ISSRS 2017

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Achieving Holistic Peace beyond a Military Victory: case of Sri Lanka.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Gallage, H.
The small island state of Sri Lanka is in a period of revival after the end of a civil war which was fought for several decades. The roots of this conflict traces back to certain administrative decisions of colonizers as well as of successive governments which expanded the conflict into a fully-fledged civil war between the Sinhala majority and the Tamil minority represented by the terrorist organization, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. After three decades of persistent fighting the war came to closure in 2009 but the question of peacemaking left to answer was perhaps even more challenging. Eight years after the end of war, elements of violence still prevail which not only make it almost impossible to call the peace gained sustainable and holistic, but also probable for a conflict to resurge. Therefore the objective of this research is to analyze the post-war context of Sri Lanka and thereby determine a holistic model of peace which is sustainable beyond the military victory gained back in 2009. The research takes up a qualitative approach and to that end it gathers secondary data that assess the post-war situation of the country. The analysis is largely based on the theoretical analysis of Johan Galtung’s theory of negative and positive peace in relation to post-war Sri Lanka. A careful assessment of the post-war data of Sri Lanka for the period of 2009-2016 suggests that the peace gained following the military victory is negative while lacking peace in its positive, holistic sense. The research findings manifest that although Sri Lanka has been unified territorially its numerous ethnicities are yet to be reconciled into one tightly knitted inclusive society to create the Sri Lankan nation that transcends narrow ethnic disparities. It also concludes that it may require years of commitment and significant upheaval of the attitudes of the public. But if that can be achieved, its results can be relished by many generations to come who shall not be burdened again with the agonies of war.
Rethinking South Asian Integration: An Analysis on Challenges and Prospects of Regional Economic Integration in South Asia.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Abeyrathne, D.M.L.K.
Regional Integration is a process of overcoming barriers that divide neighbouring countries, by common accord, and of jointly managing shared resources and assets. Essentially, it is a process by which groups of countries liberalize trade, creating a common market for goods, people, capital and services. Realizing its importance, the South Asian region has also embarked upon various processes of regional economic integration. The aim of this study is to identify those challenges and prospects of regional economic integration in South Asia which is fraught with difficulties, especially due to a lack of understanding about the very economics of regional economic integration. South Asian regional integration is seemingly confronting many challenges. Although regional integration in South Asia has adopted a kind of institutionalization, it is yet to deliver any concrete outcome. The study is basically based on secondary data collected from different reliable sources of published journals, reports and websites. Throughout the analysis process prevailing barriers have been scrutinized on the basis of which a set of recommendations have been made. Thus, this is dwells upon some of the conceptual issues pertaining to regional economic cooperation in general and specific to the South Asian region. It also documents the progress made in SAARC, the SAFTA trade liberalization and associated mechanisms alongside the nature of safeguards provided for. High-politics and the not-so-conducive regional economic structures hinder any effectual culmination. However, constructivism, as a theory, is given due credence in this study when looking for future prospects. The study highlights the issues, and attempts to offer certain policy directions by analyzing the challenges and identifying the prospects in the on-going integration process. In this respect, developmental perspectives of safeguards are put forth. Some fresh insights on the status of SAARC trade integration process in a dynamic setting are also brought out. The study also highlights the potentials for deeper economic integration in the region. Finally, the study makes an objective assessment of the regional integration process and identifies certain structural constraints that have important policy-implications.
Brexit and United Kingdom’s Future.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Fernando, U.G.G.
European Union plays an important role in multilateral organizations in the world. UK has taken a decision to leave EU. This is named as Brexit referendum in 2016. United Kingdom leaves EU for several reasons. This research is meant to find the reasons why UK left the EU and to understand its future prospects. The research has been conducted in a qualitative approach by analyzing secondary data found through academic journals, books, research papers and statistics. The analysis of these data shows several realities concerning this issue. Once a year more than 300000 immigrates are coming to UK because of which UK decreased their job opportunities. Also as a member of the EU, UK pays 350£ million every week. The counter campaign believed that it will be more useful to use the money for the sustainability in National Health Service. While UK staying as a member in EU, it should consider about immigration problems, unless immigration percentage will be more in near future. The former Prime Minister was not able to successfully promote the reasons why UK should continue to be with EU which made his policy decisions quite unreliable. In addition the Golden Brown and Sadiq Khan issue spread the situation to a conflict level. Alen Jonson and Jeramy Corbin were not supported by others. Cameron favouring Bremain campaign by Boris Jonson also tarnished his image. The senior citizens population in UK is high with nationalistic opinions and imperialist thoughts. Due to these reasons the UK should stand as a sovereign state and be independent in political and economic aspects. Considering about the Brexit, there are positive impacts like sovereignty, freedom to go outside the common Agricultural Policy and the booming of the fishing industry. There will also be no more contribution to the EU budget. However there are also negative impacts like a hard hit economy after withdrawing from the EU and safety issues.
