Centre for Policy Alternatives on 28 March, 2013

Tamil-Muslim Tensions and Coexistence in Mannar: Land Disputes in Sannar and Uppukulam

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28th March 2012, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The post-war context has witnessed a number of inter-community disputes in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, which continue to be sources of tension and suspicion.

In Mannar district, two of the more high profile disputes have been in Sannar (Manthai West DS) and Uppukulam (Mannar DS), pitting the Tamil community against the Muslim community. This report by CPA examines the dynamics of these two disputes in order to highlight the dangers of not resolving such disputes, not just at the local level but also in terms of ethnic relations at the district level.

The report also discusses practicable measures to address the competing demands on the one hand and the underlying relationship between the communities on the other. As these cases make clear the failure to address these disputes can thwart the efforts of war-affected communities building their lives back and can undermine trust-building and coexistence in the post-war context.

This report is part of CPA’s work that addresses key post-war issues including land, displacement and durable solutions, coexistence and reconciliation.

Download it as a PDF here.