Sri Lanka's failed peace process and the continuing challenge of ethno-territorial cleavages

Asanga Welikala

doi:10.1093/oso/9780198836544.003.0014

Sri Lanka's failed peace process and the continuing challenge of ethno-territorial cleavages

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

Abstract

This chapter examines why the peace process in Sri Lanka failed to find a constitutional settlement for the country’s ethno-territorial cleavage, and even enthroned a government hostile to Tamil aspirations for regional autonomy. It first provides a historical background on the ethnic division between Sinhalese and Tamils before turning to the period of constitutional engagement in Sri Lanka, focusing in particular on the Norwegian-facilitated peace process between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and highlighting its various weaknesses as a model of conflict transformation and constitutional transition. The chapter also analyzes the outcomes of the peace process and the lessons that can be drawn from it. Two features of Sri Lanka’s political culture that became evident in the failure of the peace negotiations are identified: the hyper-competitive nature of party politics and the elitism of constitutional politics.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Territory and Power in Constitutional Transitions
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Chapter	14
Pages	255-274
ISBN (Print)	9780198836544
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198836544.003.0014
Publication status	Published - 12 Mar 2019

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

peace process
Sri Lanka
ethno-territorial cleavage
autonomy
Sinhalese
Tamils
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
constitutional transtition
party politics
constitutional politics

Access to Document

10.1093/oso/9780198836544.003.0014

Welikala2019ChapterSriLankasFailedPeaceProcess
This is a draft of a chapter that has been published by Oxford University Press in Territory and Power in Constitutional Transitions edited by George Anderson and Sujit Choudhry, 2019. The final version of record can be found here: https://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/oso/9780198836544.001.0001/oso-9780198836544-chapter-14
Accepted author manuscript, 677 KB

5 Book
3 Working paper
1 Other report
1 Chapter

The idea of constitutional incrementalism
Welikala, A., Jan 2017, Centre for Policy Alternatives, (CPA Working Papers on Constitutional Reform; no. 14).
Research output: Working paper
The Sri Lankan conception of the Unitary State: Theory, practice and history
Welikala, A., Dec 2016, Sri Lanka: The Struggle for Peace in the Aftermath of War. Amarasingham, A. & Bass, D. (eds.). Hurst, p. 35-52 Chapter 3
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
A New Devolution Settlement for Sri Lanka: Proceedings and Outcomes, Conference of Provincial Councils, August 2016
Welikala, A. (Editor), Sept 2016, Colombo: Centre for Policy Alternatives. 64 p.
Research output: Book/Report › Book

Cite this

@inbook{d732dba951af4a18b51ad9900c3775d0,

title = "Sri Lanka's failed peace process and the continuing challenge of ethno-territorial cleavages",

abstract = "This chapter examines why the peace process in Sri Lanka failed to find a constitutional settlement for the country{\textquoteright}s ethno-territorial cleavage, and even enthroned a government hostile to Tamil aspirations for regional autonomy. It first provides a historical background on the ethnic division between Sinhalese and Tamils before turning to the period of constitutional engagement in Sri Lanka, focusing in particular on the Norwegian-facilitated peace process between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and highlighting its various weaknesses as a model of conflict transformation and constitutional transition. The chapter also analyzes the outcomes of the peace process and the lessons that can be drawn from it. Two features of Sri Lanka{\textquoteright}s political culture that became evident in the failure of the peace negotiations are identified: the hyper-competitive nature of party politics and the elitism of constitutional politics.",

keywords = "peace process, Sri Lanka, ethno-territorial cleavage, autonomy, Sinhalese, Tamils, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, constitutional transtition, party politics, constitutional politics",

author = "Asanga Welikala",

year = "2019",

month = mar,

day = "12",

doi = "10.1093/oso/9780198836544.003.0014",

language = "English",

isbn = "9780198836544",

pages = "255--274",

booktitle = "Territory and Power in Constitutional Transitions",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

address = "United States",

}

TY - CHAP

T1 - Sri Lanka's failed peace process and the continuing challenge of ethno-territorial cleavages

AU - Welikala, Asanga

PY - 2019/3/12

Y1 - 2019/3/12

N2 - This chapter examines why the peace process in Sri Lanka failed to find a constitutional settlement for the country’s ethno-territorial cleavage, and even enthroned a government hostile to Tamil aspirations for regional autonomy. It first provides a historical background on the ethnic division between Sinhalese and Tamils before turning to the period of constitutional engagement in Sri Lanka, focusing in particular on the Norwegian-facilitated peace process between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and highlighting its various weaknesses as a model of conflict transformation and constitutional transition. The chapter also analyzes the outcomes of the peace process and the lessons that can be drawn from it. Two features of Sri Lanka’s political culture that became evident in the failure of the peace negotiations are identified: the hyper-competitive nature of party politics and the elitism of constitutional politics.

AB - This chapter examines why the peace process in Sri Lanka failed to find a constitutional settlement for the country’s ethno-territorial cleavage, and even enthroned a government hostile to Tamil aspirations for regional autonomy. It first provides a historical background on the ethnic division between Sinhalese and Tamils before turning to the period of constitutional engagement in Sri Lanka, focusing in particular on the Norwegian-facilitated peace process between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and highlighting its various weaknesses as a model of conflict transformation and constitutional transition. The chapter also analyzes the outcomes of the peace process and the lessons that can be drawn from it. Two features of Sri Lanka’s political culture that became evident in the failure of the peace negotiations are identified: the hyper-competitive nature of party politics and the elitism of constitutional politics.

KW - peace process

KW - Sri Lanka

KW - ethno-territorial cleavage

KW - autonomy

KW - Sinhalese

KW - Tamils

KW - Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

KW - constitutional transtition

KW - party politics

KW - constitutional politics

U2 - 10.1093/oso/9780198836544.003.0014

DO - 10.1093/oso/9780198836544.003.0014

M3 - Chapter

SN - 9780198836544

SP - 255

EP - 274

BT - Territory and Power in Constitutional Transitions

PB - Oxford University Press

ER -

Sri Lanka's failed peace process and the continuing challenge of ethno-territorial cleavages

Abstract

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

The idea of constitutional incrementalism

The Sri Lankan conception of the Unitary State: Theory, practice and history

A New Devolution Settlement for Sri Lanka: Proceedings and Outcomes, Conference of Provincial Councils, August 2016

Cite this