Conflict and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka the majority of the population is Sinhalese. 69% are Buddhist (all Sinhalese), 15.5 % are Hindu (all Tamil). Only within the 7% Christian community do Singhalese and Tamils worship, interact and live together.

Traditionally Sri Lankan Buddhists welcomed those of other traditions. Muslims brought trade and Christian missionaries even preached their first sermons in Buddhist temples. Confrontation only occurred when missionaries wanted to start a new group, called Christians.

‘This traditional tolerance is symbolised by a beautiful mountain in Sri Lanka known as the Garden of Eden. Christians call it the Foot of Adam, Hindus - the footprint of Lord Shiva, Buddhists - the footprint of Lord Buddha. All accept each other’s worship and venerate the “footprint”.’

Ethnic troubles began after independence was granted in 1848 after nearly 500 years of occupation. In search of lost prestige the Buddhist majority gradually introduced legislation discriminating against minorities. Buddhism was declared the state religion and Sinhala the official language, causing increasing frustration and bitterness amongst the Tamil community.

In 1972 the new republican constitution removed the remaining legislation protecting minorities. When non-violent attempts failed to regain the rights of minorities those who wanted a separate Tamil state began armed militant insurgencies. These were followed by brutal reprisals and since 1983 there has been a virtual state of civil war. Now one out of 17 is a refugee, many living overseas. Life in the North and East is subject to constant aerial bombings, shellings, suicide bombers. About 80 000 have been killed, hundreds of thousands wounded or displaced, leaving a high proportion of widows and orphans; the ratio of men to women is now 1-10.

Since February 2002 there has been a breathing space following a ceasefire brokered by the Norwegians, the 6th attempt at peace making; but the future is still uncertain.

In 1983 when Ebenezer Joseph was a young minister in Colombo, riots broke out and, along with others, he sought refuge in the Colombo city mission. Then that building was set on fire. Because an unruly mob outside was killing Tamils they had to stay in the burning building for three hours. Eventually the police took them to a Hindu refugee camp. He remembers being so angry he wanted to make his enemies suffer as he had done. He was helped through this trauma particularly by three separate incidents, first the memory that the Singhalese in that burning building with them did not abandon them. Then a Muslim beggar who used to sleep in his church came looking for him to offer help, even though he had nothing to give. Finally the Singhalese President of the church visited every refugee camp seeking forgiveness from Tamils for the atrocities that had taken place.

‘These incidents became a challenge to me to become involved in work of reconciliation. For this you need the help of all those who are suffering and who can enable us to see both sides of the story.’

1991-92 saw three dreadful months of mass murders in Eastern province, one in a mosque during prayers, another by a landmine followed by retaliation when the Tamil Tigers marched into a Singhalese village and cut the inhabitants to pieces. Then, for the first time, some of young people began to say, ‘we must put an end to this fighting.’ Thus was formed the Kalmunai Peace Foundation. It aimed to teach people not to retaliate -even when provoked, to isolate the army and refuse, as civilians to be dragged into violence. ‘Since 1993 there has not been a single incidence of violence in this area. I believe where there is will and a few willing to take leadership and if you can build personal trust and confidence, it is possible.

‘The authors of crime and conflict want to keep the people separated to create fear and suspicion. They try to instil fear by killing those working for reconciliation between communities and also by excluding them from their own community. Creating a space where separated people can meet together can bring wonderful results.

‘There were two different communities, separated by a “no-man’s land”. The people decided to walk into this no man’s land, reoccupy it and cultivate it. The army spread a story that there were land mines in the field but the people decided to go ahead even if it meant a few would die. So they met and cooked rice and started cultivating the land and formed the Singhalese/Tamil Peace Association. We have to create the space to enable communities to meet each other. The Roman Catholic Church, the Red Cross and other organisation are all with us. One group can’t do it alone. What has been shown is that people can be reconciled.’

Eight priests had been killed undertaking this work; but it was an army brigadier, a Buddhist, who had reminded him that Christianity was based on reconciliation that came via a cross, the symbol of the price that has to be paid.

‘Reconciliation is not a compromise with justice and the rights of the minorities. When communities are reconciled it is Singhalese and Tamils together giving voice to the rights of the minorities. The quest for justice must be made by both communities working together and not by one itself asserting its own rights.

‘As a Tamil I have had negative experiences. The constant question during reconciliation work is “Who am I?” Defining your own identity against that of the other is, I believe, a Western colonial imposition on Sri Lanka. In some of the stories of reconciliation in the Bible you find you need to deconstruct your identity so that you enlarge your identity to include everyone’.

In Genesis God called Abraham to renounce his home, his ethnicity, his people, his language, his status, his security of inheritance, in fact all that made up his identity. In this deconstruction process Abraham became a symbol, a blessing to everyone in a situation of conflict. ‘There comes a moment if you are an agent of reconciliation where you have to give up your identity categories and evolve an identity that will include everyone.

‘The Gospels are full of people, like the Good Samaritan, who are asked to cross the barrier of their given identities. The genealogy of Jesus, which asserts that he is a Jew, is a mixture and includes questionable people like Ruth the Moabitess and Bathsheba. The chosen-ness of that race, its special place, is affirmed by its ability to adapt into itself other identities and work with them. Read the Sermon on the Mount. You cannot name someone as your enemy because the moment you do so you are called to love, pray for and bless him!’

Because Tamils and Singhalese work together in the church there are still contradictions and ethnic loyalties which disturb the life of church. Educational programmes help people to overcome the prejudices they inherit from society. ‘Because of war a culture of violence has pervaded all aspects of life so we have decided to focus on children, promoting interfaith nurseries which include all communities. By appreciating one another’s cultures children will learn to respect other traditions. In one programme we spent one day in a Tamil Community, another in a Moslem community and another with Sinhalese. On the last day the army gave the children lunch. One child asked, “Why are you only killing the Tamils?” The Brigadier and the Colonel, trying to justify themselves, explained that they were not only killing Tamils, they were also killing the Singhalese. A small girl spoke up, ‘so your job is to kill human beings?’ They had nothing further to say. Later the colonel decided he could no longer do this job and now is using the facilities of the army camp to work for integration between the communities. The words of the children led to a kind of conversion.’

The next challenge is the healing of bitter memories in between Buddhists and Hindus, helping them to recapture their own spiritual resources. ‘So often we have only have the negative stories though in 20 years of war there are also positive stories of people who risked their lives, crossed the boundaries stood for certain values. The media tell us when a bomb goes off, not about when 32 people are reconciled. There is so much good will. People in the villages want to live together; they want a future and they want to be reconciled. As long as that good will is there the work of reconciliation will go on.’