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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
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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 1950s : 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$66m in 1982 • US$39m in 1983 • US$22m 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.