November 22, 2011,
By Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
Taken as a whole, the Norwegian study is a valuable and welcome addition to the growing literature on the war and our times. It is however, wrong or empty at its very core. Wrong not only in what it sees and says, but perhaps even more so, in what it does not—in what it fails to or chooses not to see and/or express. The NORAD study is characterised by an absent analytical core. Though I am critical of its post–mortem of the armed conflict and efforts at peace-making, the Norwegian study of the failed peace efforts in Sri Lanka does contain important and valuable observations concerning the international aspect (Ch 7: ‘The International Dimensions of the Peace Process’) and domestic political dynamics and trajectories (Ch 11: ‘The Primacy of Domestic Politics’) .
In the section that deals with the international dimension the report significantly admits that "Possibly, Western pressure may have had an adverse effect, as it created additional anxiety and time pressure for the government during the final offensive" and goes on to quote a Wikileaks cable and an observation by me: Read More ...
