Rethinking Psychosocial Programming in Post-war Sri Lanka: The Role of the Psychosocial Sector in Reconciliation Initiatives

Abstract

This case study on Sri Lanka is part of an international research project that focused on psychosocial perspectives on peacebuilding. The main objectives of the project were to determine whether different conceptualisations of trauma lead to different types of interventions; whether these interventions made a difference in terms of peacebuilding and development, or more broadly social transformation. The Sri Lanka case study questioned how affected populations continued to receive meaningful and culturally appropriate psychosocial care in an environment that continued to minimise the suffering of the people who survived the war. In doing so, the study presented the innovative strategies used by the programmes and discussed their broader impacts on peacebuilding and reconciliation within a highly constricted environment. Indeed, non-governmental organizations had to register in the Presidential Task Force and inform what activities they were involved in. Many psychosocial organizations were not given authorization to continue their work with victims as victims were perceived as "a permanent testimony" to the actual post-war environment. The sample consisted of four programmes that continued to function in spite of this situation. Focus group discussions with managers of programmes and semi-structured interviews with managers and direct service providers were conducted. The research results showed that, even though the interventions were mostly individualistic in nature, they responded to broader issues such as human rights, reconciliation, peacebuilding on a one on one basis, taking each case separately. Most of the programmes did not in their mission envisage a need for a larger impact or had not thought about their potential of having an impact on social transformation.