Exporting Power: Opportunities and Challenges for India in Fulfilling Sri Lanka’s Energy Demand.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Fernando, A.L.B.
India is actively embracing the potential of becoming the regional powerhouse through energy export. Its neighbor Sri Lanka’s total primary energy demand is expected to increase 4.9 % per annum from 2018-2037. While lower cost is the major concern in supplying energy to the local market, today policy makers also consider environmentally friendly power resources. This demand in the energy sector, with focus on renewable energy, is an opportunity for India, which has shown considerable interest in investing in renewable energy sources in recent years. The purpose of this study is to identify the opportunities and challenges India would confront when venturing into the Sri Lankan energy market. It is a qualitative data analysis conducted using secondary data sources. It analyzed the needs of Sri Lanka’s energy market, the role of India as a net exporter of power, the various energy related investment proposed by India, and the prospects for India to play a significant role in the Sri Lanka’s energy supply. The study shows that India’s proven track record with exporting electricity to neighboring Bangladesh and Nepal is testimony to its ability to fulfill the growing demand for energy in Sri Lanka. By investing in Sri Lanka’s energy market, India will benefit by establishing cross border links with neighboring countries, securing energy requirements of the region, and manifesting herself as an emerging energy player. However, India will also face significant local public displeasure at the growing Indian presence in the island while also unsettling neighbors such as China. Sri Lanka will also be suspicious of the geopolitical connotations lying beneath Indian interests and critical about India’s relentless pursuit of energy projects such as in Sampur in the past. The research concludes that India will find ample opportunity for mutual benefit by trading in energy resources with Sri Lanka. Future studies of this work could deeply analyze the pros and cons of depending on India to fulfill Sri Lanka’s energy needs.
A Study on Sri Lankan Labour Migration to South Korea.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Wijesooriya, W. A. I. C.
For decades, the stereotypical Sri Lankan migrant worker has been a low-wage female domestic servant in Saudi Arabia or Lebanon. But the stereotype no longer represents the reality: since the late 1990’s nearly half of the migrant workforce has been male and many migrants are opting for new destinations in Europe and Asia rather than the Middle East. Even well developed countries such as USA and Italy own very less percentage from total migration. The special point is that there is a rapid increase of labour migration to South Korea. Especially people between twenties and thirties are trying to succeed their Korean dream more than migrating to other countries. In 2016, 6629 Sri Lankans have officially gone to work in South Korea, a country with a stable exchange rate and better monetary policy than Sri Lanka and about 26 000 Sri Lankans are in higher-paying jobs in South Korea. Sri Lankans are going to work in Korea in droves, despite labour shortages at home due to low wages and to overcome unemployment. The main question that this research seeks to address is even though there are a number of job opportunities in the Middle East, why most of people exceedingly try to migrate to South Korea. The main purposes of this study are to investigate main reasons and hidden factors for the massive flow of Sri Lankan labour migration to South Korea, to examine the trends, patterns and scales of labour migration to South Korea, to investigate different living conditions of migrant workers before departure and after migration and to examine experiences and difficulties faced by migrant workers in the destination country. This study relies on a mix method by using both primary data and secondary data. Information was collected by interviewing officials and migrants, distributing a questionnaire and referring various literature on labour migration. The research concludes that youth unemployment in Sri Lanka is clearly a pressing issue which pushes them towards other destinations. The majority of those seeking work in Korea were in the 25-30 and also the 20-24 age category. Low income/low wages in Sri Lanka and satisfactory salaries in South Korea are the main reasons cited by the youth for seeking foreign employment in South Korea.
