Do you agree that foreign intervention is more important than economic impact on Sri Lankan government’s desire for peace agreement? Explain your answer

Foreign intervention by India helped to promote peace in Sri Lanka. But this is not the only reason. Economic impact of the conflict is very negative and has caused loss of foreign investment.This has also contributed to the Sri Lanka government's desire for peace.

The Sinhalese-Tamil conflict in Sri Lanka attracted the attention of its neighbour, India. It sent its Foreign Minister to Sri Lanka to mediate in a dialogue between the Sinhalese and the Tamils.

India’s intervention was a serious violation of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty. This is because Sri Lanka is an independent country and she had been forced into certain actions by India against its own wishes, showing that it is not totally in control of its own future. For example, in 1987, the Sri Lankan government was forced by India to sign a peace accord with the LTTE. When the peace accord was broken because the LTTE did not surrender their arms, the Indian government ordered Indian troops into Sri Lanka for peacekeeping. This move resulted in even more violence in the country and prolonged the armed conflict. The Sri Lankan government also felt that it has lost complete independence to act on its own, and thus cease to be in control of its own fate.

All these consequences could have caused the Sri Lankan government to deepen its desire for peace agreement as it hope to regain it independence. In its intervention, the Indian government has also sent its Foreign Minister to Sri Lanka to mediate in the dialogue between the Sinhalese and the Tamils. Although the dialogue failed to end the conflict, it has helped to promote peace by forcing the two sides to discuss their problems.

In the riots and armed struggles caused by the conflict, many people are killed. Those killed are usually breadwinners of families, plunging them into poverty and starvation. The ensuing riots and terrorism also resulted in the destruction of factories and businesses, effectively causing even more employment. This vicious cycle of poverty is made worse by the loss of investments from other countries as in times of instability, investors from other countries may not have the confidence to invest in the country. Foreign investment dropped from US$66 million in 1982 to US$39 million in 1983, and a further decline to US$22 million in 1986.

Tourism, one of Sri Lanka’s major income earners, was also seriously damaged by the violent internal conflict. Tourist arrivals steadily decreased after the July 1983 riots. This resulted in a loss of jobs and a fall in foreign exchange earnings. This in turn, affected the economy adversely. There were also lesser funds to develop amenities and facilities for the people, such as transport and housing.

All the above consequences of the conflict have affected the economy of Sri Lankan negatively and thus increased Sri Lankan government’s desire for peace agreement.

Ultimately there is no single reason that can explain sufficiently the reason why the Sri Lanka government has the desire for peace. Both reasons contributed to the peace process. With India's intervention, the Sri Lanka government realised that if it does not work for peace then India may take matters into their own hands and force a peace settlement. At the same time, the continued conflict has hinder economic growth and development and the government knows that only when there is peace will there be development. Therefore both reasons has contributed to the desire for peace.

(Note from the Ess

You must show how the two factors are dependent on each other and therefore both have equal impact on Sri Lankan government for peace agreement.)

How far did resettlement of the Sinhalese to the Tamil areas caused the conflict in Sri Lanka? Explain your answer.

Issue : Reasons for the conflict in Sri Lanka

Given Factor : Resettlement of Sinhalese to the Tamil areas

Alternative Factor :
Citizenship rights
Official Language Act

Rank:

The conflict between the Sinhalese and the Tamils has existed since 1948. This is because the Tamils feel that the Sinhalese-dominated government has been unfair to them in various ways.

.g. The government implemented a policy to provide land for the poor Sinhalese peasants. These peasants were transferred from the densely-populated south western and central areas into Tamil areas. However, the Buddhists monks and the Sri Lankan Army came with the other Sinhalese to the Tamil areas to occupy the land. This caused unhappiness because the Tamils now have to compete with the Sinhalese peasants for land as well as jobs and sales of their products. They thus resented the government and began to oppose the government. Many gave their support to the Tamil Tigers in their opposition against the government and this gave rise to the conflict. There was also resentment against the monks and the Sri Lankan Army and this worsened the relationship between the Tamils and the Sinhalese, increasing the tension and the hostility. Therefore resettlement of the Sinhalese to the Tamil areas caused the conflict in Sri Lanka but it is not the only reason.

