Social Studies for GCE 'O' Level Examination.

1. SOCIAL STUDIES - SEC 3
CHAPTER 4: CONFLICT BETWEEN MULTI-ETHNIC SOCIETIES
Causes of Sinhalese-Tamil Conflict
Factor Explanation Elaboration
Citizenship Rights 1. Since the Ceylon Citizenship 3. As a result, the Tamils could not vote for
Act, the Sri Lankan government their representatives and the government
granted citizenship to only neglected their needs and concerns.
those who were either born in
4. Although India stepped in and help some
Sri Lanka or whose
Indian Tamils return to India, about 100,
forefathers were born there.
000 Indian Tamils remained stateless.
*** MAIN FACTOR ***
2. This cause many Tamils to
5. Tamils were dissatisfied as despite their
become stateless.
contribution to economy, they were not
granted citizenship.
6. Feeling neglected by the government, the
resentment against the government grew,
leading to the conflict.
Sinhala-Only Policy 1. This policy was enacted in 3. This caused many Tamil civil servants to
1956, making Sinhala the lose their jobs as they were not proficient
official language. in Sinhala.
2. Civil servants have to learn 4. In addition, this unfair policy made it
Sinhala within 3 years or be difficult for Tamils to secure jobs or be
dismissed. promoted.
5. The Tamils found that peaceful means did
not work, thus thinking that they were
discriminated against, causing them to
result in violence.
6. Aggravated relations between Tamils and
Sinhalese, resulting in conflict.
University Admission 1. University Admission was used 4. This caused many Tamil youths to be
Criteria to be based on merit and deprived of university education and
English ability. made them resent the Sri Lankan
government as they felt that the
2. This benefitted the English-
government was biased against them
speaking Tamils and they
and deprived them of good job
score well in exams.
opportunities.
3. The new criteria introduced
5. As such, it erupted tension, which caused a
required Tamils to score higher
large degree of hatred between the
marks than Sinhalese to enter
Sinhalese and Tamil minorities.
the same University courses.
4. A fixed number of places were
reserved for the Sinhalese.
Resettlement 1. In 1950, the Sri Lankan 2. Caused frustration among Tamils, as they
government transferred had to compete with the Sinhalese for land.
Sinhalese peasants and the
3. Increased chances of racial conflict due
Sri Lankan Army to areas
to hostility between them.
densely populated by the
Tamils. 4. Tamils also lost dominance and political
power in those areas.
5. Caused the Tamils to resent the
government, leading to conflict.
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