The document discusses the causes of conflict between the Sinhalese and Tamil ethnic groups in Sri Lanka. It identifies four main reasons for tensions: 1) citizenship rights for Indian Tamils which excluded some from citizenship; 2) the "Sinhala Only" language policy which made Sinhala the official language; 3) biased university admission criteria favoring Sinhalese students; and 4) government resettlement policies that moved Sinhalese populations into predominantly Tamil areas, disrupting the Tamil claims to certain territories. Each of these factors marginalized the Tamil population and contributed to the escalation of ethnic conflict over time in Sri Lanka.

1. UNIT 4: CONFLICT IN
MULTI-ETHNIC SOCIETIES
CASE STUDY OF SRI LANKA
causes of conflict between the sinhalese and the tamils

2. Multi-Ethnic Societies

3. Multi-Ethnic Societies

4. Multi-Ethnic Societies
When ethnic harmony
falls apart...

5. Multi-Ethnic Societies
When ethnic harmony
falls apart...

6. Multi-Ethnic Societies
When ethnic harmony
falls apart...

9. Welcome
to Sri Lanka!

10. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka

11. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka

12. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka

13. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka

14. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka
• Known as Ceylon before 1972

15. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka
• Known as Ceylon before 1972
• Sri Lanka means ‘beautiful
island’ in Sinhala

16. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka
• Known as Ceylon before 1972
• Sri Lanka means ‘beautiful
island’ in Sinhala
• Formerly a British colony,
who had governed Ceylon as
two separate nations

17. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka
• Known as Ceylon before 1972
• Sri Lanka means ‘beautiful
island’ in Sinhala
• Formerly a British colony,
who had governed Ceylon as
two separate nations

18. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka

19. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka

20. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka
We are Sinhalese. Our
ancestors are natives
of this country. Most
of us are Buddhists,
and we speak Sinhala.

21. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka
We are Sinhalese. Our
ancestors are natives
of this country. Most
of us are Buddhists,
and we speak Sinhala.

22. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka
We are Sinhalese. Our
ancestors are natives
of this country. Most
of us are Buddhists,
and we speak Sinhala.
We are Sri Lankan
Tamils. Our ancestors
have been living in Sri
Lanka since a loooong
time ago. We are Hindu
and we speak Tamil!

23. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka
We are Sinhalese. Our
ancestors are natives
of this country. Most
of us are Buddhists,
and we speak Sinhala.
We are Sri Lankan
Tamils. Our ancestors
have been living in Sri
Lanka since a loooong
time ago. We are Hindu
and we speak Tamil!

24. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka
I am an Indian Tamil. My
We are Sinhalese. Our ancestors were brought here
ancestors are natives by the British during colonial
of this country. Most times. My religion is Hindu
of us are Buddhists, and I speak Tamil too!
and we speak Sinhala.
We are Sri Lankan
Tamils. Our ancestors
have been living in Sri
Lanka since a loooong
time ago. We are Hindu
and we speak Tamil!

25. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka
Moor Sri Lankan and Indian Tamil Others
Sinhalese

26. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka
Moor Sri Lankan and Indian Tamil Others
Sinhalese
8.0% 9.4%
0.7%
81.9%

27. Quick Introduction to Sri Lanka
Moor Sri Lankan and Indian Tamil Others
Sinhalese
8.0% 9.4%
0.7%
81.9%

28. A Tamil woman in distress

29. A Tamil woman in distress

30. A Tamil woman in distress Young Tamil Tigers

31. A Tamil woman in distress Young Tamil Tigers
Why are the Sinhalese and Tamils fighting?

32. Reason 1: Citizenship Rights

33. Reason 1: Citizenship Rights
• Ceylon Citizenship Act, 1948

34. Reason 1: Citizenship Rights
• Ceylon Citizenship Act, 1948
• Citizenship only given to those born in Sri
Lanka or those whose forefathers were born
there

35. Reason 1: Citizenship Rights
• Ceylon Citizenship Act, 1948
• Citizenship only given to those born in Sri
Lanka or those whose forefathers were born
there
• This meant that many Indian Tamils became
stateless, even though they had lived in Sri
Lanka for many years and contributed to the
economy

36. Reason 1: Citizenship Rights

37. Reason 1: Citizenship Rights

38. Reason 1: Citizenship Rights

39. Reason 1: Citizenship Rights
• Negotiations with India, 1964

40. Reason 1: Citizenship Rights
• Negotiations with India, 1964
• Some Indian Tamils to return to India

41. Reason 1: Citizenship Rights
• Negotiations with India, 1964
• Some Indian Tamils to return to India
• The rest to be granted citizenship

42. Reason 1: Citizenship Rights
• Negotiations with India, 1964
• Some Indian Tamils to return to India
• The rest to be granted citizenship
• BUT: interrupted by ethnic violence

43. Reason 1: Citizenship Rights

44. Reason 1: Citizenship Rights
• Grant of Citizenship to Persons of Indian
Origin Bill, 2003

45. Reason 1: Citizenship Rights
• Grant of Citizenship to Persons of Indian
Origin Bill, 2003
• The bill gave citizenship to any person of Indian
origin, who had lived in Sri Lanka since 1964 or
descended from someone who had done so

