A senior government minister claimed today that the war would be over in 3 weeks. Whether we believe him or not, commentators like Ahilan Kadirgamar (writing in Himal Southasian, February 2009) have called attention to the dynamics of a ‘post-LTTE Sri Lanka’, suggesting that “Post-LTTE Tamil politics will have to move beyond ethnic and territorial concerns to forge solidarity among minorities, in order to reframe the ‘national question’ in Sri Lanka”.
This is a decisive year for Sri Lanka, whether you choose to believe in these conjectures and formulations or not. On the humanitarian and economic fronts alone and in particular, current conditions cannot be sustained. For this and a number of other reasons, war in the manner it is being conducted today cannot be sustained for much longer.
As Ahilan Kadirgamar goes on to note in his article,
In a post-LTTE era, the Mahinda Rajapakse regime will be tempted to continue its politics of opportunism to consolidate and entrench itself. Immediately following the war, it may well sweep the parliamentary and presidential elections, due in 2010 and 2011, respectively, but which could be brought forward. But more quickly than one thinks, the propagandist gains of war will be replaced by the real issues facing the people.
With this submission in mind Groundviews invites you to, as succintly as possible, answer the following question.
What is the most important issue facing the peoples of Sri Lanka in a ‘post-LTTE’ context and how can the State address it?
You are encouraged to contest this question and the assumptions leading to its formulation. Please don’t forget to revisit this page and engage with opinions left by others, in line with the spirit of conversation that animates this site.