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 3 3 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 4 Conflicts 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 5 3 consequences:  political  economic  social

Impact of Conflict In Sri Lanka 5.1 Political 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  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 5.1 B. Foreign Intervention  conflict 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 5.1 B. 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 5.1 B. 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 5.2 Economic 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 5.2 B. 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 5.2 C. 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 5.3 Social 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