How did the Sri Lankan Civil War begin?

The Sri Lankan Civil War began due to ethnic tensions between the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority.

The Sri Lankan Civil War, which lasted from 1983 to 2009, was a direct result of escalating ethnic tensions between the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority. The root of the conflict can be traced back to the colonial period when the British favoured the Tamil minority in administrative matters, creating resentment among the Sinhalese majority. After gaining independence in 1948, the Sinhalese-led government implemented policies that marginalised the Tamil population, leading to growing discontent.

In 1956, the government passed the Sinhala Only Act, making Sinhala the sole official language and further alienating the Tamil population. This act was seen as a deliberate attempt to undermine the Tamils' economic and political status. The government also introduced preferential policies in education and employment for the Sinhalese, exacerbating the ethnic divide.

The Tamil community's attempts to peacefully protest against these discriminatory policies were met with violence, leading to several riots. The most notable of these was the 1983 Black July riots, where hundreds of Tamils were killed by Sinhalese mobs. This event is often considered the starting point of the civil war.

In response to the increasing marginalisation and violence, militant Tamil groups began to emerge in the 1970s, the most prominent being the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), also known as the Tamil Tigers. The LTTE aimed to create an independent Tamil state in the north and east of Sri Lanka. The group carried out numerous attacks against the Sri Lankan government, leading to a full-scale civil war in 1983.

The Sri Lankan Civil War was characterised by brutal violence, human rights abuses, and terrorism. It resulted in significant loss of life and displacement of people. The war ended in 2009 with the defeat of the LTTE by the Sri Lankan government, but the underlying ethnic tensions remain unresolved.