PPID has made a modest beginning in the past three years of existence in terms of quantity of work undertaken, the monetary values of such work, and number of personnel. In financial terms, PPID is a modest private institution. However, in terms of output, PPID has been successful in producing considerable knowledge products during the short period of existence. Besides, PPID knowledge products are of high quality as demonstrated by publications in leading regional and international peer-reviewed journals and publishers. Although, at professional level, there is only one full time staff, there are few more on standby basis. Besides, there are field-staff in four out of eight districts in the conflict region on a regular basis (part-time), and on standby basis in two districts.
In 2006, the East West Center Washington commissioned the Principal Researcher of PPID to write a monograph on the Economy of the Conflict Region in Sri Lanka for its policy research project on internal conflicts in Asia. It is published in the Policy Studies Series of the East West Center Washington in 2008 for international distribution and sale. In addition, the PPID will publish the same in all three languages (English, Sinhala and Tamil) for the local market.
The Pathfinder Foundation commissioned a paper on the Informal Economy in the Conflict Region of Sri Lanka for the UN High Level Commission on Empowerment of the Poor in 2006. The Principal Researcher of PPID contributed the Chapter on Poverty in the Conflict-Affected Region for the periodical Poverty Assessment undertaken by the World Bank in Sri Lanka in 2005
The Principal Researcher of PPID was a Course Tutor for the Postgraduate Diploma in Peace Studies Course conducted by the University of Bradford in association with the Social Scientists’ Association (SSA) in Sri Lanka during the academic year 2005/6. He was also a Guest Lecturer for the Postgraduate Diploma Course in Conflict Resolution conducted by the United Nations University for Peace in collaboration with the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) in Sri Lanka. Further, the Principal Researcher acted as an External Examiner of a Ph.D. Thesis submitted to the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, in 2006. He was also a Peer Reviewer of number of articles submitted to the Contemporary South Asia journal during 2004-2006.
On December 04th and 05th 2004 the PPID conducted its first workshop in Jaffna on ‘Democracy and Pluralism’. It was held at the auditorium of the rebuilt and refurbished Jaffna Public Library. Fifteen youths, majority of them females, attended and actively participated in the workshop on both days. Resource persons from the Colombo and Peradeniya Universities and the civil society conducted the workshop in Tamil. The Konrad Adenauer Stiftung of Germany sponsored this workshop. Though a series of similar workshops were planned throughout the Eastern and Northern Provinces during 2005, due to the Tsunami and the consequent changed priorities of the population, it did not materialise. Further, resumption of the conflict in December 2005 and the exit of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung from Sri Lanka stalled similar workshops in the conflict region.
The publication of the Quarterly Economic Review (QER) continues without any interruption since the first quarter 2001. There are about 60 subscribers to the QER. The Quarterly Economic Review published by the PPID is the only one of this kind in Sri Lanka. Most of the subscribers are institutions and libraries. There is a strong interest on the QER amongst the university community. QER is accessible online free-of-charge. In addition, printed version of the QER is sent to all the subscribers gratis.
A number of research students and staff from European, Indian, and North American universities undertaking research on the civil conflict in Sri Lanka have interviewed the Principal Researcher of the PPID. American, British, Canadian, German, Indian, Swedish, and Switzerland university postgraduate students and academic staff have interviewed the Principal Researcher.
The Principal Researcher of PPID is regularly interviewed by the national print media and occasionally by the electronic media on conflict and economic issues. In addition, the Hong Kong-based Star TV has interviewed him on the Sri Lankan conflict couple of times. Besides, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) World Service (Tamil) occasionally interviews him on the Sri Lankan conflict and the economy.
Loganathan, Ketheshwaran, (2007), Truthfully Speaking: War, Peace and Human Rights, Point Pedro (Sri Lanka), Point Pedro Institute of Development.
Sarvananthan, Muttukrishna, (2007), Economy of the Conflict Region in Sri Lanka: from Economic Embargo to Economic Repression, Policy Studies Series, Washington, D.C.: East West Center. (Forthcoming) (English / Sinhala / Tamil)
Sarvananthan, Muttukrishna, (2007), People’s Verdict on Tsunami Recovery in Sri Lanka. Colombo: International Centre for Ethnic Studies. (Forthcoming)
Sarvananthan, Muttukrishna, (2006), Children of War: Aspirations and Opportunities, Point Pedro (Sri Lanka): Point Pedro Institute of Development. (English / Sinhala / Tamil)
Sarvananthan, Muttukrishna, (2005), (ed), Economic Reforms in Sri Lanka: Post-1977 Period, Colombo: International Centre for Ethnic Studies. (English / Sinhala / Tamil)
Sarvananthan, Muttukrishna, (2008), The Economy of the Conflict Region: from economic embargo to economic repression
Progress Reports