For example, in 1948, Sri Lanka granted citizenship to only those who were either born in Sri Lanka or those whose fathers and grandfathers are born there. As a result many Indian Tamils found themselves stateless. Though India tried to help them solve this problem, many Indian Tamils continued to remain stateless in the late 1980s. This caused them to be very unhappy as despite their contribution to the economy, they were not given citizenship rights like voting. They thus supported the Tamil Tigers in their opposition against the government and this caused the conflict. Therefore citizenship rights also contribute to the conflict in Sri Lanka.

Under the British rule the language of administration was English and the Tamils held powerful jobs in the government service because of their good command of English which the Sinhalese did not learn well. However, when the 1956 Official Language Act was passed, Sinhalese became the language of administration. The Tamils held a peaceful demonstration which was however disrupted by the supporters of the Sinhala language. This upset the Tamils as they found that they were unable to secure jobs or be promoted in the government service. They also concluded that peaceful means might not work and that violence might be the answer to the problem. Hence they supported the Tamil Tigers and this caused the conflict. So this is yet another reason that contribute to the conflict in Sri Lanka.

The conflict between Sri Lanka has been going on for a very long time. Citizenship rights used to be an important issue but has now became a secondary concern as in 2003, the Sri Lanka passed a bill that grant citizenship rights to the Tamils. Similarly the Official Language Act that brought about so much unhappiness has been partly resolved. This is because the Sri Lanka government has granted greater recognition to the Tamil language by declaring it the national language, the language of administration in the norther and eastern provinces as well as an official language. Therefore these two factors are no longer the most important causes for the conflict as the Sri Lanka government has made effort to resolve the issue.

However, the resettlement of the Sinhalese to the Tamil areas has not been resolved. This resentment that the Tamil feel over the issue of resettlement has continued to contribute to the conflict. Therefore, this resentment is the most important reason for the causes of the conflict.

(Note from the Ess :The answer should not only provide the reasons why it is the most important factor and but also the reasons why the other two factors are not as important or show a correlation between the three factors.

Award 11 marks for explaining why one factor is the most important factor and why one other factor is not as important and 12 marks for explaining why one factor is the most important and why 2 other factors are not as important.)

Quick guide: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is located about 31km (18.5 miles) off the southern coast of India. For much of the last 20 years it has suffered fighting between the armed forces of the predominantly Sinhalese government and Tamil Tiger rebels who want an independent homeland in the north and east.

Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic country, with a population of 18m people. It is an ancient centre of Buddhism. It also has a significant number of Hindus, Christians and Muslims. There are also a number of smaller communities such as the Burghers and the Veddas.

The civil war has killed about 64,000 people, displaced one million and held back the island's growth and economic development.


The origins of the current violence go back to the island's independence from Britain in 1948.

Although the years immediately following the end of colonial rule were largely peaceful, from the outset there were tensions between the majority Sinhalese community - who are mostly Buddhist - and the Tamil community who are mostly either Hindu or Roman Catholic.

The communities speak different languages - Sinhala and Tamil - and both claim their ancestors were original settlers on the island.

While the island's population enjoys what is arguably the highest per capita standard of living in South Asia, in the years after independence the Tamil community complained of discrimination when it came to getting jobs in the civil service or winning places at universities.

The government argued it was redressing the imbalance from colonial times when Sinhalas accused the British of giving preferential treatment to Tamils.

The run-up to war

Resentment over perceived discrimination was cited by the Tamil Tiger leader, Prabhakaran, as the motivating factor behind his decision to form the Tamil New Tigers militia in 1972. In 1976, this body changed its name to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) more commonly known as the Tamil Tigers.

The cause of "Eelam" - a Tamil homeland in the north and east - has been invoked to justify countless suicide bombings by the Tigers on civilian and military targets.

One of the first such attacks was ordered by Prabhakaran in 1983, when the Tamil Tigers attacked an army patrol in the north of the country.