The Effect of the Geneva Convention related to the Ethnic Crisis of Sri Lanka.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Kumarasinghe, K.A.W.M.
The Geneva issue arises with the western efforts of restoring “human right tactics” to demean Sri Lanka’s success on the international stage against the LTTE. The LTTE was ranked as the most ruthless and dangerous terrorist organization in the world at the time. They fought against Sinhala people. And the Geneva problem is not a simple case for both Sri Lanka’s economic and cultural perspectives. The purpose of this study is to identify the effect of Geneva Convention in relation to the ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka. The Geneva report recommends the investigation of the alleged human right violation in Sri Lanka since 1982. The latest Geneva report on Sri Lanka was released on September 16 in Geneva during its currently ongoing 30th session. But the present report is no different from the controversial Darusman report. In this study I wish to examine what the Geneva Convention is, how it can affect the Sri Lankan perspectives and why it became a blemish for the development process of Sri Lanka in many cases. Here, secondary data have been used which is appropriate to the topic and to conduct a qualitative data analysis. The study shows that according to the present context of the Geneva resolution and its impact on Sri Lanka the government has to agree with the principle of free and fair inquiry in the alleged war crimes. And the most controversial recommendation in the Geneva report is the “hybrid” court of inquiry which raised the doubt of the extent of involvement of the foreign judges and the demarcation of jurisdiction. The research concludes that the main economic impact of Geneva Convention related to the Sri Lankan ethnic crisis will be losing potential opportunities which will affect the tourism and foreign direct investment. And also it could affect Sr Lankan exports to western countries which are main markets for our manufactured exports. Not only that, this problem will also affect Sri Lankan independence and sovereignty as a nation.
The Refugee Crisis: A European Policy Failure.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Nanayakkara, M.D.
The outbreak of unprecedented number of people from Middle Eastern and African countries -fleeing from war, persecution, and unrelenting poverty-have been crossing borders into and within Europe, traversing the Mediterranean, the Balkans, and the English Channel. This refugee crisis has created a vast range of spillover effects turning immigration, asylum, border control, and state sovereignty into interconnected problems, making migration not only a political event but also a media spectacle all over the world. The evolving context of this crisis continues to throw up new challenges for the European Union requiring robust systems and policies that can be adapted to meet them. Refugee protection efforts in Europe have continuously suffered from substantial collective efforts in the area of policy making due to the restrictive policy measures adopted by European region. Although the number of protection programs in European has increased in recent years, mal-integration and lack of consensus within the nations continue to grow within the region. The diverse agendas followed by the countries in the European region have in one way or the other influenced the refugee crisis at a larger scale, increasing the repercussions of the crisis. Thus, the response of the European nations has been quite lamentable. Hence, this paper examines how the refugee protection obligations of European countries have been affected by increasing lack of consensus in the European Union. The objective of this paper is to identify the discrepancies between European policies implemented on refugee crisis and it intends to find out possible means in building a successful European Refugee Policy. Further, this paper is conducted as a qualitative study with the use of secondary data under the refugee crisis and the European policies. In conclusion, this paper will discuss hurdles faced by the European region in drafting refugee protection policies, argue on the overburdening risks of the prevailing measures and aims to provide recommendations to the divided Europe to unify its’ policies.
The Rise of Islamic Fundamentalism and its Impact on Syrian Crisis.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Liyanage, P.K.
