SinhaleseTamil conflict The consequences Consequences Click on the

Sinhalese-Tamil conflict The consequences

Consequences • • Click on the hyperlink to begin Political Economic Social

Political consequences • • Armed conflict Foreign intervention

ARMED CONFLICT Peaceful Means: TAMILS § Early 1950 s : Federal Party asked that Tamil areas be recognised as a federation within the country § Demands not met § 1976 : New political party TAMIL UNITED LIBERATION FRONT asked for a separate independent state (Tamil Eelam) § Sinhalese government rejected this idea

ARMED CONFLICT Violent Means: TAMILS § Some angry Tamil youths formed a militant group, the LIBERATION TIGERS OF TAMIL EELAM [LTTE] , and resorted to violence § Popularly known as Tamil Tigers, they were considered terrorists

ARMED CONFLICT Violent Means: TAMILS § Tamil Tigers attacked § Tamil members of the police force § Tamil members and supporters of the ruling party § Tamil politicians who did not support the proposed separate state § The Sinhalese

ARMED CONFLICT Violent Means: SINHALESE § Sinhalese also showed hostility through violence § Anti-Tamil riots first in 1956, then 1958, 1971, 1977 and 1983 § Many killed and injured § Tamils forced to flee for their lives § Unfortunately, such riots were encouraged by the Sinhalese security forces such as the army

ARMED CONFLICT Violent Means § 1983 riots – thousands fled to Tamil Nadu in South India § Indian government was forced to intervene in the conflict in Sri Lanka § Violence cost thousands of lives § Leads to hatred and distrust § Makes peaceful solutions almost an impossibility § Children grow up with prejudices of their racial or religious groups § Remained hostile towards each other throughout their lives

FOREIGN INTERVENTION § § § Internal conflicts may attract foreign intervention How? Role of mediator vs direct involvement In this case, INDIA § 1983 : Mediator § Jun 1987 : Indian Air Force dropped food and medical supplies in Jaffna. § Jul 1987 : Sri Lanka, under pressure from India, signed a peace accord with India

FOREIGN INTERVENTION • Extract of peace accord: – – – Was to be a ceasefire between the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan forces Tamil Tigers were to surrender their arms to the Indian peacekeeping troops Tamil-dominated northern provinces were to be merged with the eastern provinces

FOREIGN INTERVENTION § § § Oct 1987 : Indian troops took Jaffna by force Oct 1987 – Dec 1988 : Clashes between Indian peacekeeping force and Tamil Tigers Mar 1990 : Indian peacekeeping force withdrawn

Economic consequences • • • Unemployment Loss of investment from other countries Fall in number of tourists

UNEMPLOYMENT § § § Those killed are usually breadwinners of families Riots of 1983 caused massive unemployment § Factory worked § Self-employed § Plantation workers Many Tamil-owned companies and business were the target of the looters Many of the jobless were Sinhalese, took part in § Vandalism, looting and burning places of work such as garment factories In a conflict, all parties suffer

LOSS OF FOREIGN INVESTMENTS § § Businesses from other countries are needed for economic growth Internal unrest drives away investors § § § Sri Lanka – investments fell US$66 m in 1982 US$39 m in 1983 US$22 m in 1986 Affects economy drastically

FALL IN NUMBER OF TOURISTS § § § Tourism – a major income earner for Sri Lanka Serious affected by violent internal conflict Tourist arrivals fell drastically after 1983 riots Loss of jobs; fall in income Affects economy adversely Less funds for public projects like transport and housing

Social Consequences • Sri Lankans driven out of their homeland

Sri Lankan Tamils driven out of their homeland § § In the 1983 riots, thousands of Tamils fled to Tamil Nadu in India. Still remain as refugees in India High Security Zones (HSZ) were set up by Sri Lankan army to keep LTTE away Access controlled

Recent updates of the conflict • • • 2002 – peace talk begin. Ceasefire agreement was signed 2003 – LTTE withdrew talks 2004 – suicide bomb took place in Colombo. Tsunami in Sri Lanka further aggravated the conflict. International aid was not shared between Sinhalese and Tamils 2005 – assassination of Foreign Minister, a Tamil. Major setback for peace talk.

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Federation • A federation is a state that comprises a number of partially self-governing regions, united by a central government

Militant group • One that uses organised violence to achieve their goals

Mediator • A neutral party that brings two opposing sides together for discussion

Peace accord • Agreement between two hostile parties, tht formally ends a war or armed conflict.

Ceasefire • A temporary stoppage of any armed conflict, where each side involved in the conflict agrees to suspend aggressive actions

Looting • In times of riots, not safe for shops/companies to open for business. A group of people will then forcefully break open the shops/companies and carry off things/objects. These things can be goods or office equipment.