That in turn led to anti-Tamil riots in which an estimated 600 people were killed and thousands displaced.

Pattern emerges

From that moment onwards, it can be argued that the Sri Lankan conflict followed a pattern that in many ways is still repeated today.

Throughout the 1980s, 1990s and for parts of this decade, the country has witnessed a combination of Tamil Tiger suicide attacks on the one hand and repeated military skirmishes in the north and east on the other.
The violence over this time period has been interspersed by various international efforts to negotiate a peace settlement: technically the two sides are not at war despite the recent violence, as neither has formally withdrawn from a peace treaty signed in 2002.

Both the military and the Tamil Tigers have been frequently accused of gross violations of human rights by international rights groups.

Civilians have been routinely murdered and thousands made homeless by the years of war.

The fighting has been complicated by the existence of shadowy paramilitary groups. Also a group of rebels led by their eastern commander, Karuna, broke away from the Tamil Tigers in March, 2004.

The conflict has also had a disastrous impact on reconstruction efforts after the December 2004 Asian tsunami with the distribution of international aid hampered by the fighting.

Can either side secure a military triumph?

Neither seems to have the muscle to win outright military victory - although both have had their successes.

In recent months it can perhaps be argued that while the conflict is no less winnable for either side - it has become a great deal more bloody.
At least 2,000 people - troops, Tamil Tiger rebels and Tamil, Sinhalese and Muslim civilians - were killed in the first nine months of 2006, the government and truce monitors say.

Unless common ground can be found between the government's oft-stated position that it is only prepared to allow more autonomy for the north and east and the Tiger's desire for full-scale independence for these areas, a solution to this most intractable of disputes looks as far away as ever.

Right from the horses mouth

2008 GCE SOCIAL STUDIES ‘N’ LEVEL EXAM MARK SCHEME

Please study this mark scheme very carefully so that you know how to score well.

(a) Study Source A.
What can you learn from this source about the reaction of the Sri Lankan government to the tsunami disaster? Explain your answer, referring to details of the source. [5]

L1 Repeats details about the government’s actions from the source.

e.g. Source A mentions that the Sri Lankan government sent “large stocks of food and other essentials” to the affected areas. [1]

L2 Inferences about the government wanting to help/ trying to help
2m for an unsupported inference
3m for a supported inference

e.g. Source A tells me that the Sri Lankan government wanted to help the victims of the Tsunami as it mentioned that “large stocks of food and other essentials have already been sent out” to the north and east” i.e. areas affected by the tsunami.. [2-3]

L3 Unsupported valid inferences about the government’s reaction / nature of government’s help

e.g. Source A tells me that the Sri Lankan government was caring, sympathetic or generous / The government acted quickly and effectively.
[3]

L4 Supported valid inferences

e.g. (L3) + I can tell this because it says the government “allocated 70 million rupees” and “have already dispatched large stocks of rice and essentials to the north and east” i.e. areas affected by the tsunami. [4]

L5 Inferred purpose

e.g. (L4) + As the source is from the official website of the Sri Lankan government, most probably, the government is taking political advantage (purpose) of the situation to show the international audience/Tamils that it cares about the welfare of all its Tamil citizens even Tamil Tigers and their supporters who lived in the Tsunami affected areas in the north and east. [5]

Note from the Ess : Notice that to get the highest marks you need to have Purpose and content to explain the purpose.

(b) Study Source B.
Are you surprised by what this source says about the reaction of the Sri Lankan government to the tsunami disaster? Explain your answer. [7]

L1 Identifies content which is surprising / not surprising, but no reason given

e.g. Not surprised that the “government agencies and army were much slower to react in the Tamil areas.” It is understandable why the LTTE reacted faster and “lost no time in organizing relief and disposing of dead bodies in the areas” while the government were slower because these areas are “under the LTTE control,” hence they have access to the place.

