wl-2643-The Good Ambassadors of the Diaspora: Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora and the State

In March 2025, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Harini Amarasuriya, met with students at Sciences Po, Paris and answered many questions, among which were inquiries about the new government’s engagement with the diaspora. She referred to the diaspora as “good ambassadors of the country”, a description which, in a context of high expectations regarding national reconciliation and justice, incites reflection about identities and identity politics. Drawing from existing scholarship and the lived realities of diasporic communities, this commentary explores how identities are shaped across generations, through legal and political structures, and in response to the evolving relationship with the Sri Lankan state. The Prime Minister’s remark offers an opportunity to revisit longstanding tensions and to reimagine diaspora-state relations through a lens of pluralism, memory, and accountability.