Persisting Ethnic Tensions in Sri Lanka: Towards a Structural Analysis

Despite of the end of ethnic war in 2009, ethnic tensions in Sri Lanka persist. This is partly evident from the continuing resistance on the part of the nationalist groups connected to the majority Sinhalese community to efforts aimed at finding a constitutional solution to the problem of national disunity. This paper argues that the reproduction of exclusive ethnic identities through social and cultural processes, existing economic and policies that perpetuate gross social and economic inequities, and the persisting gap between the center and the periphery are the main reasons for this situation. The failure of past public policies to address the issues of structural and cultural integration of ethnic communities has created a conducive environment for ethnic tensions to thrive leading to violent conflict. This paper examines some of the important policies that have prevented national integration in the country. The key policy areas include education, language and employment.