OR

Unexplained provenance [1]

L2 Commonsense reasons given for surprised / not surprised

i.e. no use of contextual knowledge of the Sinhalese-Tamil conflict / other sources

e.g. Not surprised because the government is made up of Sinhalese. Hence it is logical that they will help their own people first. [2]

L3 Not surprised, provenance explains why source is critical

e.g. Not surprised, although the source is an independent organization, it is based in India. Hence it could be biased towards the Tamils and hence would be critical of the Sinhalese-majority government. [3]

L4 Surprised / not surprised, explained by cross-reference to other sources

4m for weak cross-references

5m if cross reference is done properly

e.g. Surprised, because it implied that the government does not care about the Tamils in the north as it mentioned that the “government has been insensitive to the tragedy suffered by the Tamils.” This assertion that the government does not care about the Tamils in the north is not true as it is opposed by Source A which mentioned that the government “allocated 70 million rupees” and “have already dispatched large stocks of rice and essentials to the north and east” i.e. areas affected by the tsunami, implying that the government is caring/sympathetic to Tamils living in tsunami affected areas.

OR

e.g. Not surprised, because it implied that the government treated the Sinhalese better than the Tamils as it mentioned that the “government has been insensitive to the tragedy suffered by the Tamils” and “concentrated their efforts on the Sinhalese-majority areas.” This assertion the government treated the Sinhalese better than the Tamils is true as it is supported by Source C which mentioned that the government “channeled vast sums of international aid to the south, which has a Sinhalese majority” and “the tsunami victims in the north are still suffering in welfare centres without adequate aid and other assistance.”.
[4-5]

L5 Not surprised, explained with reference to the Tamil-Sinhalese conflict

6m for undeveloped references to the conflict

7m when conflict is used in the development of the explanation

e.g. [L4] + Not surprised that the government “ignored the LTTE’s request for heavy equipment to repair damaged roads” because the LTTE are against the Sri Lankan government. They have caused a lot of trouble to the government. They went back on their words by not putting down their arms and make the peace agreement impossible. Hence it is logical that the government ignored the LTTE’s request as the LTTE may make use of the situation to further their cause. [6-7]

Note from the Ess : Notice to get the highest marks you need to have cross reference +contextual knowledge.



(c) Study Source C.
Why do you think the Tamil Tiger commander made this speech? Explain your answer. [6]

L1 Reasons based on content – what he thinks or feels / what was happening or the situation
1m for 1 reason
2m for 2 reasons

e.g. He feels that the government is unfair, “channelling vast sums of international aid to the south, which has a Sinhalese majority” and ignoring “the tsunami victims in the north [who are Tamils] and suffering in welfare centres without adequate aid and other assistance.”.
[1-2]

L2 Reasons based on content – messages / what he wanted to say
i.e. These answers are based solely on the content of Source C

2m for 1 reason
3m for 2 reasons

e.g. He made the speech to highlight (purpose word) to the international audience that the government is biased towards the Sinhalese and uncaring towards the Tamils as he said that “the government “channeled vast sums of international aid to the south, which has a Sinhalese majority” and “the tsunami victims in the north are still suffering in welfare centres without adequate aid and other assistance.”. [2-3]

L3 Reasons based on context: because of the Tamil-Sinhalese conflict / the conference / the status of the Tigers
i.e. awareness of context beyond what is mentioned in Source C

OR

Reasons based on purpose: impact on audience – what he wanted the audience to do (sic)

e.g. He made the speech to convince the international audience (audience) about the discriminating actions of the government towards the Tamils i.e. the government is biased towards the Sinhalese and uncaring towards the Tamils as he said that “the government “channeled vast sums of international aid to the south, which has a Sinhalese majority” so that they would put pressure on the government to channel the aid they have given to develop the north. (outcome)[4]

L4 L2 + L3 [5-6]


Note from the Ess : Notice to get the highest level you need to have Purpose, Audience and Outcome(PAO) which is what we have been stressing all this time in our lesson.

