Conflicts in Sri Lanka: Internal and External Consequences

Sri Lanka militarily defeated LTTE after two and a half decades long drawn out war which killed over 70,000 persons and left many more homeless. Though the war is over, the conflict will be far from being resolved unless its underlying political and constitutional complexities are addressed. Enormous mistrust has deepened between political, religious and ethnic groups. The implications of the perception of injustice to the Tamil minority have complicated the political situation in neighboring India and have led to anguish in many countries where Tamil Diaspora is concentrated. The indications are that the Sri Lankan Government is addressing these issues to resolve the conflict and ensure equity and justice to all its citizens. The conflict contains elements of economic, ethnic, political and use of state power. India's involvement in this conflict included military, economic and political initiatives. These factors offer a valuable case study with relevance to South Asian region.