46. Reason 1: Citizenship Rights
• Grant of Citizenship to Persons of Indian
Origin Bill, 2003
• The bill gave citizenship to any person of Indian
origin, who had lived in Sri Lanka since 1964 or
descended from someone who had done so
• Ended the issue of citizenship rights as an area of
discontent for the Tamils

47. Reason 2: ‘Sinhala Only’ Policy

48. Reason 2: ‘Sinhala Only’ Policy
What was the Official Language Act, 1956
policy?

49. Reason 2: ‘Sinhala Only’ Policy
What was the Official Language Act, 1956
policy?
What was it
about?

50. Reason 2: ‘Sinhala Only’ Policy
What was the Official Language Act, 1956
policy?
1. Changed official language from English to
What was it Sinhala
about?
2. Tamils in government service given three
years to learn Sinhala or be dismissed

51. Reason 2: ‘Sinhala Only’ Policy
What was the Official Language Act, 1956
policy?
1. Changed official language from English to
What was it Sinhala
about?
2. Tamils in government service given three
years to learn Sinhala or be dismissed
What did it
result in?
(Impact)

52. Reason 2: ‘Sinhala Only’ Policy
What was the Official Language Act, 1956
policy?
1. Changed official language from English to
What was it Sinhala
about?
2. Tamils in government service given three
years to learn Sinhala or be dismissed
What did it The policy upset many Tamils, who organized a
peaceful demonstration against the policy.
result in?
However, the peaceful demonstration turned into
(Impact) violent riots when it was disrupted by supporters
of the Sinhala language

53. Reason 2: ‘Sinhala Only’ Policy
How was the
problem
resolved?

54. Reason 2: ‘Sinhala Only’ Policy
In 1957, Tamil was made the language of a
national minority and allowed to be used as a
How was the language of administration, but only in Northern
problem and Eastern parts of Sri Lanka, where most
resolved? Tamils lived.
Today, the Tamil language has been declared as a
national language, as well as an official language.

55. One document, three
languages:
An example of an
official document.

56. Reason 3: Biased University
Admission Criteria

57. Reason 3: Biased University
Admission Criteria
• Before 1970, university admission was based
on merit and the examinations were in English

58. Reason 3: Biased University
Admission Criteria
• Before 1970, university admission was based
on merit and the examinations were in English
• Benefitted the English-educated Tamils

59. Reason 3: Biased University
Admission Criteria
• Before 1970, university admission was based
on merit and the examinations were in English
• Benefitted the English-educated Tamils
• The proportion of Tamils admitted to university
was significantly higher than their proportion in the
population

60. Reason 3: Biased University
Admission Criteria

61. Reason 3: Biased University
Admission Criteria
• New university admission criteria introduced in
1970

62. Reason 3: Biased University
Admission Criteria
• New university admission criteria introduced in
1970
• Fixed number of places reserved for the Sinhalese

63. Reason 3: Biased University
Admission Criteria
• New university admission criteria introduced in
1970
• Fixed number of places reserved for the Sinhalese
• Tamils had to score higher marks than Sinhalese to
enter the same courses

65. An angry Tamil man

66. We Tamils are not given equal
opportunities to enter
universities!!!
An angry Tamil man

67. We Tamils are not given equal
opportunities to enter
universities!!!
I am sure this is a way by the
Sinhalese to block Tamils from
moving up the social ladder!!!
An angry Tamil man

68. Reason 4: Resettlement Policies

69. Reason 4: Resettlement Policies
• Resettlement of poor Sinhalese peasants in the
1950s

70. Reason 4: Resettlement Policies
• Resettlement of poor Sinhalese peasants in the
1950s
• The government wanted to provide land for poor
Sinhalese peasants to cultivate padi

71. Reason 4: Resettlement Policies
• Resettlement of poor Sinhalese peasants in the
1950s
• The government wanted to provide land for poor
Sinhalese peasants to cultivate padi
• Transferred Sinhalese people from Southwestern
and Central areas to Tamil areas

72. Reason 4: Resettlement Policies
• Resettlement of poor Sinhalese peasants in the
1950s
• The government wanted to provide land for poor
Sinhalese peasants to cultivate padi
• Transferred Sinhalese people from Southwestern
and Central areas to Tamil areas
•Together came Buddhist monks and Sri Lankan
Army

73. Reason 4: Resettlement Policies

74. Reason 4: Resettlement Policies
Textbook, p. 97

75. Reason 4: Resettlement Policies
View of a Sinhalese
Textbook, p. 97

76. Reason 4: Resettlement Policies
Sri Lanka is a
free country!
Obviously we can
move anywhere we
want to!
View of a Sinhalese
Textbook, p. 97

77. Reason 4: Resettlement Policies
Sri Lanka is a
free country!
Obviously we can
move anywhere we
want to!
View of a Sinhalese
View of a Tamil
Textbook, p. 97

78. Reason 4: Resettlement Policies
Sri Lanka is a
free country!
Obviously we can
move anywhere we
want to!
View of a Sinhalese
But
you are moving
into OUR territory
and depriving us of
OUR land!
View of a Tamil
Textbook, p. 97