The politicizing of trauma: A case study of Sri Lanka.

Militant groups transform traumatized people into perpetrators of violence through the use of trauma stories. In this article I argue that ruthless factions among oppressed people exploit the pain and suffering of the entire group, using narratives that may be also be used for healing. Repetition of the stories of rape, killings, displacement, and loss of jobs and homes in the riots against minority Tamils by the Sinhalese marked a sharp turn toward political violence among the Tamils. This collective memory of fear, anger, hatred, and despair has led the Tamils to embrace any means that may alleviate their distress. Stories about the traumatic events became both a powerful symbol and an effective tool to create new combatants by creating a new Tamil consciousness. Critical questions emerge from my analysis. Is it possible to separate the clinical from the personal and political aspects of the trauma of war? Is a traumatized society political capital for sustaining the power of unscrupulous leaders? How s...