Abstract:
This paper contributes to both practice and theoretical development of how
reconciliation can impact on "positive peace" as a significant peacebuilding effort of a
post-conflict society. The study examines Sri Lanka as a unique case. In Sri Lanka, on
the one hand, reconciliation is a national goal. On the other hand, it is an everyday need
for mutual trust and healing of those affected by thirty years of war. It is debated how
reconciliation, evident for six or seven years at grassroot and national levels, can
contribute to post-conflict peace in the country. The research paper has prioritized how
truth seeking, healing and justice are core contributory factors of reconciliation that
impact the structural changes of the conflict that affected Sri Lanka. These structural
changes are caused when using different peacebuilding approaches such as the "bottomup
approach" and the "top-down approach". However, reconciliation has experienced
a number of vital challenges to bringing about effective outcomes. These challenges are
the complex nature of the process, diverse interests of people, politicized decisionmaking,
policy gaps and many more. While investigating important empirical findings
about the reconciliation process in Sri Lanka, the research critically examines the use
of different reconciliation approaches and its contribution to facilitate effective
outcomes.
