1. Where is Sri Lanka?

3. How bad was it?
12 May As many as 1,000 civilians may have been killed in two days of shelling that marked some of the worst violence in Sri Lanka
29 May More than 20,000 civilians were killed in the final months of Sri Lanka's civil war
13 May more than 50 people died when two shells hit the zone's main hospital compound.
5 July A Tamil Tiger grabbed the gun of a Sri Lankan soldier conducting a search of a boat and shot three troops, killing one

6. SRI LANKA
A DIVIDED ISLAND

7. of conflict in Sri Lanka?
Learning Objectives:
What are the causes
of conflict in Sri Lanka?
Citizenship Rights
“Sinhala Only” Policy
University Admission Criteria
Resettlement

8. People of Sri Lanka The Majority - Sinhalese speak Sinhalese Buddhists
The Minority- Tamils
speak Tamil
Hindus
Indian Tamils –
came later, brought in by
British rulers
to work in tea plantations
Sri Lankan Tamils –
descendents of Tamil migrants,
lived in Sri Lanka since 300 BCE

10. Under the British Colonial Rule before 1948
Tamil minority are favored in terms of jobs & education
Could read/write English
After independence in 1948
New government made up of mainly Sinhalese
Introduced policies that favored the Sinhalese

11. Reasons for Sinhalese -Tamil Conflict
Citizenship Rights
‘Sinhala Only’ Policy
University Admission
Resettlement of Population

12. 1. Citizenship Rights Ceylon Citizenship Qualification Act in 1948
granted to those who were born in Sri Lanka
granted to those whose father and grandfather were also born there
Result of the Act
Many Indian Tamils brought from India by the British to work in Sri Lanka became stateless
Indian Tamils lost their basic rights: education, jobs, housing and voting

13. Issues that led to Conflict
Denying Indian Tamils of citizenship
Why?
-so that Tamils will not be given voting rights
and Tamils will not gain political power
1964: India tried to help but was not successful.
2003: Grant of Citizenship to Persons of Indian Origin Bill:
Citizenship to any person of Indian origin who has lived in Sri Lanka since 1964 or was descended from someone who had stayed in Sri Lanka since that date.

14. 2. 'Sinhala Only' Policy Under the British Rule
Many educated Tamils could enter government service
They held important jobs in the government
Sinhalese were disadvantaged because they could not read/write English well.

15. After Independence
Sinhala was made the only official language of administration in 1956.
Tamils in the government service were given three years to learn Sinhala or be dismissed from the job.

16. Tamils’ Reaction to the 1956 Official Language Act
Unhappy as they were now unable to get jobs or promotions
Organized a peaceful demonstration against the Official Language Act
Peaceful demonstration was disrupted by the Sinhalese supporters – riots occurred.

17. Issues that led to Conflict
Making Sinhala the official language
-only language of administration, instead of English language
Why ?
-Nationalistic feelings
-to win support of Sinhalese voters
-to give Sinhalese more opportunities to better jobs
BUT
-made it difficult for Tamils to get government jobs
Compromise : 1978
-recognition of Tamil as national language and language of administration in Tamil majority areas

18. 3. University Admission Before 1970
University admission based on merit & exams are in English
After 1970
Tamil students have to score higher marks than the Sinhalese students to enter the same courses in the universities.
Fixed number of places reserved for Sinhalese

19. Issues that led to Conflict
Higher entry standards for Tamils for University Admission
Why ?
-To allow more Sinhalese to study in the
University
BUT
-more difficult for Tamil students to enter
University

20. 4. Resettlement of Population
Transferred Sinhalese from the densely populated south-western and and central areas into the Tamil area.
The aim of this policy was to provide land for the landless Sinhalese peasants to live on and to cultivate rice.

21. Issues that led to Conflict
Resettling Sinhalese in Tamil areas
Why ?
To give landless Sinhalese peasants to make a living
To change population representation : to increase Sinhalese population so that the area becomes Sinhalese majority
BUT
-made Tamils a minority in the area
-made life more difficult for Tamils with the coming of the army and militant monks

23. Resettlement of Population
SRI LANKA
Racial Differences
Sinhalese vs Tamils
Conflicts over
Citizenship rights
Government Jobs
University Admission
Resettlement of Population

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