Many of the world leaders and scholars consider Islamic fundamentalism as the newest global threat in the contemporary global society. The rivalry between Communism and the Capitalism has been replaced by a new conflict between the West and the Islamic fundamentalists. Ever since the 9/11 attack, calamities connected with radical Islam movement has spread rapidly worldwide. In the present situation negative implication of this movement is manifested in the infamous “Arab Spring” disrupting the stability of Middle East nations. Syrian Crisis is also an extension of this series of uprisings starting from 2011. It has caused lot of bloodshed and brutal atrocities, as well as the most primitive and savage practices which have made half of the Syrian population to flee the country in terror. The emergence fundamentalist movements like Al-Qaeda affiliated Al –Nusra Front and ISIS have made the Syrian Crisis more complex together with thousand other jihadists and opportunists. Therefore this study prioritizes to find out the negative impact of Islamic fundamentalism on further escalation of the Syrian crisis. The study is based on secondary data gathered through books, websites, research articles, online magazines, journal articles, newspaper articles, and public speeches given by political leaders and intellectuals. The theory of the Clash of Civilizations by Samuel P. Huntington was utilized to analyze how the rise of Islamic fundamentalism impact on the Syrian Crisis. Based on this theory the study reveals that the clashes have escalated with the increased involvement of fundamentalist movements based on the issues of religion and culture. The research further discloses that rise of the fundamentalist movements in Middle East region and the unstable situation of Syria due to political, economic and sectarian issues has become influencing factors for the development and involvement of these fundamentalist movements in Syrian Crisis. Thus it can be deduced that there is a strong relationship among Islamic Fundamentalism and the Syrian Crisis and it has challenged the security situation of Syria negatively. Since fundamentalism embodies radical ideologies and adopts violence as the central means to promote its goal and establish the new order, the future of Syria seems to be bleak.
Convergence of India and China interests and their impact on post conflict Sri Lanka.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Karunarathne, M.S.H.U.
Convergence of India-China interests on Sri Lankan context became critical during post conflict period as it provided the platform for these two powerful nations to check and balance their interests. This paper aims at discussing the impact of their interests on post conflict Sri Lanka. The main objective of the study is to determine the imperatives of Sri Lanka’s post conflict period and identify the convergence of Indo-China interests on above context and their impact on Sri Lanka. To achieve aforesaid objectives qualitative approach has been adopted and secondary data is the main type of data obtained from various sources such as books, journal articles, newspapers, government records and other relevant documents available in both printed and electronic versions. Document analysis, theoretical analysis and descriptive analysis are used to analyze data. In document analysis documents are interpreted to give meaning and it collects available data related to the study and interprets them to find out specific issues. Concepts derived from literature review and theoretical analysis help to develop broader understanding on those issues and collect new knowledge. Descriptive analysis has also been used in certain areas to provide comprehensive understanding of collected data. The research findings conclude Chinese influence over the other regions seems inevitable with its rise as a global economic and military power which is perceived as a threat by India. India is also trying to match Chinese rise resulting suspicion and fear psychosis among one another’s achievements. Both are engaged in a competition to achieve goodwill of their neighbors. Sri Lanka has become convergence point for both India and China due to its strategic importance in the Indian Ocean and it was intensified during post conflict period. Both attempted to attract the post conflict reconstruction projects but China impressed more positively on Sri Lankan policy makers since its aid came with no influences for domestic politics. India raised the issue on reconciliation and power devolution and even supported UN resolution against Sri Lanka. Chinese approach was more peaceful and beneficial for Sri Lanka whereas India
Identifying the Trends and Hindrances on Indian Desire for Security Council Permanent Membership.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Herath, H.M.I.M.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is the most authoritative institution of the United Nations and the only legitimate international organization that can pass binding resolutions, impose sanctions and authorize use of force. India is a country which urges to become a major power in the world and India is trying to seek an international confirmation for its status of a major power. Permanent membership of the UN Security Council has traditionally been considered as a key criterion for being counted as a great power. As one of the strong contenders for a permanent seat at the UNSC, India has joined the UN in 1945 but it was not an independent nation till 1947.Since then India dreamed to being a permanent member of the UNSC who possess veto power. As a result of it India had all the credentials to become a permanent member of the UNSC. However it is in many regards unclear as to why is India still not a permanent member of the UNSC? Therefore, this study has been conducted in order to identify the trends and hindrances on Indian desire for Security Council Permanent Membership. The main objectives of the study are determine the eligibility of India for claiming permanent membership in Security Council and identify the trends and hindrances on Indian desire for Security Council Permanent Membership. Finally, the study focus on the possibility of India for attaining permanent membership in UNSC. The methodology that has followed for the study is qualitative in nature while only based on secondary sources of data like books, journal articles, reports, institutional and official document and applied qualitative descriptive analysis. The findings of the study demonstrate that the Indian journey to UNSC permanent membership seems very difficult and it depends on a large number of internal and external factors. However, if India want to represent in UNSC as a permanent member before that India needs to settle the disputes and territorial issues with neighbouring countries particularly Kashmir dispute. After settling disputes at home, path to the permanent membership of the UNSC and global power will be easier.
