Managing ethnic diversity in post conflict societies - needs and challenges in post conflict Sri Lanka

Abstract

Sri Lanka has emerged from three decades prolonged violent ethnic conflict, the conflict has affected quality of individual and collective lives as well as socio economic and political well beings of whole country. In the phase of post - conflict Sri Lanka a greater responsibility is awaiting to all people of this country and also to the world community to give their genuine contribution for building lasting peace. In a continuing situation of polarized societies building lasting peace and rebuilding a prosperous community are greater challenges. If the absence situations of mutual understanding continue finally it will lead to another conflict. Sri Lanka as a multi ethnic country the ethnic diversity, lack of maturity of political leaders to manage the diversity and ethno - centric nationalism were the reasons for the outbreak of the last conflict. With the understanding of it, this is the suitable time to all people and people's representatives for building societies with mutual understanding to live together. In this basis the objectives of this research are to analyze why and how ethnic diversity was a matter in the past and to find the ways to eliminate the diversity for a better future. As a descriptive study this research attempts to give a detail report to the policy makers for their nation building policies.