Chapter 4Conflict in Sri Lanka

Where is Sri Lanka?

Where is Sri Lanka?

Capital of Sri Lanka Colombo

The Flag of Sri Lanka

Population

Sinhalese Tamil

Sri Lankan Indian

Others

Sinhalese73.3%

Sri Lankan Tamils11.0%

Indian Tamils4.1% Others

11.6%

Racial Composition of Sri Lanka

SinhaleseMost speak Sinhalese.Most practise Buddhism.Few practise Christianity.

Most speak Tamil.Most practise Hinduism.Few practise Christianity.

Tamils

Indian Tamils Brought in by British rulers to work in tea plantations.

Sri Lankan TamilsDescended from Tamil migrants who lived in Sri Lanka since 300 BCE.

A Divided Island

IndependenceUnder the British Colonial RuleTamil minority are favoured in terms of jobs and education

Could read or write in English

Under Sinhalese-majority governmentIntroduced policies that favoured the Sinhalese

1948

How bad was the conflict?

13 May 2009More than 50 people died when two shells hit the zone's main hospital compound.

29 May 2009More than 20,000civilians were killed in the final months of Sri Lanka's civil war.

Citizenship Rights “Sinhala Only” Policy

University Admission Criteria

Resettlement

Lesson Objective

Identify 4 causes of conflict in Sri Lanka

Citizenship Rights

Ceylon Citizenship Qualification Act

1. Those who were born in Sri Lanka

2. Those whose father and grandfather were also born there

1948

Many Indian Tamils brought from India by the British to work in Sri Lanka became stateless.

Result of the Act

Indian Tamils lost their basic rights.

Education Jobs

Housing Voting

How does this lead to conflict?

Indian Tamils are denied of CitizenshipTamils will not be given voting rights.Tamils will not gain political power.

India tried to help but was unsuccessful.

1964

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.

2003Grant of Citizenship to Persons of Indian Origin Bill

‘Sinhala Only’ Policy

Under the British RuleMany educated Tamils could enter government service and hold important jobs.

After IndependenceSinhala was made the only official language of administration in 1956.

yearsis the time given to Tamils in the government service to learn Sinhala or be dismissed from the job.

Tamils’ Reaction to the 1956 Official Language Act

They were unhappy as they were now unable to get jobs or promotions.

A peaceful demonstrationturned into a riot when it was disrupted by Sinhalese supporters.

How does this lead to conflict?

Sinhala

The only language of administration

Stir nationalisticfeelings

Win support of Sinhalese voters

Provide Sinhalese with more and better job opportunities

Why?

This made it difficult for Tamils to get government jobs.

Tamil is recognised as a national language and a language of administration in Tamil-majority areas.

1978Compromise

University Admission

University Admission was based on merit.

The examinations were in English.

University Admission reserved a fixed number of places for Tamils and Sinhalese

Tamil students had to score higher marks than the Sinhalese students to enter the same courses in the universities.

1970

How does this lead to conflict?

Tamil

1971

Higher entry standards for Tamils for medical faculties

Sinhalese

250 229out of 400out of 400

Sinhalese TamilMore Sinhalese can now enter University .

Less Tamil students can now enter University

Resettlement of Population

The aim of this policy was to provide land for the landless Sinhalese peasants to live and cultivate rice.

The Sinhalese-majority government transferred Sinhalese from the densely populated south-western and central areas into the Tamil areas.

Before After

How does this lead to conflict?

Allow landless Sinhalese peasants to make a living

Change population representation

Increase Sinhalese population so that the area becomes Sinhalese majority

Why did the government resettle Sinhalese into Tamil areas?

1. made Tamils a minority in the area2. made life more difficult for Tamils with the arrival of the

army and militant monks

Resettlement of Sinhalese

In Conclusion

Racial DifferencesSinhalese vs. Tamils

Citizenship Rights “Sinhala Only” Policy

University Admission Criteria

Resettlement

Lesson Objective

Identify 4 causes of conflict in Sri Lanka

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