Applicability of International Peace Making Models to the Post War Era of Sri Lanka.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Ishaq, M.A.M.
This research is based on the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict. Although it is said that there was no ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka it is an obvious fact that there was a long fought civil war in Sri Lanka. This research study finds out the progress of the ongoing peace process in Sri Lanka after its end in 2009 and whether it is well implemented or not and thereby to find out an international peace keeping model for Sri Lankan ethnic conflict which will be a new light reevaluate the conflict. The research objectives of this research are to identify the nature of Sri Lankan peace process, to identify the reasons for its failure and to identify the applicability of international peace keeping models on Sri Lankan peace process. This research is based on descriptive research method. The research assesses the past of the conflict, the current context and future trends. This research analyzes both primary data collected by interviews using semi-structured interview method and a questionnaire method and secondary data. But this research is heavily based on secondary data from internet, journals, books and newspapers. These data have then been analyzed using several theories of international relations, political studies, psychology and social studies. The research has been done in several levels of analysis. First the multi-ethnic nature of Sri Lanka has been taken into account while drawing comparisons from similar countries in the world faced with ethnic conflict and investigating what measure have been taken by them. In this regard, the post-apartheid movements in South Africa, America and the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet have been evaluated. Secondly, the study explores the presence of nationalist and humanitarian revolutionary factors in Sri Lanka. Thirdly, it has looked into feasible governing models that can keep the peace in Sri Lanka. Finally the research finds out what institutions are suitable to sustain the peace. Based on this multi-level analysis, the study concludes that transformative leadership, peace education, peace journalism, moderate political solution and equal economy can pave the way for lasting peace in Sri Lanka.
The Impact of Chinese Relations on Sri Lanka's Economy.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Amarakoon, A.R.W.M.M.P.B.
Sri Lanka, the China’s Jewel in the Heart of the Indian Ocean has forged closer relations with China during the past few years in its economic, military, and diplomatic relations. Although ancient Sri Lankan and Chinese relations were based on religious and cultural links, replicating the relations between large and lower middle economies, recently, Sri Lanka warmly welcomed the Chinese investments, trade pacts, financial assistance and Foreign Direct Investments to several economic sectors. The two countries take economic development as a priority of their national strategy, while looking for effective links which could maintain their core national interests. The bilateral economic and trade cooperation has a great potential especially after the upcoming signing of the Free Trade Area Agreement with China’s idea of creating the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The purpose of the study is to investigate the impacts of economic relationship with China on Sri Lanka’s economy while addressing the opportunities and challenges especially in the spheres of trade and investments. Accordingly, the nature of economic relations and the ability of addressing the current economic challenges faced by Sri Lanka through the extent of the positive and negative impacts of these economic relations are subjected to further analysis. The content analysis method is used to achieve the research objectives through the use of secondary data based on the review of existing literature and analyzing them in an empirical and theoretical perspective. The impacts of Chinese relations to Sri Lanka’s economy will be systematically analyzed in both positive and negative perspectives through revenues and profits gained from exports, imports and tourism industry and also the rates of wages and labour utilization of the Chinese investment projects. The implementation of Chinese soft power strategy unveiled that these investments and financial assistance lead to future debts and higher budget deficits along with the less export revenue and high unemployment rates in local labour market. In contrast, the development of infrastructure increasing revenues in tourism industry is exemplified. Hence, this study insists the significance of having an insight on strengths, weaknesses and the influences for the current decision making process of the country in relation to the economy.
The New Face of Genocide in Sri Lanka.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Jayawardane, B.A.I. M.
