Inscribing the victor’s land: nationalistic authorship in Sri Lanka’s post-war Northeast

Seoighe, Rachel

doi:10.1080/14678802.2016.1219507

Cited by 14 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Artist Thirsika Jeyapalan documented, in a unique and striking way, practices of torture suffered by Tamils at the hands of Sri Lankan state officials. 12 Evidence of "Sinhalization", dispossession and cultural destruction was presented on maps, graphs and in photographs (ACPR and PEARL 2017;Fernando 2013;Seoighe 2016Seoighe , 2017Prakash 2016).…”

Section: The Tic Exhibitionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reimagining Narratives of Resistance: Memory Work in the London Tamil Diaspora

Seoighe

2021

State Crime Journal

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This article explores memory-making practice in a small section of the London Tamil diaspora, the shaping and reshaping of memories of state crime and resistance, and the potential and challenges of this memory work in the context of a globalized and criminalized justice struggle. The Tamil Information Centre's “Tamils of Lanka: a Timeless Heritage” exhibition is discussed as an intervention into Tamil memory practices in London as a necessary, enlivening and hopeful departure from an increasingly dispirited reliance on street protest, a supplement to protest, political lobbying and accountability efforts, and a new space for community-based mourning rituals. Mobilizing the concept of “memory knots” (Stern 2010), this article explores the radical shift in commemorative practice in 2019 pioneered by TIC volunteers, relying on interviews with exhibition organizers in their role as memory workers, and reflects on the potential of this public invitation to reimagine the past as one of resistance and resilience. The latter part of this article explores the contestations and contradictions that emerged in the exhibition organizing process; the damage wrought by prevailing terrorism discourses on community memory comes into view. I argue that the exhibition, as a process and an invitation, signals a new appetite for historical excavation and a reimagining of Tamil resistance.

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Section: The Tic Exhibitionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reimagining Narratives of Resistance: Memory Work in the London Tamil Diaspora

Seoighe

2021

State Crime Journal

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“…The heavy military presence and state surveillance in the Tamil-dominated Northern Province has an impact on the lives of people in this area (see, e.g., Seoighe, 2016; Thaheer et al, 2013, pp. 35–44).…”

Section: Post-war State–minority Relationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To many observers, the Sri Lankan government’s military defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009 was unexpected. Whilst this implied the end of direct violence between the main warring parties, the post-war peace has been characterised by persistent militarization, strengthened Sinhala-Buddhist nationalism, strained state–society relations, and hostilities along other conflict lines, including against the country’s Muslim minority (Höglund et al, 2016; Seoighe, 2016). In this article, we set out to analyse peace in the context of Sri Lanka’s war victory through the lens of state formation.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond Liberal Peace in Sri Lanka: Victory, Politics, and State Formation

Åkebo

Bastian²

2020

Journal of Peacebuilding & Development

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In 2009, the war between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ended through a military victory for the government. Features of the post-war peace—including persistent militarization, strengthened nationalism, and communal violence—have commonly been attributed to a failed attempt at liberal peacebuilding followed by an authoritarian backlash. In contrast, this study shows how the post-war peace has been shaped by historical processes of state formation aimed at consolidating the Sri Lankan state. The article takes a long-term approach to analysing peace in Sri Lanka through the lens of state formation. The analysis centres on four key aspects: (1) post-war security, (2) state–minority relations, (3) socio-economic aspects, and (4) electoral politics. We conclude that there are currently few signs of any substantial state reform that would accommodate the continuous demand for social justice and minority rights that has spurred violent conflicts in Sri Lanka.

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“…The end of the war cascaded to militarisation of the North-East. There are initiatives to rename places from Tamil to Sinhala, sponsor Sinhalese settlement to alter the demography and build Buddhist temples in traditionally Hindu or Christian areas of the North-East (Seoighe, 2017;Subramanian, 2014). Instead of demilitarising, the military has increased its presence in the North-East.…”

Section: Sinhala Nationalismmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These two divergent and opposing forces pose the question whether Sri Lanka is a single and unified nation or comprises of two distinct identities each worthy of autonomy. While Sinhala nationalists want to maintain the dominant colonial narrative of the unitary state structure, Tamil nationalists have rejected the 'naturalisation' of this political system and want the greater autonomy that they used to enjoy before colonisation (Seoighe, 2016). The two sides have contested their opponents right based on claims that connect primordial territory to their own ethnic identity.…”

Section: Tamil Nationalismmentioning

confidence: 99%