Post-war reforms in Sri Lanka: need to tie minority demands to a rule of law discourse

Abstract

ABSTRACT In 2015, Sri Lanka underwent a major political change, with the opening of a window of opportunity for both constitutional reform and Transitional Justice (TJ). However, TJ and constitutional reform were routinely presented in mainstream political discourses as two agendas in tension competing for political capital. Furthermore, TJ was perceived as controversial and, for this reason, was isolated conceptually and procedurally from other reform agendas. This reinforced the perception that TJ was a measure benefiting solely minority communities and imposed by foreign powers. This misperception, in turn, fuelled continued opposition to this agenda. After recalling the important links between TJ and the rule of law, I argue that a well-designed communication strategy around TJ should have harnessed the pre-2015 momentum for good governance and rule of law reforms in order to foster greater support for TJ.