Abstract:
Last three decades of Sri Lankan history has been overshadowed by
conflict and war. Fortunately, the war came to an end and now the peace is very much
evident in the country. However, the dividends of peace have yet to come for the
people living in conflict areas. Social and economic status of the post-war period has
continued to be the same. Meaningful measures of recovery from war to peace have to
be initiated. This paper investigates the present status and contribution of business
entrepreneurs in helping the post-war recovery of the conflict affected South - East
region of Sri Lanka which has a ethnically, religiously and linguistically mixed
population.
Data were collected from the entrepreneurs and people through an intensive
field investigation carried out in the South-East region using a questionnaire. The study
employed both qualitative and quantitative data analysis techniques.
The results revealed that the entrepreneurs are ethnically segregated and lack
interactions across ethnic boundary. The reason for such pattern of entrepreneurship is
that the existing businesses mainly target consumers in an ethnically homogeneous
population. This has led to in ethicizing other aspects of business establishments as
well. For example, in most business establishments, employers, employees and
customers are from the same ethnic group. War and conflict may have influenced this
pattern of entrepreneur behavior. The ethnic discrimination and negative perception
towards other ethnicity groups have been deeply rooted among the entrepreneurs in this
region. The present trend of spread and contribution of entrepreneurship is not a healthy
sign for the post-war recovery. Attempts have to be made to diversify all aspect of
business establishment which would target the best outcomes and best benefits to most
in the region. Then the entrepreneurs will surely help erasing off the marks of war in the
minds and hearts of people leading to healthy and free society.
