Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka | Power Sharing | Notes | Summary - Zigya

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Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka

Meaning of Majoritarianism: A belief that only the majority community should rule a country, make laws for everyone and with total disregard to the wishes and needs of the minority.
Important points:

  1. Sri Lanka emerged in 1948. It immediately adopted measures to impose Sinhala supremacy.
  2. It made Sinhalese the official language of the country (by an Act in 1956), and ignored Tamil completely.
  3. Made a preferential policy to favour Sinhala-speaking people in all government jobs and educational institutions.
  4. A new constitution stipulated that the state shall protect and foster Buddhism.
  5. All these coming measures, coming one after the other, gradually increased the feeling of alienation among the Sri Lankan Tamils.
  6. As a result, the relations between the Sinhala and Tamil communities strained over time.
  7. The Sri Lankan Tamils launched parties and struggles for the recognition of Tamil as an official language, for regional autonomy and equality of opportunity in securing education and jobs.
  8. But their demand for more autonomy to provinces populated by the Tamils was repeatedly denied.
  9. The distrust between the two communities turned into widespread conflict. It soon turned into CIVIL WAR.
  10. The civil war caused killing of thousands of people of both the communities, it has caused a terrible setback to the social, cultural and economic life of the country.

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