Sri Lankan Regime Politics & International Cooperation Towards The Post-War Peace Building

By Rashika Saman Kumari Abesinghe –

Rashika Abesinghe

2010-2015; SLFP (Sri Lanka Freedom Party) Era under the President Mahinda Rajapaksa

After finalizing the 30-year civil war in the state there was a huge responsibility towards SLFP government to successfully conduct the post war peacebuilding effort in the state. The country was lying down with thousands of deaths countless disappearances and property damages. The whole Sri Lankan society had been damaged.

SLFP was having a friendly manner with the China from the era of 1960s when the SWRD Bandaranaike was the Prime Minister. In that time, US and Britain stopped their financial aids and assistants as they began to cooperate with foreign businesses. The result was the SLFP government got closed with both china and Russia. “In 1963, China and Sri Lanka signed a commercial maritime agreement to foster trade, though it was seen in India and by some in the West as an attempt by China to extend its naval presence” (Wheeler Thomas 2012). Most significantly, again in 1970 SLFP was able to establish a new government and cooperated with the draft resolution which highly contributed to secure a permanent seat in UN to China. Thus,1972 during the Sirimavo Bandaranaike administration Sri Lanka received number of aids trade and arms which converted china to the largest export associate.

When the civil war finalized in 2009 the SLFP government was strengthened mainly by Chinese aids and assistants. In the first phase of the conflict the GOSL government had to secure immediate humanitarian assistant. Thus, the GOSL government established interm camps which sheltered number of IDPs, LTTE cadres and child soldiers. Most significantly, during the first phase the SLFP government did not allow the international humanitarian organizations to get involve with the governmental effort. Because the SLFP government had mainly created with the ideologies of nationalist and nationalism. The party objectives and also its identities interlinked with the majority Sinhala Buddhist community. They believed that the international interference can harm the state sovereignty. Thus, the 2010-2015 SLFP government did not favor to take support from international organizations. But apart from the international organizations the power states such as China, India, Iran, Japan, USA supported the GOSL effort while providing medical assistants, temporary shelters and sanitary equipment’s (Balasooriya Ajith 2012: 20).

Also, the GOSL government was criticized by Europe diaspora under the name of the human rights violation and war crimes. Thus, the United Nations Human Rights Council called a resolution against the Sri Lankan government. But in this situation, Sri Lanka’s traditional main donors such as Japan used their vote against the SLFP government while the China defending the Sri Lanka. This mainly contribute to the emerge of the strong relationship among China and SLFP government in the process of post war peace building. Thus, the Chinese government in 2009 supported the GOSL government via supplying a huge number of humanitarian assistants such as temporary shelters and hygiene utilities. “The immediate humanitarian Assistant is extended towards long term development and resettlement of the conflict affected victims by providing infrastructure development of the conflict shattered areas as well as other parts of the country” (Balasooriya Ajith B.A.C 2012: 24). Thus, during the SLFP government China became the primary lender in the era of 2009 – 2010 giving US$1.2 Billion and US$ 821 million loan facilities. “In 2009, it accounted for 54 percent of total foreign finance and 25 percent in 2010 (Ibid).

Again, in the year of 2011 china granted US$ 760 million loan scheme to Sri Lanka. In 2011 June, the China Development bank presented their decision to conduct infrastructure projects worth US$ 1.5 billion within three years. Through the founds the SLFP government was able to conduct the post war peace building and reconstructions in the conflict affected areas. The most interesting fact is the highest number of assistants were concessional loans while grant level is very low. Though the founding principle of SLFP was nationalism in the era of Rajapaksa government the party politics differentiated and the SLFP government conducted anti-Europe and pro Chinese policy. On the other hand, this concessional and non-concessional loan scheme opened a vast opportunity for the Chinese business community to invest in Sri Lanka.

Thus, overall it is evident that during then era of 2010-2015 the SLFP government was supported by mainly China strengthening their effort to the post war peace building.

2010 – 2020 Era of UNP government with President Maithripala Sirisena

In the 2015, presidential election the SLFP representative former president Mahinda Rajapaksa was defeated by the UNP party led coalition representative Maithripala Sirisena. Thus, the post war peace building effort also got shaped with the UNP political ideologies.

Most significantly, the UNP was having a liberalized ideology with pro-western interests. From the beginning the UNP government was having faith on the political solution towards the ethnic struggle of the state. As a result of that in 1987 India facilitated to sign the Indo Sri Lanka peace accord. Under this peace agreement the provincial council system introduced and effected to finalize the ethnic confusion through peaceful measures. Lately, the Indian peacekeeping forces arrived to Sri Lanka. But the effort was not successful. Lately again in 2002 UNP government was able to become the governmental party under it’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, UNP signed a peace agreement with LTTE under the facilitation of the Norwegian government. This peace accord activated around 6 years and could not successfully achieve as LTTE broke the terms of the agreement.

When the UNP was able to establish the government in 2015 they changed the existed post war peace building policies in accordance with their political agendas. Especially, UNP government was trying to release the ties with China and opened the hands towards India and Europe. While Rajapaksa regime (in 2010 – 2015) was prioritizing economic and infrastructure development as the key drive of the peace war peace building, the UNP government tried to secure peace through policy changes. The UNP government was mainly inspired by the UN led international community there. Some of the significant policy changes can be identified as;

* Introduction of the Rights to information Act

* Establishment of Independence Commissions in Sri Lanka

In order to secure the peace among different ethnic groups, the UNP government was eager to set up the basic principles of the democracy. The introduction of the rights to information Act (Official Act No 12 of 2016) can be recognized as the turning point of the peace effort in Sri Lanka. Most importantly, the UNP government expected to obtain Public Participation in policy making process and promote transparency and accountability especially in the post war peace building process. Most significantly during 2015-2020 era number of inquiries and complains filed against the displaced people in the north eastern as a result of the war. Also, the UNP government was punished several army officials under the name of the war crimes. The UNP government opened the door for the international community to get involve with the peace process of the country. On the other hand, the UNP government strengthened the independence commissions mainly;

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