(d) Study Sources D and E.
Does Source E prove that what the UN claimed in Source D was true? Explain your answer. [7]

L1 Assertion rejecting what Source E shows / what Source D says

e.g. No. Source D said that the UN claimed that “the Tamil Tiger rebels have been recruiting child soldiers from relief camps”, but Source E does not show that this is happening [1]

L2 Assertion based on provenance of Source D / Source E

Based on provenance of Source D

e.g. Yes, because it is from the BBC News website. If they report something that is not true, UN may sue them.

OR

Based on provenance of Source E

e.g. Yes, because it is from an article published by the Human Rights Watch, the largest human rights organization based in the US. [2]

L3 No, because the picture does not show a Tamil. The child looked more like a Vietnamese! [3]

L4 Yes. Uncritical acceptance of proof based on comparison of Source D and E

4m for weak comparison
5m if comparison is good

e.g. Yes, both sources agree that the Tamil Tigers are recruiting child soldiers. Source D mentioned that the UN claimed that “the Tamil Tiger rebels have been recruiting child soldiers from relief camps.” Similarly, the Human Rights Watch’s article also mentioned that “Tamil Tigers recruit child soldiers.”
[4-5]

L5 No, because Tigers deny it in Source D

e.g. No. Source D mentioned that the UN claimed that “the Tamil Tiger rebels have been recruiting child soldiers from relief camps”, but the BBC news reported that the “Tamil Tigers have denied any involvement in the recruitment incidents.” [6]

L6 No, because Source E predates the tsunami

e.g. No. Although the Human Rights Watch’s article mentioned that “Tamil Tigers recruit child soldiers,” the article was dated 11 Nov 2004 while Source D is from the BBC News website and the article is dated 13 Jan 2005. As Source E predates the tsunami, it is not believable and hence cannot be used to prove that the UN claimed that “the Tamil Tiger rebels have been recruiting child soldiers from relief camps.”

OR
Yes/No based on evaluation of provenance

e.g. Yes, because it is from an article published by the Human Rights Watch, the largest human rights organization based in the US. Since their mission is to protect the rights of people, they will definitely publish the article to highlight to the international audience (maybe to the overseas Tamils) that the Tamil Tigers are exploiting children so that the overseas Tamils would not support the Tamil Tigers.

OR

No but likely because it suggests increased probability of such incident
e.g. No, because the Human Rights Watch’s article mentioned that “Tamil Tigers recruit child soldiers,” was dated 11 Nov 2004 while Source D is from the BBC News website and the article is dated 13 Jan 2005. As Source E predates the tsunami, it cannot be used to prove that the UN claimed that “the Tamil Tiger rebels have been recruiting child soldiers from relief camps after the tsunami.” But it is very likely (highly probable) that the Tamil Tigers would continue to recruit the child soldiers in the relief camp after the tsunami. [7]

Note from the Ess: Notice that you have to be very observant when you analysis the source. You are expected to get information form the background, see the date to make judegement to see if it is reliable or not.

Study the Background Information and the sources carefully, and then answer all the questions.

You may use any of the sources to help you answer the questions,in addition to those sources you are told to use. In answering the questions you should use your knowledge of the topic to help you interpret and evaluate the sources.

Issue : How far did the Sinhalese-Tamil conflict impact on the efforts to help victims of the December 2004 tsunami?

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Read this carefully. It may help you answer some of the question.

On 26th December 2004 a huge tsunami(tidal wave) struck many nations around the Indian Ocean. One of the nations worst affected was Sri Lanka,with tens of thousands of people killed or made homeless. The north and east coasts were in the direct path of the tsunami. This area had a population that was mainly Tamil, and much of it was controlled by the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or the Tamil Tigers). Other areas of Sri Lanka were badly hit too. Study the following sources to find out how far the Sinhalese-Tamil conflict impacted on the efforts to help the victims of the December 2004 tsunami.

Source A: From the official website of the Sri Lanka government, 28 December 2004.

Government agents in the north and east have been instructed to assess the damage and estimate the immediate requirements of the people displaced by the tidal waves. Districts in the north and the east have been allocated the sum of 70 million rupees(about 2.5 million Singapore dollars)for immediate relief efforts. Agents can spend this money according to the needs of the people affected by the disaster. Large stocks of food and other essentials have already been sent out, while total requirements of rice will be purchased locally. Requests from the Tamil Tigers for assistance are being met by the government. University students, Sri Lanka military and police personal are donating blood for victims in the north.


