Relationship among ethnic groups in the post-war context in the South Eastern coastal region of Ampara district, Sri Lanka

Abstract

The internal civil war had taken place in Sri Lanka for last three decades which was resulted in numerous human civilian casualties in the country. It was ended with the military defeat of LTTE in 2009. The fundamental reason for this ethnic conflict was an ideology of ethnicity or misunderstanding of ethnic phenomena, and, which was the huge challenge for the sovereignty of the country. In Sri Lanka, there are many ethnic groups namely Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslims and Burgers and so on who determine their identity and solidarity in various levels. In the early period, these ethnic groups maintained their separate ethnic identities as well as they were living together in their common social life. In past history, Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims were maintained their rigid relationship and they were fighting as unity for the independent of Sri Lanka against British colonial masters. Then, ethnic relationship was broken by some collection of incidents in the past. In this context, this study attempts to emphasis the concept of ethnicity, ethnic relation, and the nature of ethnic relationship among ethnic groups those are living in the south eastern region of Ampara district in the post-war context consequently. The key objective of this study is to conceptualize the idea of ethnicity and ethnic relation and to understand the ethnic relationship in the south eastern region of Ampara district through the history. Further, this study examines the current progress of ethnic cohesion among Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims in the area of research. This is primarily a qualitative study. The study shows that the ethnic relation in the study area was strengthened in early period, and it collapsed during the war time and, after 2009 again they are maintaining the rigid relationship within the ethnic groups. But, pathetically, the new era of resettlement activities of the government and the emergence of Buddhist movements highlights as crucial issue to re-raise the same ethnic misunderstanding (prejudice) and discriminations as they had earlier during the war period. So, this situation has to be mitigated by the government and civil society organizations in order to ensure the democracy and the peaceful environment by considering all ethnic groups in the study area as well as in Sri Lanka.