Updated October 1, 2019
Sri Lanka
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, known as
Figure 1. Sri Lanka In Brief
Ceylon until 1972, is a constitutional democracy in South
Asia with relatively high levels of development. It is
strategically located in the Indian Ocean off the
southeastern tip of India’s Deccan Peninsula.
Historical Setting
The island nation was settled by successive waves of
migration from India beginning in the 5th century BC. Indo-
Aryans from northern India established Sinhalese Buddhist
kingdoms in the central part of the island. Tamil Hindus
from southern India also settled in northeastern coastal
areas and established a kingdom on the Jaffna Peninsula.
Beginning in the 16th century, Sri Lanka was colonized in
succession by the Portuguese, Dutch, and English.
Although Ceylon gained its independence from Britain
peacefully in 1948, succeeding decades were marred by
ethnic conflict between the country’s Sinhalese majority,
clustered in the densely populated South and West, and a
largely Hindu Tamil minority living in the North and East.
Following independence, the Tamils—who had attained
educational and civil service positions under the British—
Political Crisis and Forthcoming Elections
increasingly faced discrimination from the Sinhalese-
The governing coalition began to fracture after it performed
dominated government, which made Sinhala the sole
poorly in the February 2018 local elections, losing out to
official language and gave preferences to Sinhalese in
the newly-formed Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)
university admissions and government jobs. The Sinhalese,
party which capitalized on rising Sinhalese ethnic
who had deeply resented British favoritism toward the
nationalism. A political crisis emerged in late 2018 when
Tamils, saw themselves not only as the majority, but also as
President Sirisena of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)
a minority in a larger regional context that includes over 60
million Tamils across the Palk Strait in India’s southern
tried unsuccessfully to dismiss Prime Minister Ranil
Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and
state of Tamil Nadu and elsewhere in India.
replace him with Mahinda Rajapaksa of the SLPP. The next
Civil War
presidential election is to be held on November 16, 2019,
For 25 years, from 1983 to 2009, political, social, and
and some observers believe a SLPP candidate may win. The
economic development was constrained by ethnic conflict
new president will subsequently be able to dissolve
and war between the government and the Liberation Tigers
parliament after February 2020. The constitution stipulates
of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), also known as the Tamil Tigers.
that the president cannot dissolve parliament until after four
The war cost an estimated 70,000-130,000 lives. The LTTE
and a half years of its term have passed. Observers predict
rebels sought to establish a separate state or internal self-
that the SLPP will do well in the 2020 parliamentary
rule in the Tamil-dominated areas.
election.
After a violent end to the civil war in May 2009, when the
Some observers say rising Sinhalese nationalism is a threat
military crushed LTTE forces and precipitated a
to lasting reconciliation between the majority Sinhalese and
humanitarian emergency in Sri Lanka’s Tamil-dominated
the Tamil minority, which is represented primarily by the
north, attention turned to whether the government had the
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in parliament. Supporters
ability and intention to build a stable peace in Sri Lanka.
of former President Rajapaksa, who is widely viewed as a
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, elected in 2005,
Sinhalese nationalist, formed the SLPP to challenge
faced criticism for an allegedly insufficient response to
Sirisena’s reform coalition in 2016. Gotobahaya Rajapaksa,
reported war crimes, a nepotistic and ethnically biased
brother of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and a
government, increasing restrictions on media, and uneven
former Defense Secretary, is expected to be the SLPP
economic development. In the January 2015 presidential
presidential candidate in the November 16, 2019,
election he was defeated by President Maithripala Sirisena.
presidential election. While a frontrunner, there is some
This result was affirmed in parliamentary elections later in
controversy over his candidacy; some activists have alleged
2015 that led to the formation of a unity government
that he is a U.S. citizen. Sri Lanka doesn’t allow dual or
supportive of Sirisena’s reform agenda, including efforts to
non-citizens to contest elections. Gotobhaya has claimed he
reduce the authority of the executive presidency.
has renounced his U.S. citizenship and is eligible to run for
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Sri Lanka
office. Gotobhaya would reportedly restore ties with China,
the Sri Lanka civil war that was adopted by the Council in
strained under Sirisena due to allegations of corruption and
October 2015. The resolution followed the September 2015
overpricing in Chinese-backed investment projects, should
publication of the Report of the U.N. Office of the High
he be elected. There were reports in September 2019 that
Commissioner for Human Rights Investigation on Sri
the SLPP was seeking SLFP support for Gotobhaya in the
Lanka and was viewed by many at the time as a positive
election. Sajith Premadasa will run for president for the
step to advance justice in Sri Lanka. Since the adoption of
UNP and he too is reportedly seeking SLFP support.
