South Asia Monitor: Sri Lanka at the Crossroads - January 3, 2000

January 3, 2000

Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, reelected last month after an assassination attempt, faces three interlocking challenges: creating some room for maneuver within Sri Lanka's highly confrontational political system, reviving a lackluster economy, and most importantly, using her electoral momentum to start a serious peace process. Her early gestures of conciliation toward her main political rival could help, but following through will require unusual persistence, creativity, and self-restraint.