ABSTRACT
As Sri Lanka slid back towards open hostilities in 2006, existing patterns of civil society engagement in peace negotiations came under widespread criticism on the grounds that they had failed to broaden participation and that they had largely excluded civil society organizations (CSOs) that were critical of peace efforts. As peace talks broke down, the need to move beyond a ‘charmed circle’ of Colombobased peace NGOs and to engage with a ‘broader civil society’ was emphasized by funding agencies. This period was also marked by an increasingly visible confrontation between pro-peace civil society and patriotic nationalist groups mobilizing against peace negotiations and international engagement. This was expressed through growing attacks on NGOs in the media and at a number of public events.1
