Ethnic Conflict In Sri Lanka Can The Use Of Political Violence Ever Be Justified

Essay from the year 2020 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Region: South Asia, grade: 80%, University of St. Gallen, course: Politics of Religion in South Asia, language: English, abstract: “Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.” Words were written by Ernest Hemingway depicting the vile nature of war, while strengthening the narrative that war is groundless. Much like Hemingway, many others also share the same view on the atrocious aspects of war itself. Warfare has been witnessed in all parts of the world for centuries. Through the study of history, we are aware of the evolution of methods of warfare. International humanitarian law has helped guide nations to “legitimately” conduct acts of war against others. The toughest pill to swallow though, however obvious, is that one aspect of war will always be inevitable – the casualties. This consequently results in the majority view that war is good for nothing. Then the vital question that must be addressed is that if the effects of violence constitute more harm than good, why is it an available option for nations to resort to? Furthermore, why does the law of war differ for state and non-state actors? In this essay, I would like to examine the conditional nature of war within the international sphere by paying close attention to the Sri Lankan Civil War (1983-2009) as an example to portray the disparities of armed conflict between state and non-state actors, and how the view of such acts are deemed differently through the use of the “Just War” theory.

Academic Paper from the year 2021 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Region: South Asia, University of Peradeniya, course: Multiculturalism, language: English, abstract: This article intends to examine the root causes of ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, and methods that can be used to resolve it. For 40 years, in Sri Lanka, the ethnic conflict became an aggravating issue because of their diversity. It means Sri Lankan society has consisted of various kinds of cultures, religions, ethnicities, races, and languages. This article will determine the nature of the ethnic conflict and what we can do to prevent this type of conflict. Although in 2009, the civil war had been ended by Sri Lankan Government, there is no efficient reconciliation process among the Sri Lankans. As a result of that situation, from time to time, ethnic conflicts have arisen. On the other hand, it became commodious destruction to the development process of Sri Lanka. Therefore, this study helps to conceive the gravity of this ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.

This book is the revised version of his doctoral thesis on Political Violence in the Third World: A Case Study of Sri Lanka: 1971-1987 . It is a systematic, empirical study of the left-wing insurrection by the Janatha Vimkuthi Peramuna (JVP) in April 1971 and the ethnic insurrection by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) up to the Indo Sri Lanka Accord of 1987. This is an in-depth study regarding a crucial phase of the on-going political violence in Sri Lanka. The book emphasizes that the root cause for the Political Violence in Sri Lanka is not only confined to ethnic groups but also on socio-economic basis too. The study explores the socio-economic and political background that paved the way to the origin and development of underground movements, the genesis of ideologies, the strategies and tactics adopted leading to the escalation of political violence. This book will therefore, serve as a core reading material to understand the political violence in Sri Lanka. Consequently, it will serve as a very useful authentic reference material for the students of political science and policy makers concerned in search of a sustainable consensus and compromise for setting the political violence in Sri Lanka. Contents: - List of Tables Abbreviations Foreword Preface Introduction Theories on Political Violence: An Analytical Framework Preconditions of Political Violence in Sri Lanka: The 1971 Insurrection Precondition of Tamil Guerrilla Warfare Origin, Development and Form of Guerrilla Organisations Ideologies, Strategies, and Programmes Pattern of Political Violence: 1971-1987 Conclusion Appendices Bibliography Index. The Title 'Political Violence In Sri Lanka written/authored/edited by Gamini Samaranayake', published in the year 2008. The ISBN 9788121210034 is assigned to the Hardcover version of this title. This book has total of pp. 432 (Pages). The publisher of this title is Gyan Publishing House. This Book is in English. The subjec

Contributed essays.

