Democracy and Devolution as a Strategy for Conflict Resolution, the Political Will as a Determinant: The Case of Sri Lanka
| Published date | 01 July 2023 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/00208817231201764 |
| Author | Aparna Agashe |
| Date | 01 July 2023 |
https://doi.org/10.1177/00208817231201764
International Studies
60(3) 328 –348, 2023
© 2023 Jawaharlal Nehru University
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DOI: 10.1177/00208817231201764
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Research Article
Democracy and
Devolution as a Strategy
for Conflict Resolution,
the Political Will as a
Determinant: The Case
of Sri Lanka
Aparna Agashe1
Abstract
The state is faced with several challenges in recent times. One of the greatest
challenges to the state is the growing ethnic competition and conflict between
groups. Ethnic consciousness is developed among communities by the elite.
This leads to a rise in the demands made to the state. Tackling the varied
conflicting interest is a cumbersome task. Ethnic identity politics is a result of
elite competition and conflict. The only solution to lasting peace is democracy
and devolution. However, democratic techniques to resolve conflicts also
require a strong political will that is sincere towards the effort of conflict
resolution. Assimilation and integration along with decentralization can give
the peace process a fair chance to succeed. This article studies the process
of conflict resolution in Sri Lanka since efforts towards devolution of power
were made to accommodate demands of the Tamils and establish peace.
Democracy and devolution were given a chance in Sri Lanka; however, the
lack of a will among the elites on both the sides to garner a solution to the
conflict led to its failure. Despite the devolution packages being offered right
since the 1950s, the ethnic conflict culminated into military action on the
part of the state.
Keywords
Assimilation, autonomy, conflict resolution, democracy, devolution, multiethnic
societies
Corresponding author:
Aparna Agashe, Department of Political Science, MES’ Abasaheb Garware College, Pune,
Maharashtra 411004, India.
E-mail: agasheaa@hotmail.com
1Department of Political Science, MES’ Abasaheb Garware College, Pune, Maharashtra, India
Agashe 329
Introduction
The post-cold world war is characterized by ethnicity and ethnic identity politics.
Ethnic conflict is a growing phenomenon threatening internal politics and
challenging State systems. This is especially true in previously colonial State
systems where the political culture was more subject than participant. The urge to
participate in the political process gained momentum in the post-colonial period.
Identity politics was a characteristic of the colonial rule. Divisions, on ethnic lines,
were constructed and sharpened by the colonial masters. This made the process of
accommodation of interests difficult to achieve. Therefore, post-independence,
internal strife on ethnic lines was a serious challenge faced by the State system.
The integrity of the State as a neutral party in the conflict was also challenged.
In most cases, the State was seen as a party to the conflict. Despite this, the State
remains an important stakeholder in the conflict resolution process. This makes
the conflict resolution process more complicated.
Democracy and devolution of power can be regarded as a viable strategy for
conflict resolution. Democracy is a contested concept. There are varied
interpretations of democracy. For some, democracy is merely the arrangement of
institutional processes and elections, and for some others, it is a source of conflict
management and conflict resolution (Baker, 1996, p. 642). This article, however,
uses the term democracy to mean a system of governance that seeks the
participation of all the stakeholders. Democracy is viewed as a system of political
governance whose decision-making power is subject to the controlling influence
of citizens who are considered as political equals. (International IDEA, 2007, p. 4).
However, to restrict democracy merely to a form of political governance is to
devalue the idea. Democracy is also treated as a value system that includes the
principles of participation, transparency and responsiveness to the demands and
aspirations of communities who compose the whole. This takes democracy out of
the realm of merely electoral politics and now looks upon it as a strategy of
inclusion of the marginalized periphery. Conflicts occur and remain unresolved
when democracy is considered to mean only electoral politics. The essence of
democracy that goes beyond electoral politics has to be translated effectively.
Devolution of power leads to a broadening of democracy. It is seen as a strategy
to increase public participation in the political and administrative space. It is
essentially a power-sharing mechanism that has the capacity to develop policies
that are better tailored to the economic and social conditions of their areas,
encouraging local solutions to local problems (Jeffrey, 2002, p. 176). This is
possible since devolution necessarily implies that some discretionary authority is
given to the local bodies in the decision-making process. It can also be regarded
as a form of administrative decentralization. Devolution can be used as a conflict
resolution strategy. This can be done by increasing the autonomy that is granted to
conflict regions within the state.
This is especially true in multiethnic pluralistic societies. An ethnic conflict
has several dimensions. They are primarily the interests at stake, the actors
involved in the process and the strategies for accommodation. Democracy through
devolution of power acts as a good strategy for conflict resolution.
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