Ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka

Since independence (from the British Empire in 1948), struggles between majority Sinhala-speaking Buddhists and minority Tamils (mostly Hindu) have been a regular feature of Sri Lanka's political life. Since 1983 there has been on-and-off civil war, mostly between the government and the LTTE -- the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Tens of thousands have died in that civil war, and perhaps as many more in struggles among Tamil militant groups, and in two brief but bloody uprisings by Janatha Vimukti Peramuna[?] (JVP) -- a leftist group of Sinhalese disaffected with their government. Hundreds of thousands of refugees are displaced internally or have fled to Tamil Nadu and around the world. The largest concentration of Lankan Tamils outside the country is in Toronto.

In the 1980s, the different central and state governments of India supported both sides indirectly. India got directly involved, ultimately in support of the Sri Lankan government, from 1987-1990; this is frequently referred to as their Vietnam.

In the mid-1990s, a significant peace movement emerged.

For most of the LTTE's existence, it has demanded a separate nation -- Tamil Eelam -- as the only means for Tamils' rights to be respected. Some Sinhalese demand political unity of the island as a part of Sinhalese identity, or for practical political reasons. In late 2001, an LTTE ceasefire was reciprocated by the government. Peace talks have since begun, with the LTTE now willing to explore measures that would safeguard Tamils' rights and autonomy as part of Sri Lanka.

External links

• http://www.peaceinsrilanka.org/
• http://www.lankapage.com/
• http://www.incore.ulst.ac.uk/cds/countries/srilanka
• http://www.sinhaya.com/
• http://www.tamilnet.com/