Political violence has remained an integral part of South Asian society for decades. The region has witnessed and continued to encounter violence for achieving political objectives from above and from below. Violence is perpetrated by the state, by non-state actors, and used by the citizens as a form of resistance. Ethnic insurgency, religion-inspired extremism, and ideology-driven hostility are examples of violent acts that have emerged as challenges to the states which have responded with violence in the form of civil war and through violations of human rights disregarding international norms. This book explores various dimensions of political violence in South Asia, namely in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Each chapter either speaks to an important aspect of the political violence or provides an overall picture of the nature and scope of political violence in the respective country. Political violence is understood in the larger sense of political, that is, above and beyond institutions, and also as an integral part of social relationships where social norms and the role of individual agency play seminal roles. The contributions in this book incorporate both institutional and non-institutional dimensions of political violence. Exploring how everyday life in South Asian states and societies is transformed by the engagement with violence through direct and indirect methods, this book adopts an interdisciplinary framework; diverse methods are employed – from ethnographic readings to more macro level analyses. The phenomenon is explored from historical, sociological, and political perspectives. This book will be useful as a supplementary text in courses on South Asian Studies in general and South Asian Politics in particular.

This volume explores the sources and manifestations of political violence in South and Southeast Asia and the myriad roles that it plays in everyday life and as part of historical narrative. It considers and critiques the manner in which political violence is understood and constructed, and the common assumptions that prevail regarding the causes, victims, and perpetrators of this violence. By focusing on the social and political context of these regions, the book presents a critical understanding of the nature of political violence and provides an alternative narrative to that found in mainstream analysis of terrorism. "Political Violence in South and Southeast Asia" brings together political scientists and anthropologists with intimate knowledge of the politics and society of these regions, who present unique perspectives on topics including assassinations, riots, state violence, the significance of geographic borders, external influences and intervention, and patterns of recruitment and rebellion. Contributors include Paula Banerjee (Calcutta University and Calcutta Research Group), Vincent Boudreau (City College of New York), Paul R. Brass (University of Washington), Naureen Chowdhury Fink (International Peace Institute, New York), Natasha Hamilton-Hart (National University of Singapore), Sankaran Krishna (University of Hawaii--Manoa), Darini Rajasingham (Social Scientists Association and International Centre for Ethnic Studies, Sri Lanka), Geoffrey Robinson (UCLA), Varun Sahni (Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi), Shamuel Tharu (Jawaharlal Nehru University).

The end of the Cold War has changed the shape of organized violence in the world and the ways in which governments and others try to set its limits. Even the concept of international conflict is broadening to include ethnic conflicts and other kinds of violence within national borders that may affect international peace and security. What is not yet clear is whether or how these changes alter the way actors on the world scene should deal with conflict: Do the old methods still work? Are there new tools that could work better? How do old and new methods relate to each other? International Conflict Resolution After the Cold War critically examines evidence on the effectiveness of a dozen approaches to managing or resolving conflict in the world to develop insights for conflict resolution practitioners. It considers recent applications of familiar conflict management strategies, such as the use of threats of force, economic sanctions, and negotiation. It presents the first systematic assessments of the usefulness of some less familiar approaches to conflict resolution, including truth commissions, "engineered" electoral systems, autonomy arrangements, and regional organizations. It also opens up analysis of emerging issues, such as the dilemmas facing humanitarian organizations in complex emergencies. This book offers numerous practical insights and raises key questions for research on conflict resolution in a transforming world system.

Examines the difficulties in applying international law to recent armed conflicts known as 'new wars'.

Interdisciplinary in its approach, this book explores the dilemmas that Buddhism faces in relation to the continuing ethnic conflict and violence in modern Sri Lanka. Prominent scholars in the fields of anthropology, history, Buddhist studies and Pali examine multiple dimensions of the problem. Buddhist responses to the crisis are discussed in detail, along with how Buddhism can help to create peace in Sri Lanka. Evaluating the role of Buddhists and their institutions in bringing about an end to war and violence as well as possibly heightening the problem, this collection puts forward a critical analysis of the religious conditions contributing to continuing hostilities.