SRI LANKA

ISLAND OF SRI LANKA

• Tamil ethnicity is located in the center of the island
• Sinhalese are everywhere else
• Multi-ethnic state

CULTURE OF SINHALESE

• Dated back to 2,600 years ago
• Branch of Theravada Buddism
• Art, folk beliefs and tradition are important
• 74% of sri Lankan population is Sinhalese

TAMIL CULTURE

• Animist and Hindu
• 18% of the population of Sri Lanka
• Art is very important
• SPICEEEEEEEE RICEEEEEEEEE

REASON FOR CONFLICT

• Started 2,000 years ago
• Tamils feel discriminated against
• Sinhalese feel that tamils are terrorists
• Tamils denied citezenship in 1949
• 2003 tamils regained citezenship

REASON FOR CONFLICT (CONT.)

• 60,000 have died since 1983
• 1956 sinhala is the official language
• 1958: riots and looting of stores, 200 deaths
• 1970: tamil media banned
• 1981: tamil media office destroyed, loss of cultural history

EFFECTS ON THE WORLD

• Tamil have been recognised as terrorists
• Ethnic cleansing was planned, but deemed immoral
• Fighting in towns on the island

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO