Eleventh Global Studies Conference

Abstract

The state of Sri Lanka post-civil war has imposed various challenges regarding the issues of rehabilitation and resettlement. Post-conflict peacebuilding is certainly a multi-national and multi-dimensional process involving various stakeholders. India, the immediate neighbour has a relatively large stake in the rehabilitation process. The initial ties of India and LTTE evoked India to express concerns over peace maintenance in Sri Lanka and its Tamils. Ever since, the multiple failed attempts of mediation and negotiation deeply influenced the Indo-Sri Lankan relations during Rajiv Gandhi’s government. Missions like Operation Pawan miserably failed leading to the withdrawal of IPKF and subsequently, the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. Given these setbacks, how is India playing a part in the post-LTTE rehabilitation process? Ethnic connections abstain India from ignoring the Sri Lankan Tamils. Hence, India took the initiative in resettling nearly 250,000 IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) and approximately 11,000 surrendered rebels. India also provided $100 million as financial aid. After the civil war terminated, India was tied up between maintaining friendly relations with Sri Lanka and obliging to moral duties of human rights. Millions of casualties from LTTE and the Sri Lankan government, numerous accusations of sexual violence, torture, recruitment of children and killings of close to 40,000 civilians in just 5 months all hampered the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction.This paper analyses peace-building processes in Sri Lanka and the contribution of India as a neighbour. It explores the role of mutual identity shared by the Tamils of India and Sri Lanka as a determining factor of India’s generosity. Additionally, it considers how India was cautious when the LTTE retaliated against the IPKF and ultimately went on to support the Sri Lankan government.