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This paper examines the attitude of Buddhist monks to the current Norwegian-facilitated peace process in Sri Lanka and explores their potential to be peace promoters in the process. In order to do so, the paper presents an overall introduction to Buddhism and politics in Sri Lanka and the deals specifically with monks favouring or opposing the Norwegian-facilitated peace process. In this report there is an underlying assumption that religious actors should be viewed as potential political actors who may either spoil or contribute to a peace process.

Findings of the paper include:

• regarding previous peace processes in Sri Lanka, Buddhist monks have been highly critical both of any concessions made to the country’s minority populations and of any moves to modify Sri Lanka’s highly centralised political system
• many Buddhist monks have also voiced considerable hostility towards the Norwegian-facilitated peace process in Sri Lanka, because they fear that a political solution will ultimately result in a division of Sri Lanka into two separate states or a large scale decentralisation, which would contradict basic tenets of Buddhist teaching
• however monks’ opinions differ and are pluralistic
• the data suggest that the number of monks supporting the ongoing peace process is growing, though they still form a small minority
• this is partly due to the fact that both of Sri Lanka’s two leading political parties have been engaged in the Norwegian-facilitated peace process , meaning that monks affiliated with each of the parties have been involved in the process
• it is hard to identify distinctive social and geographic differences between the monks who have opposed the peace process and those that have promoted it.

The paper also present a number of ways in which the opposition to the peace process by religious actors be transformed into a constructive dialogue about Sri Lanka’s political future:

• while it is essential to empower the minority of courageous Buddhist monks engaged in peace work, it might be even more important for the Norwegian foreign ministry to approach and hold discussions with politically influential monks that are critical of Norway and the peace process
• as a facilitator in a conflict with important religious overtones, Norway would benefit from building up networks with Buddhist actors and becoming more visible on the "Buddhist scene" through participation in public ritual events
• a negotiated settlement between the two parties that does not address Buddhist concerns will not be sustainable
• what is needed in the peace process are public figures of good "Buddhist standing" – individuals who are regarded as taking Buddhist concerns seriously while at the same time advocating core Buddhist values such as nonviolence, compassion and universalism.

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