Political scientist John Mueller in Policing the Remnants of War

argues that the establishment of a coherent and responsive political system and disciplined military and policing forces is central to engendering and maintaining civil peace. Rajapakse must ensure fair elections, impartial government and smooth devolution. Witch-hunts, looting, murders and large- scale dispossession cannot be countenanced.

The second challenge for Rajapakse is to rebuild a faltering economy in an era of bear markets, global recession, high unemployment, and low FDI flows. Several studies have found that enduring ethnic peace can be provided only through economic revival. Rebuilding in the north and east is of urgent importance in a post-conflict situation, a fact recognised by Sri Lankan military commanders, one of whom said that only an economic solution would win the hearts and minds of the people. In this endeavour, the international community has much to offer in the reconstruction programme.

The third challenge is to tackle suicide and other attacks by the LTTE without descending into an “all Tamils are terrorists” mentality. That would require strong political will leading an impartial set of state agencies including the police, military, bureaucracy and the judiciary. This seems almost impossible for a country where the conflict has reduced many institutions to hollow shells. For instance, President Rajpakse bypassed a constitutional council and appointed several judges on the recommendation of the Chief Justice, thereby eroding the institutional autonomy of the

judiciary. In a study of several ethnic conflicts, political scientists James Feron and David Laitin observed that what was described as ethnic violence looked very much like gang violence with no necessary ethnic dimension; all that was required was the availability of mobilisable thugs. The government should see future attacks by the LTTE this way.

... contd.