until 2015* Dith this in min", transitional 'usti&e

$ont $or be&ause the re%ime that shoul" be hel" a&&ountable +or $ar &rimes $ill not investi%ate itsel+* .lthou%h the %overnment &aninvesti%ate the ri%hts abuse issues throu%h impartial investi%ators, it isrelu&tant to "o so* Dithin this &onte-t, the uestion o+ $hat is nee"e"+or meanin%+ul re&on&iliation is vital be&ause the international&ommunity has been ur%in% the Sri Lanan %overnment to allo$ thir"party investi%ators* #he ;G appointe" an investi%atin% team that"is&overe" &re"ible evi"en&e that the $arrin% parties in Sri Lana"urin% the $ar &ommitte" human ri%hts abuses* ven thou%h the $ar$as $on three years a%o, there has been no pro%ress in a""ressin%

the %rievan&es o+ the a++e&te" people, espe&ially ri%hts abuses*Seein% an alternate an" meanin%+ul 'usti&e throu%h &ommissions liethat o+ # B in South .+ri&a &oul" be a possibility* t &an be sin%le" outas one o+ the best or, as previous &ommissions, the # B pro&ess inSri Lana $oul" be the best&ase s&enario but not the best healin%pro&ess* So this uestion is &ru&ial to stu"y $hat possible elements$oul" &reate meanin%+ul re&on&iliation*

687#6SS


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#he South .+ri&an #ruth an" e&on&iliation Commission $as asu&&ess+ul one* ea&ebuil"in% e-perts ar%ue that, i+ &ontemporary&on+li&ts have so&ial ties an" relations, then re&on&iliation is the mostsuitable response to serious human ri%hts violations* For e-ample,:ishop #utu ar%ues that re&on&iliation an" +or%iveness is the $ay toa&hieve pea&e* 6e ar%ues that it is &ru&ial to +in" alternative +orms o+

&on+li&t resolution, su&h as transitional 'usti&e, restorative 'usti&e orretroa&tive 'usti&e, that move a$ay +rom &riminal prose&utions to$ar"struth seein% an" re&on&iliation* #utu &laims that restorative 'usti&ere+le&ts the .+ri&an $ay o+ healin% an" nurturin% &on+i"en&e an"rebuil"in% so&ial relationships at the e-pense o+ e-a&tin% ven%ean&e*6is notion is the entire &ommunity a++e&te" by the &rimes must have asay in the "elivery o+ 'usti&e*

estorative 'usti&e is a very %oo" theory to support in the &ase o+ SriLana be&ause it is an attempt to restore pea&e by brin%in% erst$hileanta%onists to%ether so so&iety &an move +or$ar"* :artley (2002)pointe" out that, "espite various "e+initions o+ restorative 'usti&e, all o+them &ontain three prin&iples> Crime is seen as somethin% that &ausesin'uries to vi&tims, o++en"ers an" &ommunities* t is in the spirit o+ubuntu that the &riminal 'usti&e pro&ess shoul" see the healin% o+bree&hes, the re"ressin% o+ imbalan&es an" the restoration o+ broenrelationships not only %overnment, but vi&tims, o++en"ers an" their&ommunities shoul" be a&tively involve" in the &riminal 'usti&e pro&essat the earliest point an" to the ma-imum e-tent possible an", inpromotin% 'usti&e, the %overnment is responsible +or preservin% or"eran" the &ommunity is responsible +or establishin% pea&e*

http://www.slguardian.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/jaffna_after_war_2.jpg


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#he restorative theoreti&al +rame$or $as su&&ess+ul in South .+ri&a, but the uestiono+ $hat is nee"e" +or meanin%+ul re&on&iliation in Sri Lana is primary* Sin&e notransitional 'usti&e has o&&urre" in Sri Lana, it is unliely the present re%ime $oul"tae any meanin%+ul a&tions* 7n the other han", the previous %overnin% party, the;nite" Gational arty (;G), also in+li&te" heavy &asualties amon% the #amils "urin%their re%ime* #hus, the present re%ime $oul" see 'usti&e on the same lines* For

e-ample, the t$o main politi&al parties, the ;G an" the SLF (the &urrent party),have on various o&&asions &ome into po$er an" both have the same poli&y $ithre%ar" to the #amil national uestion* #he primor"ialist theory is vital to analysebe&ause it o++ers one simple e-planation o+ ethnopoliti&al &on+li&t* For primor"ialists,ethni& i"entity is natural an" thus un&hallen%eable, as both &ulturally a&uire" aspe&tssu&h as lan%ua%e an" reli%ion, an" %eneti&ally "etermine" &hara&teristi&s su&h aspi%mentation an" physio%nomy are the ey in shapin% ethni& i"entity*

.***mtiya/ ar%ues in his paper that primori"alist theory o++ers one simple yetpo$er+ul e-planation o+ ethnopoliti&al &on+li&t* 6e ar%ues that primor"ialisms so&iobiolo%i&al stran" &laims that ethni&ity, tie" to inship, promotes a &onver%en&e o+interests bet$een in"ivi"uals an" their in %roups &olle&tive %oals* 7n the other han",opponents o+ promor"ialism su&h as isha !lenny ar%ue that ethni& &on+li&t is apro"u&t o+ mo"ern politi&s in $hi&h politi&al lea"ers e-ploit the masses +or their o$npoliti&al en"s* #he ethni& &on+li&t in Sri Lana &an be ar%ue" both $ays* ven be+ore#amil nationalism emer%e" in Sri Lana +ollo$in% la$s ena&te" a%ainst the #amils bythe Sri Lanan %overnment, the inship ties amon% the #amils o+ n"ia $ere stron%*

(#o be &ontinue")

(#he author &an be rea&he" at email> satheesanumarasamy?yahoo*&om)

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Part II Would Reconciliation Process Work in Post-war Sri Lanka