Today the world is facing a new face of genocide. It is most commonly known as ‘poverty’. This can also be referred to a deadly viral disease and has escalated in to a global catastrophe. Still the modern form of genocide is not addressed wisely by world forums although it is very important to combat global poverty. Sri Lanka as a developing country is also a victim. According to the World Bank people who are maintaining their living with less than 1.90 US dollars per day are categorized under ‘extreme poverty’ and people who are maintaining their living with less than 3.10 US dollars are categorized under ‘moderately poverty’ group. African and Asian countries face this condition seriously. World’s poorest countries can be found in Sub – Saharan Africa. Niger and Eritrea are two of the poorest countries which are land locked and there are more. Objective of studying global poverty is to provide a clear picture of global poverty and to broaden the understanding about poverty alleviation. Since the world is facing a catastrophe in the name of poverty everyone must have a clear understanding about the term and its impacts to provide necessary solutions to reduce poverty level in Sri Lanka. The study of poverty in Sri Lanka has been conducted by referring to secondary sources like books, journals, newspaper, reports, articles and visual sources. Statistical analysis and graphs have been used to demonstrate poverty levels. Aspects of poverty include hunger, unemployment, corruption, illiteracy, poor standards of living, lack of access to healthy food and water and hardships to fulfill basic needs of people. Exploitation of resources in colonial period, decolonization, great wars, civil wars, lack of proper education, political instability, backward economy, dictatorships, violence and civil wars are outcomes of poverty. Sri Lanka is also affected by these problems. Some global level initiatives have launched to alleviate poverty. Sustainable development goals introduced by UNO and regional organizations like European Union, ASEAN, and SAARC contribute to reduce poverty by giving aids and advices to countries. UNO and European Union have contributed to alleviate poverty to an extent. However, still there is more to be done.
The Economic Impacts of Labor migration: Case of Sri Lanka.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Dinushika, M.G.O.
Sri Lanka is a major labour sending country in Asia, with a high proportion of labour migrants employed as domestic and non-domestic with increasing remittances. Sri Lanka, being a low-middle income country with a total population of 20 million, is currently considered one of the foremost labour sending countries in the Asian region. Despite such financial gains for families and national economy, the left-behind families have limited exploration. The Sri Lankan government faces a dilemma. The major aims of this study to determine the trends, patterns and scale of labor migration and to analyze the impact of migration of skilled workers on economy. Data have been collected from primary and secondary data collection methods in addition to twenty in-depth interviews conducted with participants recruited through purposive sampling. Necessary Information was gathered from relevant books, treaties, scholarly journals, internet, newspaper articles and periodicals. Data was analyzed using content and thematic analyses used in the Neo- Classical Theory, the Situation Oriented Approach (Push-Pull Hypotheses), the World System Theory and the Dual Labour Market Approach. Pre-migration economic situation, economic difficulties and higher earning possibilities abroad were considered to be the major push and pull factors for labour migration. The process of theorization of migration began in the nineteenth century. It has been discussed by sociologists, geographers and economists who have respectively emphasized the social and cultural, the distance and economic factors as the causes of migration. The research explores the findings and suggests some recommendations in maximizing the positive effects and minimizing the negative effect of labour migration on economies. It further argues that there is a need to explore best practice models, which not only support the families of migrant workers but also facilitate regular intimate contact between migrant and family while gaining economic advantages of migration.
Nationalism or Regionalism: The Impacts of the Catalan secession on the Spanish region.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Thennakoon, A.S.
The Catalan region is one of 17 autonomous regions in the Spanish mainland. Recently they had an independence referendum to declare themselves as a sovereign nation. But Spain's Constitutional Court has ruled illegal the ousted Catalan parliament's recent vote to declare the region independent from Spain and used violence against Catalan voters. Since then, there is an increased amount of interest across the globe about international relations between regions, particularly in the Catalonian/Spanish coalition. But there is limited access to collect precise information about the impacts of Catalan secession on the Spanish region. To fill that gap, I conducted a study by adopting a qualitative research method and used secondary sources to gather data. The objective of this study is to create a better understanding of the Catalonian/Spanish coalition and the impacts of the Catalan secession on the Spanish region. From the findings and discussion point of view, this study indicates that the origins of modern Catalan nationalism roots back to the era of Franco’s dictatorship and the subsequent transition to democracy. Moreover, my findings indicate from an economic point of view, secession would have extremely negative consequences for Spain, because Catalonia accounts for nearly a fifth of Spain's economy and leads all regions in producing 25% of the country's exports. Catalan is Spain’s engine of growth, accounting for 19 percent of its GDP, it contributes much more in taxes (21% of the country's total) than it gets back from the government. Furthermore, these findings reflect that Spain without Catalan would continue to be part of all the institutions to which it now belongs, although not necessarily in the same conditions. For example, in the European Union, Spain would have to renegotiate its weight in the Council, the number of MEPs, and so forth. To conclude, according to this study, the impact of the Catalan secession on the Spanish region is more negative, and Spanish economic crisis is considered as a threat to the spirit of the European Union as well.
Effects of migration of women to Middle East countries: Case of Sri Lanka.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Dilhani, R.W.T.
Migration is the movement of people from one place to another place for the purpose of permanent or semi-permanent residences across a political boundary. There are about 214 million estimated international migrants in the world today and among them 49% are women of the global population. More than 60,000 of Sri Lankan women are working in Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain and Qatar as housemaids. The purpose of this study is to identify the effects of migration of Sri Lankan women to Middle East countries. The number of Sri Lankan women who are migrating as house maids to Middle East countries was increased after the introduction of open economy system to Sri Lanka in 1977.Therefore,it has both micro and macro level impacts to the development of Sri Lanka in international arena. In this study I wish to examine that what is the women migration, what are the push and pull factors, how it be affected to the Sri Lankan perspectives and why it is became as a severe crisis for the development process of the Sri Lanka. Here, I used secondary data which is appropriate topic and consider qualitative data analysis. The study shows that the current situation of the migration of Sri Lankan women to Middle East countries and its impacts for the Sri Lanka. There are some push and pull factors which are motivate women to migrate as housemaids to Middle East countries. The research concludes that the impacts of migration of women which are related to the Sri Lankan economic, cultural, social and political contexts and the main impact is that, it can break up the family and it will lead to social upheaval without a mother at home. And also it could affect to the image of Sri Lanka and women of Sri Lanka within other countries. In the case of 'Rizana' we realized that how dangerous women migration of Sri Lanka to Middle East countries. However, until today migration of women plays the key role as the main income source in the economy of Sri Lanka.
The “DOKLAM” Border Standoff between Two Asian Giants.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Karunarathne, M.S.H.U.
Sino-Indian border disputes have a long history which marked the deterioration of their relations. This particular study is mainly focused on ‘Doklam’ face-off, the most recent confrontation of borderland between China and India. The tension between India and China were again intensified with the ‘Doklam’ face-off and this situation taught unforgettable lessons for both sides. The study will discuss historical background of their border disputes. The main objective is to examine the present situation of the border disputes regarding the ‘Doklam’ face-off and also discusses what types of changes will happen in their future bilateral relations regarding the ‘Doklam’ incident. Furthermore the study will examine the Bhutan factor which is the third party of the ‘Doklam’ face-off. To achieve aforesaid objectives a qualitative approach has been adopted and secondary data is the main type of data obtained from various sources such as books, journal articles, newspapers, government records and other relevant documents available in both printed and electronic versions. Document analysis and theoretical analysis are used to analyze data. In document analysis documents are interpreted to give meaning and it collects available data related to the study and interprets them to find out specific issues. Concepts derived from literature review and theoretical analysis help to develop broader understanding on those issues and collect new knowledge. The research findings conclude that Chinese influence over the other entities seems inevitable with its rise as a global economic and military power which is perceived as a threat by India. India is also trying to match Chinese rise resulting suspicion and fear psychosis among one another’s achievements. Border disputes are considered as one of the main factors which are shaping their bilateral relations. Time to time these disputes have turned their relations into tensions. The Border States and areas, such as Bhutan and ‘Doklam’ have become convergent points for both India and China due to its strategic importance in the border areas. Furthermore, this particular study emphasized the importance of resolute solution for the standoff between India and China.
Migration and Poverty in Sri Lanka: special reference to Polonnaruwa District.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Ranamuka, R.A.H.K.
