Jus post bellum: economic development of war torn areas as a hegemonic imposition of justice on the minority in Sri Lanka

Abstract

In the aftermath of the ethnic war, a major debate has taken place on economic development and reconstruction of the war affected regions in Sri Lanka. The ethnic conflict between Sinhalese and indigenous Tamils has been overshadowed by this renewed interest on economic development. Development of the war-torn regions would enable the people to reintegrate themselves with their community life, and participate in economic and social life with a sense economic or livelihood stability. Therefore, the emphasis placed on economic rehabilitation, reconstruction and development seems to be worthwhile from the Government's point view since the people of the war affected areas are now under its control. However, this kind of reintegration of a people hitherto lived under military's control into the system of hegemonic political control of the majority Sinhalese rule without a proper devolution of powers to the regions would not guarantee jus post bellum. Also the overemphasized project of economics in the post war Sri Lanka seemingly has worked as an erasure of the political problem. This paper aims to restate the importance of political activity over economics as the major way of guaranteeing peace for the ethnic minority. The paper uses the whole war affected north and east as a case study and studies the development activities taking place there. Then it analyses the political consequences of development in the long run, while arguing that political solution to the conflict gives the state a chance to provide jus post bellum.