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  • Essay / The impact of the Easter bombings in Sri Lanka on the political and economic spheres

    The Easter bombings left Sri Lanka in a disastrous state. As is the case with most terrorist attacks in the past, a crisis of this nature can leave a state with numerous political and economic implications. The central thesis of this article is twofold. Firstly, the recent Easter attacks have highlighted the many shortcomings of the Sri Lankan government and will have a significant impact on electoral politics which is manifesting due to a change in public political orientation and a loss of confidence in the current government. in addition to a potential change in the stability of the partial system. Second, the economic consequences of the attacks include disruption to the tourism sector, investment challenges and reduced business activity, particularly for small businesses. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The article will assess the political and economic ramifications of the Easter bombings in Sri Lanka. Although there are many definitions of the term "terrorism", this article will use the definition provided by Oxford University Press, as "the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political objectives. » This essay was organized as follows. The first part provides an overview of the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, necessary for understanding the previous sections. Next, the paper will individually assess the political and economic impact of the attacks, followed by a summary of key points and concluding remarks. Sri Lanka witnessed its deadliest attack since the end of the civil war in 2009 on April 21, 2019, when three Catholic churches, three luxury hotels and a motel were bombed by suicidal members who were later identified as members of a local jihadist group National Thowheeth Jama'. ath (hereinafter NTJ). Targeting Christians and tourists on Easter Sunday, ISIL reportedly claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying the perpetrators involved were Islamic State fighters. UNICEF currently puts the death toll at 253, including 46 children, and the Government of Sri Lanka (hereinafter GoSL) says that more than 500 people, including children, have been injured and are in need of assistance. These attacks come at a time when Sri Lanka has been facing structural and physical communal violence, primarily among Sinhalese and Muslims, which has emerged sporadically since 2017. These events, as well as the slow process of post-war reconciliation in Sri Lanka, have raised concerns about possible ethno-religious clashes. but no long-term effort to resolve this problem has been implemented. Terrorist attacks can have profound political consequences. Perhaps the most notable political impact of the terrorist attacks has been the loss of public confidence in the current government. Not only has the government been ineffective in the face of this potential threat, but it has reportedly ignored all warnings and refused to take responsibility for its inaction. Recovering from a terrorist attack poses a significant challenge for government, given that a balance between freedom and security must be achieved, resource constraints must be resolved, and all government institutions must be controlled, particularly with regard to avoiding ethnic prejudice. Furthermore, a politician's responsibility to act in the public interest is aimportant element of modern democracy, but failure to do so has led to many negative consequences. The attacks served as an instrument to highlight their shortcomings; notably regarding the lack of communication between politicians and intelligence officials, the disregard for warning signs and, most interestingly, the disastrous consequences of President Sirisena's decision to place the defense and police divisions under its own control. All these indicators reveal that the GoSL was preoccupied with internal issues which arguably resulted in greater tragedy. On another note, it was noted that terrorist events prompt the coalition parties to come together in unison and show a united front to fight terrorism. In the local context, we have seen this through a few events such as the joint resignation of Muslim ministers from their portfolios while continuing to serve as parliamentarians and several MPs making statements on solidarity and the need for unity as well than presenting collective apologies and responsibility. It is also evident that the event will influence electoral politics and the stability of the party system. Signs of a political shift in public opinion have already become evident, and even if citizens lose confidence in the government, those hoping to run for office will most likely use past events to their advantage. For example, former defense chief Gotabhaya Rajapaksa announced his candidacy for the presidential elections shortly after the attacks. It is therefore known that terrorist activities influence voters' perceptions and election results. The author believes that 2019 presidential candidates will use terrorist attacks to advance their agenda and influence voter perceptions. Election results will also likely see a shift in the dominant party and coalitions. Additionally, disagreements within internal political factions can also give rise to unstable coalitions that can affect the stability of the party system. The recent emergence of so-called coalition politics is likely to change after the elections. Furthermore, it is also likely that the Rajapaksa faction of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) will take center stage in the incumbent government. Regarding the economic impact of terrorist attacks, it is worth noting the disruption of tourism and the negative impact on investments and small businesses. The damage to tourism is perhaps most obvious in this regard. A terrorist attack can affect tourism by reducing the number of tourists, thereby leading to a decrease in spending which consequently affects GDP. Revenues from tourism represent up to 5% of the national economy. Tourist arrivals fell by almost 70% immediately after the attacks and this drop is expected to continue at 50% even two months after the incident, with flight cancellations also reaching almost 80%. Additionally, given that Sri Lanka had just experienced a surge in tourist arrivals following Lonely Planet's "Best Country to Travel to in 2019" ranking, this tragedy represents a major downfall. Demand for local goods and services will also weaken in the coming months as tourism declines. The fall in tourism and other factors would also affect the state's investment prospects. Not only will the events affect the Sri Lankan rupee, but the state will also have to monitor the reaction of potential foreign investors. Loss of income and.