Sri Lankan civil war

Quick Facts: Who was Sri Lankan civil war?

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Sri Lankan civil war

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A protracted armed conflict (1983–2009) in Sri Lanka between the state and Tamil separatists.

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Origins & Early Life

The Sri Lankan civil war was an armed conflict fought in Sri Lanka from 1983 to 2009. Beginning on 23 July 1983, it was an intermittent insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers) led by Velupillai Prabhakaran. The LTTE fought to create an independent Tamil state called Tamil Eelam in the north-east of the island in response to continuous discrimination and violent persecution against Sri Lankan Tamils by the predominantly Sinhalese government of Sri Lanka. Violent persecution erupted in the form of the 1956, 1958, 1977, 1981 and 1983 anti-Tamil pogroms, as well as the 1981 burning of the Jaffna Public Library. These were carried out by the majority Sinhalese mobs, often with state support, in the years following Sri Lanka's independence from the British Empire in 1948.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Shortly after gaining independence, Sinhalese was recognised as the sole official language of the nation. After a 26-year military campaign, the Sri Lankan military defeated the Tamil Tigers in May 2009, bringing the civil war to an end. Up to 70,000 had been killed by 2007. Immediately following the end of war, on 20 May 2009, the UN estimated a total of 80,000–100,000 deaths. However, in 2011, referring to the final phase of the war in 2009, the Report of the Secretary-General's Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka stated, "A number of credible sources have estimated that there could have been as many as 40,000 civilian deaths." The Sri Lankan government has repeatedly refused an independent, international investigation to ascertain the full impact of the war, with some reports claiming that government forces were raping and torturing Tamils involved in collating deaths and disappearances.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Since the end of the civil war, the Sri Lankan state has been subject to much global criticism for violating human rights as a result of committing war crimes through bombing civilian targets, usage of heavy weaponry, the abduction and massacres of Sri Lankan Tamils and sexual violence. The LTTE gained notoriety for carrying out numerous attacks against civilians of all ethnicities, particularly those of Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Muslim ethnicity, using child soldiers, assassinations of politicians and dissenters, and the use of suicide bombings against military, political and civilian targets. The roots of the modern conflict extend back to the colonial era, when the country was known as Ceylon. The British colonial period lasted from 1815 to 1948, during which the British sought monetary gain from Sri Lanka's supply of tea, coffee, coconuts, and rubber. A labour shortage led the British to employ Tamils from India to work on tea plantations, furthering fears of racial decline among the Sinhalese.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1815: 1815 Milestone — The British colonial period lasted from 1815 to 1948, during which the British sought monetary gain from Sri Lanka's supply of tea, coffee, coconuts, and rubber.
2. 1948: 1948 Milestone — These were carried out by the majority Sinhalese mobs, often with state support, in the years following Sri Lanka's independence from the British Empire in 1948.
3. 1956: 1956 Milestone — Violent persecution erupted in the form of the 1956, 1958, 1977, 1981 and 1983 anti-Tamil pogroms, as well as the 1981 burning of the Jaffna Public Library.
4. 1983: 1983 Milestone — The Sri Lankan civil war was an armed conflict fought in Sri Lanka from 1983 to 2009.
5. 2007: 2007 Milestone — Up to 70,000 had been killed by 2007.
6. 2009: 2009 Milestone — After a 26-year military campaign, the Sri Lankan military defeated the Tamil Tigers in May 2009, bringing the civil war to an end.
7. 2011: 2011 Milestone — However, in 2011, referring to the final phase of the war in 2009, the Report of the Secretary-General's Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka stated, "A number of credible sources have estimated that there could have been as many as 40,000 civilian deaths.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Sri Lankan civil war

True or False: “The initial catalyst for the modern conflict was solely the LTTE's desire for an independent state.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While the LTTE sought Eelam, the conflict was rooted in decades of perceived discrimination against Tamils following independence and language policies.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada — Historical peer (Died in 1977) (1977): Pioneering global spread of Krishna consciousness teachings and the Hare Krishna mantra.
• A Certain Ratio — Historical peer (Born in 1977) (1977): English post-punk band known for blending funk, disco, and Latin percussion.

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