Why did Tamils fight in Sri Lanka?

Why did Tamils fight in Sri Lanka?

The LTTE fought to create an independent Tamil state called Tamil Eelam in the north-east of the island, due to the continuous discrimination and violent persecution against Sri Lankan Tamils by the Sinhalese dominated Sri Lankan Government.

How many Tamils were killed in Sri Lanka?

The Sri Lankan Civil war was very costly, killing and disappearing over 200,000+ civilians and 50,000+ fighters over the course of the war, mainly from the Tamil minority. The “Tamil Centre for Human Rights” recorded that from 1983 to 2004, 47,556 Tamil civilians were killed by the war.

Is LTTE still active?

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a terrorist-cum-insurgent organisation is dead.

What religion are Tamil Tigers?

Though one group was mostly Hindu and the other mostly Buddhist, there were Christians in both groups, and some Tamil Tigers were Catholic.

How did Tamils go to Sri Lanka?

Like the Portuguese and Dutch, the British colonial period saw the transportation and migration of Tamils to Sri Lanka, but on a much larger scale. Indian Tamils were brought to Sri Lanka as indentured labourers during the 19th and 20th centuries to work on coffee, tea and rubber plantations owned by the British.

How are Tamils treated in Sri Lanka?

According to Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2016 report on Sri Lanka, “Tamils report systematic discrimination in areas including government employment, university education, and access to justice. … Ethnic tensions occasionally lead to violence” (Freedom House 2016).

Do Tamils have equal rights in Sri Lanka?

The Federal Party (Sri Lanka) (FP) became the most dominant Tamil political party in 1956 and lobbied for a federal state which gave the Tamils and Sinhalese equal rights, including recognition of two official languages (Tamil and Sinhala) and considerable autonomy for the Tamil areas.

Can LTTE come back?

But even after their death, the Tigers seem to have the ability to keep tormenting Sri Lanka’s Tamils. Ever since the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was militarily crushed in May 2009, it has been asked repeatedly: Can the group be resurrected by Sri Lankan Tamils?

Who are Tamil rebels in Sri Lanka?

Tamil Tigers, byname of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), guerrilla organization that sought to establish an independent Tamil state, Eelam, in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. The LTTE was established in 1976 by Velupillai Prabhakaran as the successor to an organization he had formed earlier in the 1970s.

Are Tamils still living in Sri Lanka?

Today, they constitute a majority in the Northern Province, live in significant numbers in the Eastern Province and are in the minority throughout the rest of the country. 70% of Sri Lankan Tamils in Sri Lanka live in the Northern and Eastern provinces.

What did Sri Lankan Tamil want?

The main demands of Sri Lankan Tamils were: (i) Tamil should be recognised as an official language. (ii) Regional autonomy should be given to Sri Lankan Tamils. (iii) Equality of opportunity in getting education and jobs should be provided.