Peace Facilitation by Small States

Norway in Sri Lanka

Bibliographic Data

ID8912432
AuthorsJohn S Moolakkattu (0000-0002-7988-8641, Mahatma Gandhi University, corresponding author)
Year2005
Volume40
Issue4
Pages385-402
Publication date2005-11-11
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCooperation and Conflict (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0010-8367 • E-ISSN: 1460-3691
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0010836705058225
OpenAlexW1970368069
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited10

It is now four years since Norway formally embarked on the difficult task of facilitating negotiations in the protracted ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. With an international record in peace-making and development assistance, Norway entered the fray with unmatched legitimacy. Unlike Norway's previous efforts aimed at brokering peace, the Sri Lankan facilitation was undertaken by assigning a conspicuous role to key governmental functionaries, and was less secretive in nature. Although a ceasefire has been signed and six rounds of talks between the government and the Tamil Tigers have been held, Norway's third-party role has been criticized by nationalists for being partial towards the Tigers, and by a section of peace activists for focusing on a minimalist agenda of peace. In this article, I examine the qualifications and motivations of Norway as a facilitator and also the different perceptions that the key stakeholders have about its third-party role. Furthermore, I assess the nature of the Norwegian efforts so far and the hurdles ahead for taking the peace process forward

Facilitation · Facilitator · Government (linguistics · Legitimacy · Negotiation · Norwegian · Peacebuilding · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Sri lanka · Tamil · Tanzania · Global Peace and Security Dynamics · International Development and Aid · Law · Peacebuilding and International Security · Public Administration

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