Sources B: From a report published on 10 January 2005 by the South Asia Analysis Group an independent organisation based in India.

After the disaster, the LTTE lost no time in organising relief and disposing of dead bodies in the areas under its control.Government agencies and the army were much slower to react in the Tamil areas. Instead, they concentrated their efforts on the Sinhalese-majority areas. Pro-LTTE sources have claimed that the Government has been insensitive to the tragedy suffered by the Tamils, and has tried to take political advantage of it. This could be seen when the government took over the running of relief camps set up by pro-LTTE organisations in Tamil areas controlled by the government.

Source C: From a speech by a Tamil Tiger commander at a conference held in Jaffna on 20 January 2005 to discuss tsunami relief,a s reported by a pro-Tamil website. The conference was chaired by the Jaffna District Government Agent and attended by the United Nations representatives as well as heads of local government departments.

Two-thirds of the loss of lives and property caused by the tsunami has been in Tamil areas in the north east. But the Sri Lanka government is channelling vast sums of international aid to the south,which has a Sinhaleses majority. Big housing schemes and other projects are being launched in the south, but the tsunami victims in the north are still suffering in welfare centres without adequate aid and other assistance.

Source D: From the BBC News website,13 January 2005.

The United Nations (UN) says that Tamil Tiger rebels have been recruiting child soldiers from the relief camps set up after the December's tsunami. 'In the aftermath of the tsunami, you would have hoped recruitment would have stopped,' a UN spokesman told the BBC. The Tamil Tigers have denied any involvement in the incidents. The spokesman said that having to keep a check on child recruitment was taking away resources that the UN could be using to help children affected by the tsunami.








Source E : A photograph from an article entitled 'Tamil Tigers recruit child soldiers',published on teh website of Human Right Watch, teh largest human rights organisation based in the USA,11 Nov 2004.

Student' Essay : Conflict in Multi-Ethnic Societies: Case Study of Sri Lanka

Conflict in Multi-Ethnic Societies: Case Study of Sri Lanka


a. To what extent is citizenship rights responsible for the conflict between Sinhalese and Tamils?

The Sinhalese and the Tamils have been having conflict in Sri Lanka. Most of the issues revolve around the discriminatory policies against the Tamils practiced by the Sri Lankan government which prefers Sinhalese, the majority.

One of such policy is the citizenship rights. In 1948, when Sri Lanka gained independence, only those born in Sri Lanka or whose forefathers were born there were given Sri Lankan citizenship. This caused many Indian Tamils to be stateless, although they have contributed significantly to Sri Lankan economy. They resent the government and this was one of the sparks that ignite the conflict between the Tamils and the Sinhalese. Since 2003, though, this issue had been resolved, making this an irrelevant cause for the present conflict.

Another policy is the ‘Sinhala Only’ language policy. Sinhala was to be used as the only language in government officer. Tamils who work in the government offices are to learn Sinhala in three years or face retrenchment. This upset many Tamil civil servants as it was very hard for them to learn Sinhala. This policy seems to discriminate Tamils and thus aggravate the resentment between the Tamils and the Sinhalese.

University admission criteria is another unfair policy practised by the Sri Lankan government. Since the 1970s, Tamil students have to score higher than Sinhalese students in order to enter the same course in the universities. This system does not agree with the principle of meritocracy and upsets Tamil students who found it difficult to get into universities. Many youths thus, seeing no future, decided to join LTTE, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, to fight for their rights and to gain an independent Tamil state from Sri Lanka. The fuelled resentment between youths makes the conflict much worse since it now affects the younger generation, making the conflict continues to the next generations.

In conclusion, although there are many factors responsible for the conflict between the Sinhalese and Tamils, I think university admission criteria is the one which is most responsible for it.

