Political Instability and the End of the Civil War in Sri Lanka: A Swat Analysis
Posted: 4 May 2011
Date Written: April 2, 2011
Abstract
Sri Lanka has been a centre of a bloody war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Government forces for more than thirty years. Last year the country’ armed forces were able to defeat the LTTE militarily and establish government control successfully throughout the country. Sri Lanka is the first country in the South Asian region to win a war against such a warring party (one of the most ruthless organisations in the world). The conclusion of this conflict could bring political stability to the region in a comprehensive way. This encourages one to examine the impact of this war within the region as well as from a global perspective. Therefore, the objective of this study is to examine (the beginning and) the end of the war in Sri Lanka while paying attention to the political impact of it. We employ SWAT analysis to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats faced by Sri Lanka in the new political environment. This is important due to the fact that the end of the war does not mean that political stability is established. No political stability may lead to another conflict sooner or later.
Keywords: Political Instability, Civil War, Ethnic Issue, SWAT Analysis
JEL Classification: F50, H56, N45
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation