SOCIAL STUDIES - SEC 3

CHAPTER 4: CONFLICT BETWEEN MULTI-ETHNIC SOCIETIES

Causes of Sinhalese-Tamil Conict

Factor Citizenship Rights Explanation 1. Since the Ceylon Citizenship Act, the Sri Lankan government granted citizenship to only those who were either born in Sri Lanka or whose forefathers were born there. 2. This cause many Tamils to become stateless. Elaboration 3. As a result, the Tamils could not vote for their representatives and the government neglected their needs and concerns. 4. Although India stepped in and help some Indian Tamils return to India, about 100, 000 Indian Tamils remained stateless. 5. Tamils were dissatised as despite their contribution to economy, they were not granted citizenship. 6. Feeling neglected by the government, the resentment against the government grew, leading to the conict. Sinhala-Only Policy

*** MAIN FACTOR ***

1.

This policy was enacted in 1956, making Sinhala the ofcial language. Civil servants have to learn Sinhala within 3 years or be dismissed.

3. This caused many Tamil civil servants to lose their jobs as they were not procient in Sinhala. 4. In addition, this unfair policy made it difcult for Tamils to secure jobs or be promoted. 5. The Tamils found that peaceful means did not work, thus thinking that they were discriminated against, causing them to result in violence. 6. Aggravated relations between Tamils and Sinhalese, resulting in conict.

2.

University Admission Criteria

1. University Admission was used to be based on merit and English ability. 2. This benetted the Englishspeaking Tamils and they score well in exams. 3. The new criteria introduced required Tamils to score higher marks than Sinhalese to enter the same University courses. 4. A xed number of places were reserved for the Sinhalese.

4. This caused many Tamil youths to be deprived of university education and made them resent the Sri Lankan government as they felt that the government was biased against them and deprived them of good job opportunities. 5. As such, it erupted tension, which caused a large degree of hatred between the Sinhalese and Tamil minorities.

Resettlement

1. In 1950, the Sri Lankan government transferred Sinhalese peasants and the Sri Lankan Army to areas densely populated by the Tamils.

2. Caused frustration among Tamils, as they had to compete with the Sinhalese for land. 3. Increased chances of racial conict due to hostility between them. 4. Tamils also lost dominance and political power in those areas. 5. Caused the Tamils to resent the government, leading to conict.

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