Citizenship rights might have started the conflict, but since 2003, the Tamils have received their citizenship. The ‘Sinhala Only’ language policy is also not the one most responsible for the conflict since Tamil has since been adopted as an official language in Tamil-dominated areas. It did add to the resentment between both sides, but not anymore.

Besides, after one generation, it is possible to have Sinhala-speaking Tamils. University admission criteria is the one that has not yet been resolved until now, and this creates uneducated Tamil youths. One might say they do not necessarily turn to violence, but one must also understand that it is not easy for uneducated people to express their opinions and thoughts.

Moreover, having small number of Tamils entering the university and having a small number of degree-holders, less Tamils can get into government jobs, making it even harder for them to fight for their rights peacefully.

Thus I think citizenship rights come after university admission criteria as a cause of conflict in Sri Lanka, but before the ‘Sinhala Only’ language policy.


Well done. L6 12/12 Can any one tell me why?

b. “The most serious consequence of the Sinhalese-Tamil conflict is the economic devastation of the country.” How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer.

The conflict between the Sinhalese and the Tamils had brought devastation to the once modern country. Among those are political, economic and social consequences.

Economic consequences are unavoidable when a conflict strikes a country. In Sri Lanka’s case, the conflict had greatly reduced the number of tourists and caused great loss of foreign investments. Tourists do not dare to go to Sri Lanka since it is unsafe with LTTE’s attacking every part of the country. Foreign businessmen also do not dare to invest in Sri Lanka since their factories could be destroyed in a terrorist attack in the country anytime. The attacks and riots destroying factories and industries also cause unemployment. All these brought economic devastation to the country, leaving the whole Sri Lanka to suffer in poverty.

There are also social consequences brought about by this conflict. Tamils, fearing conflict and discrimination, are forced out of their homeland to somewhere else, for example India, to migrate for safety. The conflict has also left a scar between the Sinhalese and the Tamils. The hatred between them might stay for generations to come, creating a society divided by suspicion and distrust. Crime rates are also high since economic conditions are poor. Orphans and squatters are abundant due to terrorist bombings and economic problems. This shows how social consequences can further damage the country.

Political consequences are also a consequence of the conflict. There are armed conflict between Sinhalese and Tamils, causing high mortality rate in Sri Lanka. There had been numerous clashes between the Sinhalese and the Tamils, with Sri Lankan policemen and army not trying to remedy the situation but participate in attacks against Tamils. Armed conflict brought about not only deaths but also caused an increase in handicapped people, generated great loss of money and hinders development. Also, there is foreign intervention by India. India dropped supply at Jaffna for the Tamils and entered Sri Lankan airspace illegally by doing so. Political consequences suffered by Sri Lanka were heavy.

In conclusion, I disagree that economical consequences are the most serious consequence of the Sinhalese-Tamil conflict in Sri Lanka. In my opinion, political consequence is the most serious consequence, followed by economic consequence and social consequence.

Political consequences include armed conflict which causes instability in the country, causing economic problems as people dare not to go to Sri Lanka for holiday or investments. Afterwards, since there are economic problems, came social problems that arose mostly due to poverty and instability and the unsafeness of the region. Political consequence is the underlying cause of the other two consequences and thus I think s the most serious one.

Economic consequences follow behind as the second-most serious consequences, as it brought heavy damages to the country. In turn, economic consequences brought about by political consequences caused social consequences.

Thus social consequences were the least serious out of the three consequences.
In addition to political consequences as the underlying cause of the other two consequences, if India did not withdraw its troops in 1990 and keep violating Sri Lanka’s airspace, it is not improbable that India would have taken over Sri Lanka, it being weakened by so much devastation brought about by the conflict – this would have been disastrous for Sri Lanka’s sovereignty.

Vanessa/4A/23

“Only the Tamils suffered in the conflict in Sri Lanka.”
How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your answer.



