Amid the wreckage, some sought glimmers of light. The tsunami, it was argued, offered some political hope of reconciliation between hostile communities: Muslims and Buddhists in southern Thailand, Acehnese and the Jakarta government, Tamils and Sinhalese in Sri Lanka. Both in Aceh, where the Indonesian government has been waging a vicious anti-secessionist war for 28 years, and in Sri Lanka, it was argued that the warring sides might find common cause in disaster relief. Both the Indonesian armed forces and the Free Aceh Movement have called ceasefires. But it is unclear how long the truce may last, or what access international relief agencies will be given to the area where conflict rages.
Similarly, in Sri Lanka, some of the most severe damage was done in areas controlled by the Tamil Tigers. In theory, co-operation with the government in administering disaster relief might help build confidence and strengthen the shaky ceasefire. In practice, such co-operation is likely to prove impossible, leaving Tamils in Tiger areas—like disaffected Acehnese—feeling even more disregarded by the central government.
Source: The Economist, January 1, 2005
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