Sri Lanka Human Development Report 2012.pdf

CHAPTER
7
Building
on Peace, Progress and Security
After nearly three decades of civil conflict, Sri Lanka is now
on the road to long term peace and stability pursuing human
development. But the costs of conflict have been high.
It consumed thousands of lives, stirred distrust and
hostility among ethnic groups and cost millions of dollars.
Instead of being used for human progress, resources were
diverted into military hardware and activities. Families
were torn apart as people were displaced; education and
livelihoods were interrupted. A considerable share of
infrastructure in the Northern and Eastern provinces was
damaged or demolished. Hundreds of square kilometres
of land were mined.
Rebuilding after massive destruction is one problem Sri
Lanka faces today, but not the only one. As demonstrated
in this report, the country has achieved relatively high
human development for a developing country, based on
basic human development measures. But in some deprived
areas, and in terms of more advanced measures of human
development, disparities persist across the country.
Those in the Northern and Eastern provinces are due
essentially to prolonged conflict, while slow progress on
the plantations stems from historical deprivations. But
disparities also exist in rural areas and across provinces.
Unless the structures and conditions that generate and
perpetuate differences in access to services at basic and
advanced levels are changed, and/or innovative solutions
are found to reach all communities, achievements in
human development may falter. Further, opportunities for
productive and decent jobs need to expand, as otherwise
social tensions may resurface.
Why do some multi-ethnic countries, such as Sri Lanka
and Fiji in Asia-Pacific and Guyana in the Caribbean,
erupt into violent conflict, while others remain peaceful
for decades Many theories suggest triggering factors
rooted in material circumstances or human nature.
Under the theory of relative deprivation, violent political
mobilizations are more likely to occur where discontent
is induced by grievances. 326 When social, economic and
political disparities overlap with the way population
groups identify themselves, identities can be a powerful
source of political mobilization. 327
An alternative view theorizes that regardless of motive,
when violent conflicts are militarily and financially feasible,
they will occur. 328 The feasibility theory hypothesizes that
three key economic characteristics drive susceptibility to
violent conflict: the level, growth and structure of income.
Countries with higher levels of income, higher growth rates
of income, and those that are less dependent on primary
resources for income are less likely to experience conflicts.
The central implication, then, is that relative prosperity,
widely distributed, is a key factor underlying peace. Grave
and rising inequality, by contrast, could subvert it.
The theory of relative deprivation is especially relevant to
multi-ethnic societies, such as Sri Lanka’s, where disparities
are prevalent. It underscores the need for inclusiveness,
rather than marginalization, and for sharing the fruits of
peace, progress and security more equitably. With this
in mind, this report has identified 5 areas for action by
relevant national entities and the private sector. Several
actions are interrelated, since human progress often builds
on multi-dimensional, holistic approaches. These must
be supported by the requisite political will, resources,
and governance structures and mechanisms. With
peace coming forth after such a long and bitter struggle,
Sri Lanka is well aware of the importance of getting to the
root causes of problems, rather than treating symptoms.
Establishing Priorities
For a middle-income country, Sri Lanka has done well,
with the highest Human Development Index rank in
South Asia. It has strategically exploited development
opportunities and husbanded its resources well, despite
formidable obstacles. These opportunities are now almost
fully harnessed, and their returns are too small to justify
large amounts of additional investment. The country is
poised at the edge of a new stage of development, where
bold, strategic and innovative thinking is required.
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