Conflicts in Multi Ethnic Societies
Chapter 4: Conflict in Multi-Ethnic Societies
1. Causes of conflict in Sri Lanka
Citizenship Right
When Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948, the Sri Lankan government passed the Ceylon Citizenship Act of 1948.
This act granted citizenship only to those who were either born in Sri Lanka or whose forefathers were born there.
As a result, many Indian Tamils found themselves stateless.
Though the Indian Tamils have lived in Sri Lanka for many years, they do not have basic rights such as education, jobs, housing and voting.
In 1964, India decided to help the Indian Tamils who were stateless.
It was agreed that Sri Lanka would allow a certain number of Indian Tamils to return to India but it was interrupted by the outbreak of ethnic violence.
In 2003, Sri Lanka passed the Grant Citizenship to person of Indian Origin who had permanently stayed in Sri Lanka since 1964 or was descended from someone who had permanently lived in Sri Lanka since that date.
However, by then, the relationship between the Indian Tamils and Sinhalese were already very tense.
Resettlement
The resettling of poor Sinhalese peasants in the 1950s also contributed to the conflict in Sri Lanka.
The Indian Tamils were heavily concentrated in the highland districts as the majority of them are tea plantation workers.
Under the resettlement policy of the 1950s, Sinhalese peasants were transferred from the densely populated south western and central areas to Tamil areas.
The government had implemented this policy to provide land for the landless Sinhalese peasants to live on and cultivate padi.
The Tamils felt unhappy, as the Sinhalese were not the only ones who came to live among them; there were monks and soldiers too.
Hence the feeling of mistrust naturally developed between the Tamils and the Sinhalese which added to their already tensed relations.
‘ Sinhala Only ‘ Policy
When Sri Lanka was under British rule, English-educated
1. Causes of conflict in Sri Lanka
Citizenship Right
When Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948, the Sri Lankan government passed the Ceylon Citizenship Act of 1948.
This act granted citizenship only to those who were either born in Sri Lanka or whose forefathers were born there.
As a result, many Indian Tamils found themselves stateless.
Though the Indian Tamils have lived in Sri Lanka for many years, they do not have basic rights such as education, jobs, housing and voting.
In 1964, India decided to help the Indian Tamils who were stateless.
It was agreed that Sri Lanka would allow a certain number of Indian Tamils to return to India but it was interrupted by the outbreak of ethnic violence.
In 2003, Sri Lanka passed the Grant Citizenship to person of Indian Origin who had permanently stayed in Sri Lanka since 1964 or was descended from someone who had permanently lived in Sri Lanka since that date.
However, by then, the relationship between the Indian Tamils and Sinhalese were already very tense.
Resettlement
The resettling of poor Sinhalese peasants in the 1950s also contributed to the conflict in Sri Lanka.
The Indian Tamils were heavily concentrated in the highland districts as the majority of them are tea plantation workers.
Under the resettlement policy of the 1950s, Sinhalese peasants were transferred from the densely populated south western and central areas to Tamil areas.
The government had implemented this policy to provide land for the landless Sinhalese peasants to live on and cultivate padi.
The Tamils felt unhappy, as the Sinhalese were not the only ones who came to live among them; there were monks and soldiers too.
Hence the feeling of mistrust naturally developed between the Tamils and the Sinhalese which added to their already tensed relations.
‘ Sinhala Only ‘ Policy
When Sri Lanka was under British rule, English-educated