Question

What was the most serious demand of the Sri Lankan Tamils which resulted in a civil war in Sri Lanka?
A. Reservation of jobs for Tamils
B. Recognition of Tamil as an official language
C. Creation of an independent Tamil Eelam
D. Creation of a federation with autonomy to Tamils

Answer 1

Hint: Sri Lanka became an independent country in 1948 and during that time adopted a majoritarian form of government to establish Sinhala Supremacy.

Complete Step by Step answer:
Conflicts arose when an act was passed by the government of Sri Lanka in 1956 in which it declared Sinhala as the official language. The government gave importance to the Sinhala people and disregarded the Tamil who constitute 9.4 percent of the total population of Sri Lanka. In 1972 the country’s name was changed from Ceylon to Sri Lanka and Buddhism was made the nations’ primary religion. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was formed in the midst of such conflict. It was led by Velupillai Prabhakaran who fought for their rights and wanted to create an independent state for Tamils called the Tamil Eelam.

The LTTE fought against the discrimination against the Tamil people residing in the north and east of the country. The LTTE in 1983 ambushed an army by killing thirteen soldiers and creating riots in which more than 2000 Tamil died. In order to establish peace in the country, India in 1987 deployed a peacekeeping force which further escalated the situation. It soon turned into a civil war and as a result of which thousands of people died. The LTTE gradually became a terrorist organisation fighting for their own rights by recruiting child soldiers, framing suicide bombings etc. In 1997 the United State department placed the LTTE on its terrorist list.

Thus, the correct answer is option (C)

Note: The government of Sri Lanka in 2006 launched a military campaign to remove the LTTE from the country and by 2007 it has established control over the eastern part of the country.