The Centre for Security Analysis (CSA) was set up in 2002 with the initiative of Lt. Gen. V.R. Raghavan (Retd) and Mr. M.K. Narayanan (presently National Security Advisor) and support from the Ford Foundation. The Centre is a non-profit, non-partisan independent think tank. It believes in holistic and multidimensional approach to security, transcending the traditional concept to include various aspects of security such as energy, economy, society, environment, food, health, water and political security. In short, the safety, honour and well-being of the citizen is the ultimate security.

The Centre was established with the objective of providing a peninsular perspective to the security discourse in India and an Indian perspective in South, Southeast and East Asia. It provides a platform for academics and intellectuals of South and Southeast Asian region to put forth their views thereby enabling them to represent the region's interests. The Centre promotes public awareness on security issues by organizing seminars, workshops, public lectures and roundtable discussions. The Centre brings out publications in the form of books and occasional papers covering the events conducted and projects undertaken in the larger interest of the public and policy makers.

The Centre has developed a special focus on issues related to Peninsular India, Sri Lanka, South and Southeast Asia. The issues of conflict resolution and peace building as also gender affirmation have been given due attention. It has undertaken research work on issues of immediate interest to the society and Government. It has built a new focus on civil society and governance and its linkages with security. The centre has also undertaken project studies on important and contemporary issues affecting Peninsular India.

CSA considers encouragement and development of the younger generation, an aspect to be given due importance and keeping that in view, has been organising regular intercollegiate debates. These debates on issues of national importance provide opportunities for young scholars to study, research and voice their views and ideas on different facets of security.

The Centre for Security Analysis (CSA) has been continuously involved in encouraging and organising a sustained discourse on Conflict Resolution and Peace Building in Sri Lanka. In a series of seminars and discussions organised over the past few years; the Centre has provided a platform for scholars, academics as well as policy makers to voice their opinions and have insightful deliberations on the developments in Sri Lanka, their implications for peace and regional security. CSA's publications on the issues of conflict over fisheries, the question of federalism and conflict resolution and the peace process in Sri Lanka have been well received.

The current scenario of the conflict in Sri Lanka has evoked varied reactions on the political, economic and military factors from different quarters both within Sri Lanka as well as internationally. In keeping with its aim to engage with scholars and policy makers to gauge the road ahead for the conflict in Sri Lanka as well as the implications for peacebuilding, CSA in collaboration with the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) organized a seminar "Conflict in Sri Lanka: The Road Ahead" in Colombo on 26-27 March 2008.

The Seminar was inaugurated by the Chief Guest Prof. Tissa Vitharana, Minister of Science and Technology and Guest of Honor H.E Mr. Alok Prasad, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. The occasion was also graced by Mr. Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the President of Sri Lanka & Chairman, BCIS, Dr. Thusita Tennakoon, Executive Director, BCIS and Lt. Gen (Retd.) V. R. Raghavan, President, CSA.

The Seminar covered the following four aspects of the conflict:

1. Political and Constitutional Dimension: Speakers including Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of Export Development & International Trade, Mr. Douglas Devananda, Minister of Social Services & Social Welfare, Dr. Rohan Edirisinghe, Senior Lecturer, University of Colombo and Mr. N. Sathiyamoorthy, Director, ORF, Chennai Chapter, focused on the pressing issue of the Implementation of the 13th Amendment.

2. Military- Political Interface: Lt. Gen (Retd.) V.R. Raghavan in his paper "Politico-Strategic Military Operations" highlighted the crucial link between military strategies and their political objectives and how the Sri Lankan case offers unique insights into this relationship. Mr. Mohan Peiris, Legal Advisor, Ministry of Defence and Maj. Gen. Hettiarachchi, Director-General, Disaster Management Centre, Ministry of Disaster Management responded.

3. Economic and Developmental Issues: Mr. Rohanta Athukorala, Director, Economics, SCOPP, Dr. Muthukrishna Saravanandan, Principal Researcher, PPID, Sri Lanka and Dr. Amita Batra, JNU, India focused on sustaining healthy economic growth rates in Sri Lanka and the economic impact of the conflict.

4. International Dimension: The role of donors and international responses to the conflict and the military build up were discussed at length by Amb. T.P Sreenivasan, former Permanent Representtaive of India to the United Nations, Amb. Nihal Rodrigo, Senior Advisor to the President of Sri Lanka and Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary General, SCOPP.

The Seminar was successful in drawing a well-informed audience who engaged in enriching discussions. The proceedings of the Seminar will be published in the form of an edited volume. More details of the seminar also visit www.bcis.edu.lk