Any workable solution will require recognition that Tamils are a distinct community and the North and East will require what we may call asymmetrical autonomy. And that is not yet recognized in Sri Lanka. You know, the most advanced Sinhalese politicians would say that when provincial powers are given to the Northern region, where Tamils are in a majority, and the Eastern region where Muslims and Tamils are dominating, they should have equal powers as the rest of the areas in the country. But that idea won't work. And the Sinhalese have not even agreed to those equal powers.
In the last 20 years Indian federalism has come to recognize some asymmetrical autonomy. Look at the North-east and Jammu and Kashmir, India is redefining internal boundaries without any problems. The Sinhalese political class is not yet ready for the radical reconstitution of the State power structure. A final solution of Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict requires reconstitution of the post-colonial unitary State. I don't know whether it will be with the LTTE or without them but even after 25 years of conflict the Sinhalese political class have not come to that stage yet.
