Abstract:
Reconciliation after a conflict carries positive connotations that suggest an end to
antagonism, a graceful acceptance of disappointment or defeat, and a healing and
repair of ties of friendships. This is the current necessity for Sri Lanka since the major
causes and effects of the prolonged conflict and civil war have provoked negative
attitudes among the different ethnic groups. Especially during the last months of the
civil war in Sri Lanka, very serious allegations of war crimes and crimes against
humanity were made against both parties involved in the final battle by both the
United Nations panel of experts and the Lessons Leant and Reconciliation
Commission. At the conclusion of the civil war, demands for accountability of the
wrongdoers and justice for the victims were high. Though the LTTE was also found
to be an offender of alleged war crimes and grave violations of Human Rights, the
international community put increased pressure only on the government to ensure
accountability. Such moves on the part of the international community have created
rifts between ethnic communities and aroused public resentment. This erodes the
consensus that needs to be built in the process of reconciliation. The allegations
against the government’s armed forces, who are honoured by the Sinhalese for their
sacrifices to defeat the LTTE, are deepening the level of anger and humiliation borne
by many Sinhalese. This situation will not pave the way to ethnic reconciliation in
post-civil war Sri Lanka. In this context, the paper attempts to highlight what
transpired during the battle’s final phases and identify the role of the diaspora and the
international community. More specifically, it examines how their efforts can trigger
negative reactions among the majority Sinhalese and hinder the ongoing ethnic
reconciliation process in Sri Lanka. The paper is based on primary and secondary
sources of data, and the analysis is based on the three Fs: Facts, Feelings, and
Forecasts.
