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12 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
Who were involved in the conflict in Sri Lanka? (3)
() = non-essentials
Sinhalese: native (Buddhist, middle-left location)
Sri Lankan Tamils: non-native, (here since 300 BCE, Jaffna, highlands and tea plantations)
Indian Tamils: non-native, brought in as workers by British in tea plantations (Hindu, here since 1800s)
What was life like under British rule before the conflict?
The British favoured the Tamils due to their English proficiency, so they got more/better (government) jobs and education.
When Sri Lanka became independent and governed by the Sinhalese, what four policies did they implement?
Citizenship rights
University admission criteria
"Sinhala Only" policy
Resettlement
Describe the citizenship rights policy. Did it improve?
Under the Ceylon Citizenship Act, only those who were born/forefathers were born in Sri Lanka were allowed to have citizenship, leaving Indian Tamils stateless though they contributed to the economy by planting tea. Hence they had no rights (e.g. jobs, housing, voting, education)
1964: India-SL discussion promised that Indian Tamils either be granted citizenship or returned to India. This was not carried out, leading to violence and 100k stateless.
2003: Citizenship was granted to those/forefathers who lived in SL since 1964.
Describe the "Sinhala Only" policy. What has it become now?
Official Language Act '56: Sinhalese gov changed the official language to Sinhala This disadvantaged Tamils as it was hard to pursue their careers in government; they were given three years to master Sinhala or be fired. Peaceful demonstrations were disrupted; 100-death riot
1957: More fighting;Tamil became language of national minority (used in Tamil parts)
Now: More recognition; national and official languages are in trilingual documents.
Describe the university admission policy.
Before, there were many more Tamils making it to uni than the Sinhalese despite their smaller population. (e.g. 50% in med and engineering despite 18% pop!)
However, the government changed the criteria so that there were Sinhalese-reserved places and lower cutoffs for Sinhalese. Tamils tended to be relegated to (starving) artist places.
Describe the resettlement policy
The Sinhalese areas were becoming overcrowded, so the Sinhalese peasants were moved to Tamil areas to grow padi, as well as the Buddhist monks and the Sri Lankan army. Tamils were driven out of their homes and all that. (And they felt invaded)
What were the political consequences of the conflict in Sri Lanka? (2)
What were the economical consequences of the conflict? (3)
What were the social consequences of the conflict? (1)
Political: Armed Conflict from the LTTE; Foreign Intervention (hence sovereignty loss)

Economical (from armed conflict): Unemployment, loss of foreign investment, fall in tourism
Social: Sri Lankan Tamils driven from homeland
Describe the armed conflict that resulted from the conflict in Sri Lanka.
What was the Tamil party involved?
How did the Sinhalese respond?
Example of conflict?
The Federal Party ('50) wanted a Tamil federation; later, the Tamil United Liberation Front wanted a state of Tamil Eelam, which was rejected. Finally the violent youths got fed up with the government and formed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 1976 (LTTE) with a violence-only solution.

The Sinhalese responded with, well, more violence ('81 - 84). It was a vicious cycle; both sides would kill all non-supporters.

E.g. the Black July 1983 riots, where 13 Sinhalese soldiers were killed by the LTTE.
Describe the foreign intervention that resulted.
Which country?
What did they try to do? What happened in the end?
India.

They tried to mediate e.g. a dialogue between the Sinhalese and Tamils. This failed miserably.
They also tried to provided humanitarian aid, but their planes 'violated airspace' and their ships were turned back by the Sri Lankan Navy.
They also pressured SL to sign the 1987 Peace Accord; but the LTTE resisted and the Indian troops had to force them. However, conflict continued between LTTE and India till India withdrew in 1990.
Describe the economic consequences that resulted from armed conflict (in more detail) (3)
Unemployment: All the factories, companies etc. burned down, so the jobless Sinhalese rioted and destroyed even more workplaces.

Loss of foreign investment: Instability = no confidence to invest = no growth

Fall in Tourism (a major income earner) since July 1983, therefore employment and limited funds to develop amenities like transport and housing
Describe the social consequence of the conflict.
Sri Lankan Tamils driven from homeland: In 1983, thousands fled to India and many still there.. High Security Zones to keep LTTE away occupied large Tamil areas, driving the residents out. When the SL army came into Jaffna to take on the LTTE, Tamils fled to refugee camps (1995)