Sri Lanka’s prolonged ethnic conflict between the Sinhalese and Tamil communities has tested every institution in the country — religious, political, and social. Amid this turmoil, the Sarvodaya Shramadāna movement, led by Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne, emerged as a rare and consistent force for peace, reconciliation, and community-based development.
Sarvodaya, though rooted in Buddhist values, is not a sectarian movement. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and Quaker principles, it emphasizes self-help, rural development, and peaceful co-existence. Its core ideal is social harmony across caste, class, ethnicity, gender, and religion. It seeks to bring people together — Sinhalese and Tamil, Buddhist and Hindu, rich and poor — through shared labor and collective transformation .
During the 1983 riots — a turning point in the civil war — Ariyaratne acted swiftly, setting up refugee camps when the government failed to respond adequately. He later organized a national conference with 2,000 religious and civic leaders, which produced a “People’s Declaration for National Peace and Harmony.” This statement affirmed that “only by non-hatred does hatred cease,” echoing the Dhammapada’s timeless wisdom .
In the 1990s, Sarvodaya launched peace marches from the south to conflict zones like Jaffna. Though a large-scale march was halted on government advice, smaller regional walks continued, symbolizing grassroots commitment to peace. The movement also became a key distributor of humanitarian aid during the war, supported by international donors .
Ariyaratne believes that conflict resolution must begin from the ground up — not with elites, but with ordinary people. Sarvodaya’s strategy includes training 600 monks in conflict mediation, promoting interfaith rituals at work-camps, and encouraging dialogue between Sinhalese and Tamil communities. Tamils involved with Sarvodaya have emphasized that it is a Sri Lankan, not a Sinhalese, organization .
The movement’s vision extends beyond conflict resolution. Its strategic plan for national reintegration focuses on tackling poverty, unrealistic lifestyle expectations, and cultural alienation — root causes of ethnic tension. Ariyaratne emphasizes that the pursuit of victory over others leads not to a win-lose, but a lose-lose situation. True peace, he says, requires a shared transformation of consciousness and society .
Though criticized by some as idealistic or naïve, Sarvodaya’s long-standing presence in both government and guerrilla-held areas — when no other body could operate in both — is a testament to its moral credibility. In a deeply divided land, it has built bridges where politics built walls, and sown compassion where history sowed fear.