the resolution, however, President Sirisena has backed
away from supporting any significant involvement of
Easter Bombings
international judges in a special judicial mechanism to
A series of Easter Sunday bombings in 2019 claimed over
prosecute war crimes. The High Commissioner for Human
250 lives and left over 500 injured. At least 38 of the dead
Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, noted steps taken by Sri
were foreigners, including 4 Americans. The bombings
Lanka but also called for a transitional justice mechanism to
targeted churches in the capital Colombo, as well as in
deal with past human rights abuses. An Office of Missing
Negombo and Batticaloa. The Shangri-la, Cinnamon Grand,
Persons has been established, and a Right to Information
and Kingsbury Hotels in Colombo were also targeted. A
law was passed. Tensions between Sinhalese and Muslim
planned attack on a fourth hotel failed and reportedly
groups led to a wave of violence and a state of emergency
helped police identify the perpetrators. The attacks were
in the Kandy District in March 2018. Human rights issues
carried out by nine Sri Lankan suicide bombers and are the
include unlawful killings, torture, sexual abuse, arbitrary
worst violence to strike Sri Lanka since the end of its civil
detention, and violence against LGBTI persons.
war. Sri Lankan officials declared that the attacks were
carried out by the National Thowheed Jama’ath (NTJ), a
Strategic Setting
little-known Sri Lankan Islamist terrorist group. The scale,
Sri Lanka is situated near strategically important sea lanes
coordination, and targets of the attack have led observers
that transit the Indian Ocean. These sea lanes link the
(and Colombo) to suggest possible linkages with the
energy-rich Persian Gulf with the economies of Asia. To
Islamic State (IS).
some observers, maritime trade is increasingly integrating
the Indian and Pacific Oceans’ littoral regions into a more
U.S.-Sri Lanka Relations
unified strategic arena. Sri Lanka and India share close,
The White House issued the following statement following
longstanding historical, cultural, and religious ties. India
the 2019 Easter bombings. “The United States condemns in
became entangled in the counter-insurgency war against the
the strongest terms the outrageous terrorist attacks in Sri
LTTE following the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka
Lanka that have claimed so many precious lives on this
Agreement of 1987. Between 1987 and 1990, India lost
Easter Sunday.” Secretary of State Pompeo declared, “We
over 1,200 soldiers in this conflict, and Indian Prime
stand with the Sri Lankan government and people as they
Minister Rajiv Gandhi was killed by an LTTE suicide
confront violent extremism and have offered our assistance
bomber in 1991. The Sri Lanka-India relationship was
as they work to bring the perpetrators to justice.” The
strengthened by President Sirisena’s February 2015 visit to
Department of State issued a travel advisory warning that,
India, his first foreign visit as president, and also by Indian
Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s March 2015 return visit to
in Sri Lanka. Terrorists may attack with little or no
Colombo, the first by an Indian prime minister in 29 years.
warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation
During his visit, Modi articulated his government’s desire
hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government
that the Tamil community in Sri Lanka have a just and
facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of
dignified life in a unified Sri Lanka. India’s native Tamil
worship….
populations feel kinship with Sri Lanka’s Tamils. India,
Following the attacks, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka
along with the United States, has been an active voice for
Alaina Teplitz told reporters that the U.S. Federal Bureau of
reconciliation and fair elections. India has also played host
Investigation and the military are supporting the
to a large number of Tamil refugees, 100,000 by some
investigation into the bombings. The United States and Sri
estimates, both during and after the Sri Lankan civil war.
Lanka also halted a series of Cooperation Afloat and
China-Sri Lanka Relations
Readiness Training (CARAT) exercises that were underway
Some analysts have expressed concern over Sri Lanka’s
off the coast of Hambantota prior to the Easter attack.
deepening relationship with China, including Chinese
Through its foreign aid and diplomacy the United States has
submarine visits to Sri Lanka. Beijing has invested
supported initiatives intended to strengthen governance,
significantly in Sri Lanka’s infrastructure. In 2017, Sri
democratic reform, the rule of law, and human rights in Sri
Lanka leased port facilities at Hambantota to China for 99
Lanka. The U.S. Agency for International Development
years for an estimated $1.1 billion to help Sri Lanka reduce
(USAID) has maintained a presence in Sri Lanka since
its debt. China considers its activities in Sri Lanka to be part
1948. The United States is Sri Lanka’s single largest
of its Belt and Road Initiative aimed in part at gaining
market, accounting for approximately 25% of Sri Lankan
access to ports in the Indian Ocean to help secure China’s
exports. Sri Lanka’s largest exports are garments, tea,
interests along vital sea lanes. China’s presence in Sri
spices, rubber, gems and jewelry, refined petroleum, fish,
Lanka and elsewhere in the Indian Ocean is causing
and coconuts/coconut products.
increasing concern among some strategic analysts and
policymakers in New Delhi and the United States.
The United Nations, Sri Lanka, and Human Rights
Sri Lanka co-sponsored a U.N. Human Rights Council
Bruce Vaughn, Specialist in Asian Affairs
resolution on accountability for human rights abuses during
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Sri Lanka
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