What were the reasons for the alienation of Sri Lankan Tamils? What was the effect of this on the country?

The democratically elected government in Sri Lanka adopted a series of majoritarian measures after its independence in 1948. It adopted majoritarianism to establish Sinhala supremacy.

(i) In 1956, an Act was passed to recognize Sinhala as the only official language, thus disregarding Tamil.

(ii) The governments followed preferential policies that favoured Sinhala applicants for education and jobs.

(iii) A new Constitution advocated that the state shall protect and promote Buddhism. All these measures taken by the government gradually increased the feeling of alienation among Sri Lankan Tamils.

iv) Srilankan Tamils, due to the above discrimination, felt that none of the major political parties by the Buddhist Sinhala leaders was sensitive to their language and culture.

v) The relations between the Sinhala and Tamil communities deteriorated over time, and it soon turned into a civil war.