Political Science · Ch 3 — Contemporary South Asia
Ethnic Conflict and Democracy in Sri Lanka
Ethnic Conflict and Democracy in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s story is unusual in South Asia: it has been a democracy continuously since independence in 1948, yet it faced a violent challenge not from the army or a monarchy, but from deep ethnic conflict that led to a demand for a separate state. The roots of this conflict lie in the way politics developed after independence.
The Rise of Sinhala Majoritarianism
When Sri Lanka (then called Ceylon) became independent, political power was quickly captured by parties representing the interests of the majority Sinhala community. These forces were openly hostile to the large Tamil population, many of whom had migrated from India and settled in Sri Lanka. This migration continued even after independence.
Sinhala nationalists held a firm belief: Sri Lanka belonged only to the Sinhala people, and therefore no “concessions” should be given to the Tamils. This systematic neglect of Tamil concerns — over language, education, jobs, and political representation — did not keep the country stable. Instead, it fuelled a militant Tamil nationalism.
From Grievance to Armed Struggle: The LTTE
By 1983, the situation had escalated into full-blown civil war. The militant organisation leading the fight was the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The LTTE fought the Sri Lankan army with the goal of creating a separate country for Tamils, to be called Tamil Eelam. At the height of its power, the LTTE controlled large parts of the northeastern region of Sri Lanka.
India’s Involvement and the IPKF
The Sri Lankan problem directly involved people of Indian origin, and there was strong pressure from Tamil people within India for the Indian government to protect the interests of Tamils in Sri Lanka. For years, India tried to negotiate with the Sri Lankan government on the Tamil question.
A major turning point came in 1987. For the first time, India got directly involved. It signed an accord with Sri Lanka and sent troops to stabilise relations between the government and the Tamils. This force was called the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF).
However, the mission went badly wrong. The Indian Army ended up fighting the LTTE. Worse, the presence of Indian troops was deeply resented by many Sri Lankans, who saw it as interference in their country’s internal affairs. In 1989, the IPKF was withdrawn without achieving its objective. The civil war continued.
End of the War and Democratic Survival
The conflict remained violent for years. International actors, particularly Scandinavian countries like Norway and Iceland, tried to bring both sides to the negotiating table. Ultimately, the armed conflict ended when the LTTE was militarily defeated in 2009.
Despite a brutal, decades-long civil war, Sri Lanka never abandoned democracy. It held elections throughout the conflict and maintained a democratic political system.
Economic Resilience Amidst Conflict …
The figure shows two photographs of the same woman, Durga Thapa, taken sixteen years apart. In the first image, from 1990, she is seen participating in a pro-democracy rally in Kathmandu. The second image, from 2006, shows her celebrating the success of the second democracy movement in the same city. Both photographs are credited to Min Bajracharya.
The two images together tell a powerful story about the persistence of democratic struggle in Nepal. The 1990 rally was part of the first Jana Andolan (People's Movement), which forced the absolute monarchy to accept constitutional reforms and restore a multiparty parliament. The 2006 celebration marks the second Jana Andolan, which ended direct royal rule and led to the abolition of the monarchy itself. The same activist appears in both moments — first demanding democracy, then celebrating its consolidation. …