Question of Forgiveness: Theological Perspective on the Process of Reconciliation in Post – War Sri Lanka

Abstract

Reconciliation is a societal process that involves mutual acknowledgment of past suffering and the changing of destructive attitudes and behavior into constructive relationships toward sustainable peace. Forgiveness is often spoken of as a condition for reconciliation. In same time against this opinion some of parties point out that the reconciliation and forgiveness as two separate processes. In recent years there has been increasing discourse concerning forgiveness as a post conflict measure for the prevention of further conflict. After ending of a civil war official apologies and forgiveness have become an almost routine element of post-war reconciliation rhetoric and practice in number of countries such as South Africa, Peru, Sierra Leone, Ghana, East Timor, Liberia and Rwanda. In the field of reconciliation in Sri Lanka also have diverse views as to whether forgiveness is part of reconciliation or not. Therefore objective of this research is finding out the possibility of the application of the forgiveness as a condition of post-war reconciliation in Sri Lanka.