In May 2009, the government of Sri Lanka won a decades’ long civil war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), after killing the organization’s leader and regaining control over the entire island. The exact number of those who died is not known, but conservative estimates state that over 75,000 people lost their lives in fighting since the armed conflict began in the 1970s when the Tamil Tigers, concentrated in the North and East, began pressing for self-governance. When the government resisted, the LTTE organized and began a campaign of suicide bombings and attacks throughout the country. Several rounds of talks between the government and LTTE failed to establish a lasting peace.
In February 2002, the government and LTTE signed a Norwegian-brokered ceasefire agreement intended to lay the groundwork for new talks. Sporadic violence continued, despite the ceasefire, and escalated dramatically in 2006 as talks stalled. By the time the government withdrew from the agreement in January 2008, more than 5,000 people had been killed since the ceasefire was signed.
Political Situation
Beginning in early 2009, military advances progressively diminished the amount of LTTE-controlled territory until the government announced in May that it had successfully defeated the Tamil Tigers after several decades of war. The conflict resulted in a large number of civilian causalities and according to some estimates has left more than a hundred thousand internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the North, the majority of whom remain detained in welfare centers. The Sri Lankan government announced plans to resettle the IDPs in conjunction with demining and reconstruction efforts in the North.
The government has come under international criticism for numerous political and civilian disappearances and assassinations, and threats against journalists. In particular, the killing of a prominent newspaper editor in early 2009 brought about heightened concerns over freedom of speech. The Sri Lankan Government also recently announced the re-activation of the Press Council, a government body with the power to fine and jail journalists and editors.
Successive provincial council elections, which have been held periodically since February 2009, have seen the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) retain or strengthen its control. Some observers, however, have alleged improper use of state resources and unfair disqualification of opposition candidates. Provincial council elections are expected to continue in the remaining provinces throughout 2009, including in the Northern Province. They are widely expected to be followed by national parliamentary elections later in the year. Presidential elections may also be held within the next 12 months.
In July 2006, President Mahinda Rajapaksa established the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) with the mandate to produce proposals for constitutional reforms in Sri Lanka. The aim was to engage a broad spectrum of political party representatives and arrive at a consensus through deliberation. The APRC was comprised originally of representatives from the following parties: Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP); United National Party (UNP); Janatha Vimukti Peramuna (JVP); Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU); Sri Lanka Muslim Congress; National Unity Alliance; Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC); Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP); Lanka Sama Samaja Party; Communist Party of Sri Lanka; All Ceylon Muslim League; Eelam Peoples Democratic Party; National Muslim Congress; Up Country People's Front; and Western Peoples Front. However, the APRC has since lost some of its political party members and has yet to publish a final report. There are currently 13 political parties represented in the APRC and the main opposition parties – UNP, JVP, and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) – are not among them.
Constitutional questions have also resurfaced since the end of the conflict. President Rajapaksa has pledged to implement the 13th Amendment, which was ratified in 1987. The amendment calls for the devolution of more power from the center to the provinces. However, there is considerable opposition within the government coalition for such a move. President Rajapaksa has also stated on more than one occasion that Sri Lanka has the strength to arrive at a political solution through discussion. The President further stated that Tamils and Muslims are all Sri Lankans and the government has a responsibility to ensure that they can live in freedom, in a democratic Sri Lanka.
Current Programs
NDI has conducted programs in Sri Lanka since 1995, including election monitoring assistance during presidential, parliamentary and provincial elections. NDI also sponsored roundtable discussions across the country in which citizens, civic leaders, political party representatives, and election officials developed recommendations for electoral reform and strategies for their implementation. In January 2006, NDI provided assistance to strengthen responsive dialogue and cooperation among political parties in the southern and eastern districts. Representatives developed consensus-based plans for addressing local issues, including those surrounding the ongoing ethnic conflict. The program also delivered constituency relations and leadership development training to district party organizations to assist them in becoming more responsive to local concerns.
Building on the previous program’s success, NDI began a program in February 2009 that supports political parties, local governments’, and other stakeholder groups’ understanding of and participation in current constitutional reform discussions. This is carried out through district and provincial-level dialogues, to influence the national reform process towards an equitable negotiated settlement of the ethnic conflict. Forums are also being held with university students and media representatives. The Institute is currently working in the Southern and Eastern Provinces and expects to expand to the Central and Northern Provinces as the program progresses.
Funding
NDI programming in Sri Lanka has been funded by the British High Commission, the Foreign Ministry of Norway, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Featured Publications
One-Stop Election Manual (March 2008)
From Dialogue to Action: Recommendations and Strategies for Electoral Reform in Sri-
Lanka (December 2004)
Report of the Post-Election Assessment of Sri Lanka Mission, November (December 2000)
Contact Information
For more information about these programs, use our contact form or contact:
Sri Lanka
Niamh O’Connor, Senior Resident Director
+94 11 2505 414/5
noconnor@ndi.org
Washington, D.C.
Anne Tsai Bennett, Program Manager
(202) 728-5500
atbennett@ndi.org
Subscribe to updates about Sri Lanka
