Home to more than 100,000 people, Trincomalee is of historic, cultural, religious, and economic significance to the Sinhalese, Tamil, and Muslim communities at the heart of Sri Lanka’s civil conflict. The city also boasts one of the world’s deepest natural harbors, renowned for its security in all weathers, which explains its strategic importance to both the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Trincomalee has been embroiled in conflict for decades. Reflecting the dynamics of the country, the situation has fluctuated from periods of relative calm and confidence to extended periods of communal and militarized violence. Abductions, disappearances, and killings have undermined the rule of law and sown fear throughout isolated communities. After the December 2004 tsunami, friction between the Government and the LTTE regarding aid distribution exacerbated pervasive feelings of marginalization.

Such was the state of a city once known as the “City of Peace.”

Against this polarized backdrop, the smallest spark can assume dangerous proportions. That is exactly what happened in May 2005, when a statue of Lord Buddha appeared overnight at Trincomalee’s bus station. In an environment otherwise divided along ethnic lines, Trincomalee’s central bus stand—surrounded by markets and enterprises—was the main hub for everyday interaction among residents of all backgrounds. The movement of people and goods in the district, and the connections with the rest of the country, rely to a large extent on services provided through this transportation nexus, which consequently
plays a pivotal role in Trincomalee’s socioeconomic life.

The statue’s appearance quickly led to violent antagonism among Sinhalese (most of whom are Buddhists), Tamils (mostly Hindus), and Muslims, culminating in a market bombing next to the bus stand in April 2006. As the security situation deteriorated, transport services dwindled. Private bus owners and government-owned services ceased operations. Three-wheeler drivers moved off site, shops closed, and the once vibrant area shut down behind barbed wire and security forces. 

As the implementing contractor on the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Sri Lanka Transition Initiative, DAI immediately identified the bus stand as a critical piece of social infrastructure. But reanimating the area and defusing the local tensions, which were being fueled by politically motivated external influences, would not be easy. Widely respected interfaith leaders in the Inter Religious Peace Foundation had already tried to resolve the situation through dialogue, for example, with limited success. 

DAI designed a program that would rehabilitate the bus stand and shopping complex. The keystone of the program was a participatory approach that would open lines of communication across cultural, economic, social, and ethnic divides, making the process of rehabilitation just as important as the product. This participatory ethos was incorporated into that process right from the beginning; DAI engaged all conceivable stakeholders in the design of the new facility and even persuaded representatives from central and provincial government—traditionally at odds with each other—to facilitate the planning sessions. 

The initial session was fraught with derisive remarks based more on factionalism than any qualified objections to the ideas or proposals at hand. Participants worried, for instance, that development in the area would make the statue a permanent feature. But over time, the discussion became more civil, and the political, economic, and personal conflicts gave way to an agreement that development—if based on joint support from all communities—had the potential to encourage future dialogue over the bus station dispute and other issues. 

This interaction during the planning stage eventually transformed the relationships and dynamics in the group, resulting in a consensus on the architectural design and the establishment of a representative committee to monitor progress throughout construction. The final blueprint incorporated suggestions from bus owners, three-wheeler drivers, vendors, and government officials. Police and security forces—another of the stakeholder groups that had to be brought on board—agreed to reduce their presence and remove the barbed wire that had left the station a no-go zone. DAI engaged the interested parties in a campaign to promote awareness of the project, ensure its transparency, and encourage wide support for it as a venture that would benefit all communities.

The construction itself was marred by delays. But the community’s reaction—especially that of the bus owners and vendors who had been temporarily moved to another site—spoke of a growing collective commitment. Despite their hardships, they stood by the project to the end. 

In this case, the end is really a beginning. The bus stand and shopping complex were inaugurated on August 11, 2008, and in combination with various other public works implemented by DAI, the facility has changed the face of Trincomalee. The area has once again become the focus of public attention and interaction. Vendors line the streets during temple festivals; sports events on the public grounds are common. Near the bus stand, in an area previously off-limits due to the killing of five Tamil youths in 2006, a Beach Park now hosts hundreds of local residents every day. 

The City of Peace is coming back to life.