Sri Lanka Marks One Year Since the End of Its War
Sri Lanka this week marks the one-year anniversary of the end of its decades-long civil war. While it has held both president and parliamentary elections since the war’s end, the transition to peace and democracy remains precarious. “Even as the government prepares to celebrate the end of the war, there are public discussions emerging about Sri Lanka’s post-war future. Democratization, the state of the economy and a political settlement to address minority grievances are central issues. With respect to democratization, the years of war brought about a major role for the military and increasing powers under the president relating to the judiciary and other independent institutions such as the bureaucracy,” says Asia Society Associate Fellow Ahilan Kadirgamar. “In recent statements and communications between Sri Lankan and Indian government officials, a political settlement to the ethnic conflict and issues of constitutional reform have entered the public domain. With President Rajapaksa’s visit to India scheduled for June 8, the issue of devolution of power to the regions and power-sharing with minorities are likely to be discussed.”
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