Sri Lanka
What are the challenges in Sri Lanka?
Two decades of protracted conflict has had a major impact on security and development in Sri Lanka.
The fragile ceasefire agreement reached between the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 2002 has done little to stem the violence.
Other threats to peace and security of the country are:
- daily gun violence
- organised crime including trafficking of small arms
- community insecurity
These have created significant challenges to law and order, peace and democratic governance in the country, as well as having a high human cost.
What we do in Sri Lanka
With our partners, including the South Asia Small Arms Network - Sri Lanka, we seek to address these challenges by:
- carrying out research into small arms and light weapons proliferation
- working with the Government of Sri Lanka to develop a comprehensive national policy on small arms
- encouraging participation by the Government of Sri Lanka on international arms transfer initiatives
- training civil society to work on small arms and security issues
- promoting a conflict-sensitive approach to development work in the country
- promoting democratic oversight on security-related issues, including law enforcement and small arms control
Read our latest report which highlights the human, economic and environmental impacts of trap gun use in Sri Lanka.
Download 'Trap guns in Sri Lanka'
Reports and briefings
Implementation of the UN Programme of Action in South Asia, July 2006
Hambantota: Illegal small arms and light weapons pilot survey, June 2006
Small arms and light weapons: challenges in Sri Lanka and options for the future, May 2006
Small arms and light weapons: Challenges in Sri Lanka and options for the future, May 2006
News and activities
In June, we supported the National Commission Against the Proliferation of Illicit Small Arms (NCAPISA) in launching the ‘Survey Report on the Prevalence of Illicit Small Arms in Sri Lanka’ in Colombo. The panel for the launch included the former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Chandra Fernando, and the Secretaries of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Youth Affairs.
Well attended, including by officials such as the former Defence Secretary, and the incumbent IGP, NCAPISA members, donors, international and local NGOs, the survey was widely reported in the Sri Lankan media.
Download Saferworld's full activity report for May - June 2008
Read more about our work on:
Conflict-sensitive development
Security and justice sector development
