Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Colombo (Agenzia Fides) – The Republic of Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) has been engaged in an ethnic conflict since 1984 between a Sinhalese majority (nearly 74% of the population, the majority of whom are Buddhist) and a Tamil minority of Indian origin (13%, mainly Hindus). 7% of the population is Muslim and the rest are either Dutch or Veddah natives, the first inhabitants on the island, already present in the 3rd century BC.
-The Roots of the Conflict
The roots of the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict are found in the history of the island: Indians and Sinhalese disputed over what Marco Polo referred to as “the most beautiful island on earth,” for centuries until the colonial era, when Portugal turned it into a drop-off point and a strategic site for the spice trade (1505). It then passed on to the Dutch and later, the English, who conquered Ceylon in 1815. It was under British rule that large numbers of Tamil arrived on the island from South India (State of Tamil Nadu), as seasonal workers in the coffee and tea plantations.
Upon the decision of the British Crown, the Tamil were moved to the northern and eastern parts of the country, becoming a strong minority, with a growing dislike among the Sinhalese mindful of the past conflicts with India over the course of history.
When the island of Ceylon gained its independence (1948), all the contradictions and hate were ready to explode. The government led by Solomon Bandaranaike began a nationalist policy and in 1956, Sinhalese became the official language and Buddhism, the official religion. In his first efforts to cater to the Tamil minority, Bandaranaike was killed by a Buddhist monk (1959) and his wife, Srimavo, took over his office, becoming the first female prime minister in the world.
-The first rebel groups in the 1970s
In the 1970s, ethnic tensions reached a breaking point. In 1972, the Ceylon government changed the name of the country to “Sri Lanka,” promoting a series of severely nationalist laws that made the Tamil minority feel excluded from the nation. This is when the first rebel groups began to emerge (New Tamil Tigers) for the liberation of Eelam (“homeland” in the Tamil language). In 1976, the armed group of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), under the leadership of Vellupilai Prabahkaran, emerged. On the political playing field, as well, the Tamil made their voice heard. In 1977, the Tamil separatist party won all the seats in the Jaffna area, the peninsula in the northwest with a large concentration of Tamil.
-The 1980s and Ethnic Cleansing
In the 1980s, the conflict became open war, with fault on both sides. The central government carried out a severe repression that several observers define as “ethnic cleansing”: 65,000 Tamil abandoned the island to take refuge in India, while the conflict with the Muslim minority also worsened, leading to an mass exodus of 100,000 people.
-The Strategy of the Suicide Bombers
The strategy of the Tamil separatists is also extreme: violent guerrilla warfare cuts down every attempt of the government to control the northeastern part of Sri Lanka. A series of bombings, including suicide bombings, sow fear and panic in the central government.
-The Intervention of India and the Assassination of Gandhi
After the creation of several Tamil-controlled areas, India also enters on the scene, sending a peacekeeping force that will remain in the area until 1990. This event leads to the assassination of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 by a Tamil kamikaze.
-The 1990s and the Ceasefire
In the 1990s, while the conflict intensifies, there is an effort to find a path to peace, thanks also to the international intervention of Great Britain and the United States. In 2000, Norway takes over the mediation effort and in 2002, a historic ceasefire is reached, although it will prove to be brief.
-The Final Attack
With the rise to power of Mahinda Rajapaksa, a new bloody phase begins. The government abandons negotiations and opts for launching a large-scale military attack using gunmen, sea, and land forces. In early 2008, in a matter of months the soldiers gain control of the territories formally controlled by the Tamil Tigers, until the surrender of the rebels. The military operations have caused a large evacuation and great suffering for Tamil civilians, while the Church and NGOs declare a “humanitarian emergency.”
The conflict has weakened the economy, which has been in decline since 2001, on account of the damage suffered by the major industry of tourism. The war in Sri Lanka has caused a total of 70,000 deaths and another 1.5 million refugees. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 18/5/2009)
