Upali Weerakoon
Affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Email: [email protected]
Abstract: Internally displaced people (IDPs) and their resettlement are not new phenomena among post-war countries. This article focus on IDPs, who have been displaced by nearly three decades of protracted conflict and their resettlement in Sri Lanka. During conflict (1980-2009), Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala people were displaced specially north and eastern provinces in the county. First they shifted to displace camps and stayed there for safety. Some of them moved to other part of country and some migrated to other countries. This research focus on Sinhalese IDPs and their resettlement process. The objective of the study is to find the effect of affinity relations to adopt host community and confirmation of permanent residence of the IDPs. Research field is Galkandegama village at Rambawa divisional secretariat in Anuradhapura district in Sri Lanka. Research sample is purposively selected by pre observation and recognize displaced new settler families. This is empirical research done by qualitative research method. Mostly case study method was used to collected primary data. Interviews and observation techniques were used to collect data. Secondary data and information were used to have a depth analysis. Research finding is affinity relationship has influenced in various ways to new settlement of IDPs. Those are ethnic group and ethnic identity, affinity relationship, cast and livelihood. Later affinity relation were expanded through marriages between displaced new settlers and early settlers. Further this confirmed the adaptation of newly settled displaced families to new society.
Keywords: Affinity; Displaced People; Migration; Ethnicity; Caste.