This was for a class at MIT Sloan in 'Power and Negociation' and is an analysis of the negociating positions of the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) at the end of the civil war in 2009. This is purely theoretical and for class purposes only. We are completely neutral in our position.

1. Sri Lanka Government (SLG)
versus
Liberation of Tamil Tigers of Eelam
(LTTE)
A story of lost opportunities
Amit Danenberg
Meera Gupta
Niki Gomez
Yash Mehta
Poonam Narula
Subrat Nayak
PratVemana
MIT Sloan : Power &Negociation Class 2009

2. Background
This analysis is based on Negociating and Bargaining tactics as taught
by Jared Curhan in Power and Negociation class at MIT Sloan in 2009.
Much of this presentation was following techniques from ‘Getting to Yes’
by Bruce Patton, Roger Fisher and William Ury.

3. Agenda
• Overview of Sri Lanka
• Sri Lanka – Two perspectives
• History of Negotiations
• Analyze Current Situation

4. Sri Lanka – Country Demographics
0.52%
7.56%
• An island located in the Indian 14.59 Sinhalese
%
ocean, off the southeast tip of 77.33
Tamilians
Moors
India %
Burghers
• GDP – $42B USD Sri Lanka Population
• GDP per capita – $4400
• Population – 22 Million
• Multi-Religion
– Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Chris
tian
• Key Economic Drivers –
Tea, Rubber, Garment
Industry, Tourism

5. Sri Lanka – Two Perspectives

6. Story of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Government Perspective

7. Sri Lanka – One Nation
Tamil
Muslim
Diverse and Integrated

8. A Nation of Peace
Buddhists – A majority population

9. Tamil Terrorists
•Few Tamils formed
terrorist group- LTTE
•War for 26 years
•70,000 people have died
•Sri Lankan economy is in
tatters
•Tourism and investment
down
We cannot let LTTE divide small country

10. Story of Sri Lanka
Tamil Perspective

11. Sri Lanka – History (Tamil)
• When Portuguese took
possession of the
island in 1505 there
were 3 Kingdoms
• Tamil Kingdom in the
North-East - Tamil
Homeland
• Sinhalese Kingdoms in
the South-West

12. Sri Lanka – History (Tamil)
One Island – Two Nations

13. Mistreatment of Tamils
• 1948 – 1 million Tamils declared as non-citizens
• 1949 – Sinhalese colonization in traditional Tamil homeland
• 1956 – Sinhala made sole official language of the country
• 1970 – “Ethnic standardization” slashes university admission to
Tamils
• 1972 – New constitution without Tamil participation
– Unilateral name change from Ceylon to Sri Lanka
– Declaration of Sri Lanka as a republic
– Buddhism made state religion

14. History of Negotiations

15. Negotiation
between
Sri Lanka Government
&
Tamils
1956

16. 1956 - Facts
• Sri Lanka government announced Sinhalese as
official language
• Tamil politicians staged peaceful
demonstrations
• Violent response from government

17. Sri Lanka Government - Tamils
Equal One Nation
It should be inclusive decision making process Representation
Relationship Commitment
Equal
Representation
Interest Tamil included as
official language
Options Riots to stop
Sinhala, Tamil Legitimacy Why only Sinhala?
Its 80% of population
Communication Alternatives
Why did you attack non-violent protest?
Unfortunate incident
Lets resolve together

18. History of Conflict Resolutions
From 1956 to Now

19. History of Negotiations – 1973 - 2002
• LTTE formed in 1976
• Continued war between two
forces
• LTTE used brutal tactics
• LTTE introduced “guerilla”
attacks
• LTTE controls North East SL
• SLG uses brutal force & state
sponsored violence
against Tamils
• India Mediated Peace
• India Ex-Prime Minister
assassinated by LTTE 1991

20. History of Negotiations - 2002
• Ceasefire
– Monitored by Scandinavian Countries
• Direct Dialogue
– Facilitated By the Royal Norwegian Government
• THE OSLO DECLARATION
– Signed by the SLG and the LTTE on 25 November 2002
– Extremely short-lived due to lack of trust ad commitment on
both sides

21. Current Conflict

22. Current Situation – May 1st 2009
• SL govt. launched major
offensive in 2007 to wipe out
LTTE
• Systematic war campaign
has killed many LTTE troops
• LTTE confined to 7km2 area
is using civilians as human
shields
• International community
humanitarian outrage
• No freedom of press

23. Current Crisis
Mediation
United Nations
Sri Lanka
Tamil

24. Mediator - Sri Lanka Government
Possible Sanctions Ceasefire?
We are very close to winning the war
Relationship Commitment
Interest We don’t want
Prabhakaran to
Options escape
How can you Legitimacy
protect civilians?
Communication Alternatives
Safe passage &
Rebuild Tamil
Communities

25. Mediator with Sri Lanka
• N: We are very close to winning this long war (Int)
• A: How can you protect Civilians?
• N: We don’t want Prabhakaran to escape (Interest)
• A: Possible sanctions, IMF funds being blocked
(Commit)
• A: Can you announce cease fire now? (Commit)
• N: Safe passage (Alternative)
• N: Rebuild the displaced Tamil communities (Commit)
• A: What is your BATNA?
• N: To continue the War until Prabhakaran is killed.
However we just want peace.

26. Mediator - LTTE
Why don’t you
surrender?
Relationship Commitment
I am a wanted man Interest We need a
ceasefire
Options
We will protect you Legitimacy Human Atrocities
Communication Alternatives
I don’t trust the Government promises

27. Mediator with LTTE
• P: Human Atrocities unbearable (Legitimacy)
• P: We need to ceasefire now (Interest)
• A: Why don’t you surrender to stop war (Option)?
• P: I don’t believe the government, many times
SLG went back (Legitimacy)
• P: I am a wanted man (Interest)
• A: We will protect your life (Option)
• A: What is your BATNA?
• P: Ceasefire due to huge human rights abuses by
the government

28. All Parties Equal
One Nation
We have a human rights crisis- need to end the Representation
war
Relationship Commitment
Equal
Representation
Interest Tamil included as
official language
Options Riots to stop
How can you Legitimacy Why only Sinhala?
Its 80% of population
protect civilians?
Communication Alternatives
Why did you attack non-violent protest?
Unfortunate incident
Lets resolve together

29. All parties - Dialog
• A: We have a human rights crisis, we need to end the war (Interest)
• A: Prabhakaran surrender – We will try your case in Hague court
• A: Govt will give safe passage
• A: Equal representation to Tamil
• A: I will get international community to pledge loans to rebuild
• A: International monitoring
• N: I agree
• P: Over my dead body
• A: How do you want to go down in history?
• P: I would rather be a martyr
• A: You have to save your people
• A: Hague will offer you a fair hearing
• P: Yes

30. Achieving Peace Through Value Creation
• It is not a fixed pie or zero-sum game
• 7 elements of Negotiation
– Circle of Value
• Interests
• Options
• Legitimacy
– Alternatives
• BATNA
– Communication
– Commitment
– Relationship
• ZOPA: Surrender or continuing the war
– Reservation Value, Aspiration Value
• Norms: Relational Norms
– Equality, Equity, Need
• Difficult Tactics:
– Attack, Threat
• Mediation:
– Neutrality
– Strong
– Caucusing

31. Q&A