Truth about Sri Lanka, Sinhalese, Ceylonese, Tamil, LTTE, Paramilitary, and Truth Tigers

Map of Sri Lanka

Civil War
One of the aspects of the independence movement was that it was very much a Sinhalese movement. As a result, the Sinhalese majority attempted to remodel Sri Lanka as a Sinhalese nation-state. The lion in the national flag is derived from the banner of the last Sinhalese Kingdom, which, to the Sinhalese majority, is a symbol of their fight against British colonialism. One single strip of orange on the left part of the flag represents the Tamil population, and it is seen by many Tamil as a symbol of their marginalization.

In 1956, the Official Language Act (commonly known as The Sinhala Only Act) was enacted. The law mandated Sinhala, the language of Sri Lanka's majority Sinhalese community, which is spoken by over 70% of Sri Lanka's population, as the sole official language of Sri Lanka. Supporters of the law saw it as an attempt by a community that had just gained independence to distance themselves from their colonial masters.

The immediate (and intended) consequence of this act was to force large numbers of Tamil who worked in the civil service, and who could not meet this language requirement, to resign. An attempt to make Buddhism the national religion, to the exclusion of Hindu and Islam, was also made. Affirmative action in favour of Sinhalese was also instituted, ostensibly to reverse colonial discrimination against Sinhalese in favour of Tamil. Many Tamil, in response to this deliberate marginalization, came to believe that they deserved a separate nation-state for themselves.

From 1983 to 2009, there was an on-and-off civil war against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a separatist militant organization who fought to create an independent state named Tamil Eelam in the North and East of the island. Both the Sri Lankan government and LTTE have been accused of various human rights violations.

On May 19, 2009, the President of Sri Lanka officially claimed an end to the insurgency and the defeat of the LTTE, following the death of Velupillai Prabhakaran and much of the LTTE's other senior leadership.

Post War
After the civil war was over, the government of Sri Lanka called for redevelopment of the nation. There are 300,000 Tamils who need to be resettled.


Unreported World - Sri Lanka
Sandra Jordan looks at the tragic consequences of War in Sri Lanka.
Tigers in the Shadow - Part 1 of 3


Tigers in the Shadow - Part 2 of 3


Tigers in the Shadow - Part 3 of 3




Unreported World - Sri Lanka is Killing for Peace
Sri Lanka Killing for Peace Part 1


Sri Lanka Killing for Peace Part 2


Sri Lanka Killing for Peace Part 3

Sri Lanka Flag

Youtube Video: Sri Lanka's Dirty War


journeymanpictures — July 2007
In the past 18 months, over 2,000 Sri Lankans have been kidnapped or murdered, allegedly by government death squads. Now Human Rights Watch is calling for aid to Sri Lanka to be withheld.

The Tamil homeland of Northern Sri Lanka is once again a war zone. The government is convinced it can crush the rebels within three years. "They only have this area left", states Brig Prasad. As well as targeting Tamil rebels, the government is accused of thousands of; "extrajudicial killings, abductions, disappearances". Most of the disappeared are ethnic Tamils. MP Mano Ganesan believes the abductions are; "a means of crushing the Tamil national struggle". The capital, Colombo, teams with police and soldiers but none of the abductors have been caught.

Produced by ABC Australia
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures



Youtube Video: Truth Tigers - Sri Lanka


journeymanpictures — 27 May 2002
Blood drips off the deck; a torrent of rapid gunfire sores through the air. We are in the midst of a savage sea battle, fought by the Sea Tigers -- the maritime arm of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Produced by ABC Australia
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures