Procedimiento legislativo 7.010 Tipos de proyectos de legislación.

Ethnic issues in Sri Lanka have been one of the major causes to be addressed for a sustainable peace, which is also a key component of conflict prevention. With this regard when we see the post war Sri Lanka we can see the denial of ethnic existence of minority groups. For instance on May 19th 2009 former president Mahinda Rajapaksa„s speech presents the general landscape of politics in the country:

“We have removed the word minorities from our vocabulary three years ago. No longer are the[re] Tamils, Muslims, Burghers, Malays and any other minorities. There are only

comprises the small groups that have no love for the land of their birth” (Wickramasinghe, 2009, p.2)

According to Wickramasinghe, the prototype of this new patriotism which is, to her, not similar to the post national or constitutional patriotism that has been theorized as an alternative form of loyalty, compatible with universal values but distinct from and superior to nationalism. It has little in common even with a civic patriotism that recognizes the public sphere cannot be neutral. (Wickramasinghe, 2009, p.3) In contrast, the new patriotism of Rajapaksa merges nation and state and promotes a love of country based on Vramsa literature„s history and foundation myth of the Sinhala people in which the all other minority groups are merely present as shadows rather than as constitutive elements of a common political culture (ibid). Wickramasinghe defines this as blind patriotism which is a continuation to flag Buddhist nationhood. Moreover, it implies that political parties of the left or right have no role to play as the true path and best interests of all people are being persuade by the ruling party. To her in order to share the patriotism, there should be an effort to ensure that across communities, cultural symbols, religious ethnic of the majority and minorities recedes much as possible from the state apparatus, at least until wounds are healed.(Wickramasinghe, 2009, pp.3-9)

The interview operated on the Tamils and Muslims in north and east by Minority Rights Group reveals that there are two major policies of political leadership that are of serious concern, which could be detrimental to minorities and unfavorable to them. The government policy and practices are evident to the intention of establishing a Sinhala Buddhist hegemonic state. The statement also proved by the interview of the representatives of minority political parties, civil society and religious groups. (MRG, 2011, p.7)

There are strong believes in the government that the main cause of the conflict is the lack of development and everything will come through development. Minority representatives interviewed by Minority Rights Group express that the acknowledgement of legitimate minority grievances that are the root causes of conflict; the promotion and protection of minority rights and freedoms; a serious and credible effort towards justice, accountability and reconciliation; and

a genuine attempt to present a political solution that would satisfy minorities, are appear to be missing from the state agenda (MRG, 2011, p.7).

In contrast, rather than addressing the issues government took the policy of „Sinhalization‟ through influx of Sinhalese as visitors to the north and the proliferation of Sinhala Buddhist religious symbols in traditionally minority areas. Recently Sinhalese people, who didn„t have access to the north during the conflict; have been visiting to the Buddhist religious sites and military monuments in the north. At the end of the conflict, the military destroyed all the LTTE monuments. On the other hand, massive monuments dedicated to the military victory were erected on the main road. There are also stopping points where the military scored a major victory against the Tigers or where the LTTE perpetrated a civilian attack. However, there is no mention of attacks, killings or human rights violations by the military.(MRG, 2011, p.13) The proliferation of Buddhist religious symbols (Buddha and Buddhist shrines) in the areas generates concern among Muslims and Tamils in the north and eastern part. This tendency becomes so common that a Buddhist shrine is erected where ever a Bo tree is found. Moreover, MRG reveals that sometimes these trees are planted by state agents and shrines are built subsequently. There are also reports of cases where areas in eastern Sri Lanka have been demarcated as Buddhist religious sites because Buddhist artefacts have been found there. However, it is evident in Trincomalee that these artefacts were planted in the area. As the interviewees say people came at night, on motorcycles, with sacks full of items which they planted in the area, sometimes with the help of state officials and police. (MRG, 2011, p.14)

Another concern is the replacement of Tamil place names with Sinhalese names, which occurs mainly after linking a area to a Buddhist religious event and turn into a site of pilgrimage. For instances, Thiruvadinilai in Jaffna, has now been renamed Jambukolapatune. Buddhists in Sri Lanka believe that this is where Prince Ashoka„s daughter, the first female Buddhist missionary, first set foot in Sri Lanka. A shrine was built in 2005 and a temple in 2009, which was opened by the President„s wife, Shiranthi Rajapaksa, and her son, Namal Rajapaksa, in 2010. Another recent name change in Jaffna is Kathirimalai to Kadurugaoda. (MRG, 2011, p.14) According to MRG assessment the state does not prevent Tamils and Muslims from practicing their religion and culture; yet the activities described above challenge international human and minority rights

guarantees relating to the promotion and protection of minority cultural and religious rights, particularly in minority dominated areas. (MRG, 2011, p.14)