Mannar economic indicators return to the war past
The recent intensifying attacks on the Mannar people by the Sri Lanka Armed forces which forced people out of their usual habitats will have a devastating flow on effect. Many of the displaced lamented the loss of their livelihood.
People were forced to abandon their farmland, cattle, goats, poultry and all other economic activities. The status of the fishing industry, a high yield industry in Mannar, has been under attack by the Sri Lankan Navy throughout the CFA period and has been worsening over the same period. The chart below shows the situation over the last nearly 30 years. 
Click on image to enlarge
The first period was prior to the onset of the war in the early 80’s. By any normal standard, as it has been the case in the south of the island this productivity should have increased many folds over the nearly 30 years that followed. The second period represent the over 20 years of intense war when the economy was destroyed totally. The third period, the early part of the ceasefire agreement time, shows a small improvement but even this falls far short of the expected benefits of a ceasefire. The fourth period is the very recent past during which large scale displacement took place as a result of indiscriminate attacks by the GoSL forces evicting people from their habitat. Note that all of the data for the first three periods were taken from publications of the GoSL Census Department and the Rehabilitation and Development Framework for Mannar District 2004. The data for the foruth period were estimated by grass root humanitarian workers in Mannar. Are these indicators pointing back to the future?
21 September 2007
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Europe which has a total population of 800 million is made up of 45 language based nation states. South Asia which has a total population of one billion, (1000 million) is comprised of four states. Who is preventing and therefore benefiting by limiting new nation-states in South Asia?
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