War Was a Curse. We Can Live in Peace. Resilience and healing in Sri Lanka.

War Was a Curse. We Can Live in Peace: Resilience and healing in Sri Lanka presents the stories of 29 men and women who have lived through the 28-year civil war in Sri Lanka. Weaving together personal narratives from across the country, the book uses a Peace History lens to capture the grey between the black and white narratives that protracted conflicts produce and illustrates the main obstacles that must be overcome in order for Sri Lankans to move forward in peace.

The book organises personal narratives from all sides of the conflict into three parts: The Past, The Past is the Present and The Future, illustrating how the civil war continues to penetrate daily attitudes and views on reconciliation and shape a peoples’ hope for coming generations. While still raw and painful, the stories presented in this publication contribute to the on-going wider and inclusive conversation about a peaceful future for Sri Lanka. From what started as an exploration around views on reconciliation and healing, the book finds that before a transformation of attitudes can occur, the stories of Sri Lankans must be listened to and acknowledged.