Level 1
Describe the conflict in Sri Lanka with no reference to the suffering of the Tamils.
Award 1 mark for general description.

e.g. The conflict between the Tamil and Sinhalese occurred because the Tamil felt that they were treated unfairly and so decided to demand for the formation of a new state called Tamil Eelam.(1-2)

Level 2
Agree with the statement that the Tamil suffered and describe their suffering but with no link to the conflict AND/OR disagree with the statement and describe the suffering of the Sinhalese with no link to the conflict.

e.g. The Tamil suffered a lot as they lost their land, the Tamil civil servants lost their jobs if the could not speak Sinhalese and the youth could not go to the University for engineering and medical courses. They also lose their citizenship rights. So I agree that the Tamil suffered.

Or
The Sinhalese suffered as their economy declined. Economic growth did not take place as there was no foreign direct investment which lead to unemployment. Moreover the tourist find Sri Lanka less attractive so they do not come which lead to even more unemployment. In addition, many soldiers in the Sinhalese army and civilians died in the conflict. Thus I disagree with the statement as the Sinhalese suffered too. (3-4)

Level 3
Agree with the statement that the Tamil suffered and explain how the conflict brings about their suffering OR disagree with the statement and explain how the conflict lead to the suffering of the Sinhalese.

Award 5 marks for one explanation of the effect on either the Tamil or the Sinhalese, and an additional mark for further explanations, to a maximum of 7 marks.

Yes, I agree that the Tamil suffered during the conflict. Many Tamil lost their home land when the Sinhalese implemented the resettlement policy. The worst is when India intervene Sri Lanka. India’s intervention was a serious violation of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty. For example, in 1987, the Sri Lankan government was forced by India to sign a peace accord with the LTTE. When the peace accord was broken because the LTTE did not surrender their arms, the Indian government ordered 2000 more Indian troops to fight ethnic Tamil Tigers in the Jaffina Peninsula. This move resulted in even more violence in the country and prolonged the armed conflict. Indian troops and police commandos faced intense combat to the east and northwest of Jaffna town, a stronghold of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the main rebel group. When fighting broke out, the Tamil have to moved out of their home land and become refugees. This brought about suffering for the Tamil and so I agree with the statement that the Tamil suffered in the conflict in Sri Lanka.

OR

In the riots and armed struggles caused by the conflict, many people are killed. Many who are killed are likely to be the Sinhalese from the army or Sinhalese civilian who are killed by the bombs set by the Tamil Tiger. They are usually breadwinners of families, plunging them into poverty and starvation.

The ensuing riots and terrorism also resulted in the destruction of factories and businesses, effectively causing even more employment in the city of Colombo. This vicious cycle of poverty is made worse by the loss of investments from other countries as in times of instability, investors from other countries may not have the confidence to invest in the country. Foreign investment dropped from US$66 million in 1982 to US$39 million in 1983, and a further decline to US$22 million in 1986.

Tourism, one of Sri Lanka’s major income earners, was also seriously damaged by the violent internal conflict. Tourist arrivals steadily decreased after the July 1983 riots. This resulted in a loss of jobs and a fall in foreign exchange earnings. This in turn, affected the economy adversely. There were also lesser funds to develop amenities and facilities for the people, such as transport and housing. As most of these jobs belong to the Sinhalese, I can conclude that the conflict has caused more suffering to the Sinhalese. (5-7)


Level 4
Both elements of L3
Award 8 marks for one explanation each of both the suffering of the Tamil and the Singhalese. Award additional marks for further explanations, to a maximum of 10 marks. 8 - 10


Level 5
L4+ shows how both the suffering of the Tamil and the Sinhalese are interrelated/interdependent.

Award 11 marks for one explanation to show how the two group of people suffered from the conflict. Award additional marks for further explanations to a maximum of 13 marks.

In the conflict in Sri Lanka both the Tamil and Sinhalese suffered especially with the lost of life to the armed conflict. Both sides have men who were killed as soldiers, as guerillas and as innocent civilians. Both could not enjoy peaceful lives as long as the conflict remains. Therefore both the Tamils and Sinhalese suffered in this conflict.
11 - 13

Read the website entitled Sri Lankan families count cost of war .

After reading the article who do you think suffer more?