Sri Lanka has inherited a glorious and a proud history. Its’ people have spent simple lifestyles mostly based on agriculture and nurtured many cultural and socio-economic values. With the introduction of the open economy in the 20th century, these attitudes changed dramatically and people became more money oriented in a capitalized society. As a result, they had to find new ways of earning money rather quickly. Migration of people for foreign employment started in such a background. This research mainly focuses on how foreign remittances help to mitigate poverty level in Polonnaruwa district as the main objective. Majority of people in Polonnaruwa district migrate to other countries seeking for employment to come out of the grip of poverty. Majority of them get less income per month. Poverty was increased during civil war period, but at the end of the war people were reasonably well off rather than in the past. There are many rural areas embedded in Polonnaruwa district and they are always fighting with life, because of the higher cost of living. Some people cannot even find their daily expense, and on such a situation people tend to go for overseas jobs. Therefore this research is valuable to study their past life and success of their present life due to migration. Examining the migration family status now and then, reasons of migration, economic background of the family have been taken as specific objectives of this study. Research use both primary and secondary data and also collect the data and utilize both quantitative and qualitative methods. To collect the primary data, questionnaire method will be utilized. Many sources are used to collect the secondary data such as publish and unpublished books, journals, research etc. The findings of this study are migration is taken place to reduce poverty in Polonnaruwa district, and majority of them have migrated due to poverty. The study concludes that as a result of the migration, their family status and the economic background has improved than the past. As the recommendation awareness programs should be implemented to maintain their income after come back to Sri Lanka.
War and Terrorism in Sri Lanka.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Munasinghe, P.A.A.D.
War is so common in the world today, and especially in the third world countries. Many countries in the world are engulfed by war. Civil war, ethnic war, cold war, identity wars have been the cause of ruining human civilizations. First and second world wars, ethnic war in Sri Lanka, Vietnam War etc are some of the examples of wars that have made damages the world is still recovering from. No one has forgotten 9/11. People still live in fear and terror in most of the Islamic countries. Freedom has been ditched and murdered by terrorism all over the world. Terrorism could make it impossible to imagine any free society. Our next generation might end up growing up surrounded by nuclear weapons, terrorism and human genocide. The Sri Lankan Civil War was an armed conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on 23 July 1983, there was an intermittent insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which fought to create an independent Tamil state called Tamil Eelam in the north and the east of the island. After a 26-year military campaign, the Sri Lankan military defeated the Tamil Tigers in May 2009, bringing the civil war to an end. The future for the island of Sri Lanka, however, offers three stark alternatives, kill all remaining Tamils, power-sharing package and partition. Hence, the first choice would not help ease the situation for better. The second alternative is to find a solution that provides guarantees for security, stability and ethnic peace, which can be materialized in ethnically divided societies through restructuring the state system with power sharing. There should be a political appetite among masses for broader peace agendas. Importantly, there needs to be a political regime to pursue peace. Propaganda and marketing not only need to launch war, but also to seek peace. Actually, more aggressive form of propaganda and marketing is needed to seek peace in a society where symbols are sold to pursue war.
Cyber-attacks: The evolving threat landscape in Sri Lanka’s National Security.
(1st International Studies Students’ Research Symposium-2017 (ISSRS 2017) ,Department of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2017) Perera, W.M.Y.
The 21st century Digital Age where the availability and accessibility of information reaching unprecedented levels has expanded the contexts from which national security challenges can emerge. Sri Lanka being ranked among the top 10 countries in the Asia Pacific impacted by the growing threats to cyber-attacks unveils the vitality to protect its availability of critical infrastructure. Moreover, as a developing nation currently it has a greater possibility of facing an unforeseen vulnerability in cyber-attacks owing to its greater dependence on critical infrastructure, industrial automation and cyber based control systems especially with the adoption of ‘E- Sri Lanka Development’ initiative. Although Sri Lanka claimed its complete territorial sovereignty by eradicating the LTTE terrorists there remains a question whether the country is ready to face emerging threats in the new domain of cyberspace. The objective of this research is to identify the sectors of national security in Sri Lanka that are more prone to cyber-attacks. Moreover, it reviews how the existing law is deficient and what needs to be done to improve network intrusions threatening the National Security. Examining the existing law with globally accepted cyber intrusion analytical models denoted that a comprehensive legal framework is needed to address cyber-attacks. The study is based on qualitative research with the aim of gathering insights on the subject matter including both primary and secondary data. The study found out that, the vulnerability of business and industries to cyber-attacks is increasing and will continue to increase in future, adoption of internet and mobile banking in the banking sector is causing cyber security breaches where banks hardly report for the fear of losing public confidence and inadequate preventive mechanisms and privacy laws to detect cyber-attacks. Sri Lanka’s paradigm shift from eradicating LTTE and securing its physical borders, to cyber space has become the newest national security breach infringing its Political, Economic, Social and Technological spheres.