SRI LANKA : A DIVIDED ISLAND

INTRODUCTION : Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, island

republic in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of India, a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Sri Lanka is separated from India by the Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannār.

Sri Lankan Flag

Demographics Of Sri Lanka 33 major races…(in descending order)

Sinhalese (Buddhists, speaks Sinhala)

Tamils ( Hindus, speaks Tamil)- Sri Lankan Tamils (indigenous Tamils)- India Tamils (tea/rubber plantn workers from India)

Moors (Muslims)

Conflicts In Sri Lanka 4Conflicts in the areas of… Citizenship Rights

Jobs in the Govt (‘Sinhala Only’ policy)

University Admission Criteria

Resettlement of Population

Impact of Conflict In Sri Lanka 53 consequences: political economic social

Impact of Conflict In Sri Lanka 5.1Political consequence

A. Armed conflict Tamils felt they were 2nd class citizens tried to make peaceful demands early 1950s… Federal Party asked Tamil areas to be recognised as a federation did not ask for separate state did not use violence … so why was there violence used against them?

Impact of Conflict In Sri Lanka 5.1 till 1976, demands were not met a new political party emerged - Tamil United Liberation Front - asked for a separate INDEPENDENT state to be called Tamil Eelam

why asked for a separate state? believed only separation would ensure the rights of the Tamils

Impact of Conflict In Sri Lanka 5.1 proposal rejected by the Sinhalese govt result: anger & dissatisfaction!!!

Tamil youths formed a militant group… Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) or popularly known as the Tamil Tigers, terrorist group:

- attacked Tamil members of the police force- attacked members & supporters of the ruling party

- attacked Tamil politicians who did not support the proposed separate state

- attacked Sinhalese

Impact of Conflict In Sri Lanka 5.1 unfortunately, violence also came form the Sinhalese - eg 1956…1st anti-Tamil riot (as a response to a peaceful Tamil protest against the ‘Sinhala Only’ policy)

hundreds of Tamils lost their lives, millions $ worth of property

many incidents between 1981-1983

encouraged by Sinhalese security forces (army) consequence - thousands of Tamils fled to Tamil Nadu - Indian govt was forced to intervene

Impact of Conflict In Sri Lanka 5.1B. Foreign Interventionconflict attracted big neighbour… India

Foreign Minister sent to Sri Lanka to mediate … failed

3 June 1987: Indian tried to help the Sri Lankan Tamils - 20 Indian ships of food and petroleum products for the Tamils - turned back by the Sri Lankan navy - 4 June 1987: Indian Air Force dropped the food and medical supplies instead and violated the Sri Lankan airspace

Impact of Conflict In Sri Lanka 5.1B. Foreign Intervention

July 1987: Sri Lankan signed a peace accord with India - a ceasefire between the Tigers and the Sri Lankan forces - Tigers to surrender their arms to Indian peacekeeping troops - merging of the Tamil dominated Nn and the En provinces

Oct 1987: Tigers did not surrender their weapons fully - Indian troops took control of the Tiger-controlled Jaffna by force

Impact of Conflict In Sri Lanka 5.1B. Foreign Intervention Oct 1987 to Dec 1988: clashes in the N and E of Sri Lanka bet the Tigers and the Indian peacekg forces

the latter withdrew in March 1990

the Tigers moved in to take control of the NE

tensions continued… up to now…once in a while, clashes bet the Sinhalese and the Tigers would appear in the news no settlement in sight due to LTTE’s demand for a separate state

Impact of Conflict In Sri Lanka 5.2Economic consequence

A. Unemployment breadwinners killed during armed struggles factories and plantations closed/destroyed looting, vandalising, burning places of work by the Sinhalese thousands of workers, self-employed persons lost their jobs (Tamils and Sinhalese alike)

Impact of Conflict In Sri Lanka 5.2B. Decline in tourism tourism was a major income earner

seriously affected by the violent internal conflict

tourist arrivals decreased, loss of jobs, fall in earnings

less funds to develop attractions, amenities and facilities (hotels, transport, housing etc)

Impact of Conflict In Sri Lanka 5.2C. Loss of foreign investments

foreign investment needed

but political instability is an unattractive factor

foreign investors may not have the confidence to invest in a politically unstable country

US$66m (‘82) to US$39m (‘83) to US$22m (‘86)

Impact of Conflict In Sri Lanka 5.3Social consequence

Refugees 65k Tamils fled to India after 1983 riots

creation of High Security Zones to keep LTTE away

army move into Tamil areas

refugee camps overcrowded

Peace In Our Times 6 no sight of peace

violence is a daily happening even after the 2004 Tsunami

political assassinations (political leaders to law makers) common