Post-disaster housing reconstruction in conflict affected Sri Lanka

Purpose This paper is an account of a study to critically analyse the role of housing reconstruction projects in post conflict Sri Lanka and discuss their implications on conflict prevention. Method Using four housing reconstruction projects in Batticaloa, Kilinochchi and Jaffna Districts, Sri Lanka, as case studies, and a novel methodological framework, the study explores the causal relations among the independent variables associated with housing reconstruction and dependent variables related to conflict prevention. The data, gathered from interviews and project reports, were analysed using propositions from a literature review, adopting a thematic analytical approach. Findings This study finds that reconstruction has created new forms of conflicts and tensions for the people who came to live in the newly constructed houses. The people, already vulnerable due to years of civil war, had to adopt strategies in order to survive in the new environment, which in return increased local tensions. The hostile relations that existed among different ethnic groups during the conflict were continued, and to some extent, exacerbated by the reconstruction undertaken after the war. Practical implications It is important to account for the war dynamics and the relationships that existed among different ethnic groups during war, when implementing reconstruction projects in a conflict sensitive environment. Originality/value This study examines post disaster housing reconstruction in Sri Lanka in a post-tsunami and post-conflict environment, a subject not adequately addressed by previous studies that have tended on the reconstruction in the immediate aftermath of the tsunami. The results reveal concerns in housing and infrastructure development that have implications for future research and practice in post-conflict environments