Sri Lanka's ethnic problem is an
intra-state conflict but with serious inter-state implications, particularly between Sri Lanka and India.. The role of CBMS in facilitating a negotiated settlement to the protracted ethnic problem in the island has been
discussed in this paper at two levels: 1). Relations between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE.
2). Relations between Sri Lanka and India.
The beginning of the current peace process, initiated by Norway,
is not a result of any previously undertaken confidence-building exercise. Despite the enormous distrust and animosity prevailing between the two warring parties, at least an opening for negotiations could be made due
to external intervention. If at all, it was the "third party" who could act as a "repository of confidence." The kind of "mutually hurting stalemate" that one finds in the Sri Lankan ethnic
conflict indicates that the time is ripe for resolution, but the initial step in that direction could be taken only through a third party. In that sense, the Sri Lankan peace process is basically an externally driven
exercise. Even though an opening has been made, it has become extremely difficult to achieve any substantial progress as there is absolutely no trust between the two parties.
It is important at this stage to engage
in some kind of a confidence-building exercise and to evolve gestures of goodwill and trust in order to sustain the peace process in a meaningful manner. The peace process can start as an externally driven move, but
real peace has to come from within. The mutual understanding and goodwill which prevails between New Delhi and Colombo has helped the Sri Lankan government a great deal in the current peace process. Unlike in the 1980s,
India no longer complains of "foreign interference" in the island and Colombo has also followed a policy of "reassurance" towards India. There exists still an adversarial relationship between New
Delhi and the LTTE. However, in view of its long term interests and also the pressures from Tamil Nadu, India would not stand in the way to any negotiated settlement between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE.
*Associate Professor, Department of International Relations, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
