what is the cause of civil …

The democratically elected government in Sri Lanka after its independence in 1948, adopted a series of majoritarian measures to establish Sinhala supremacy in Sri Lanka. In 1956, an Act was passed to recognise Sinhala as the only official language, thus disregarding Tamil. The government followed preferential policies that favoured Sinhalese for University positions and government jobs. A new Constitution stipulated that the state shall protect and foster Buddhism.

All these measures taken by the government gradually increased the feeling of alienation among the Sri Lankan Tamils. They felt that none of the political parties led by the Buddhist Sinhala leaders were sensitive to their language and culture. They were deprived of political rights, government jobs and other opportunities common to a citizen.

As a result, the Sri Lankan Tamils launched parties and struggles for the recognition of Tamil as official language for regional autonomy and opportunity in education and job. But their demand for autonomy to provinces populated by the Tamils was repeatedly rejected.

This led to a joint demand by different political organisations of Tamils for an independent Tamil Elam (State) in Northern and Eastern parts of Sri Lanka. This distrust between the two communities turned into widespread political strife which led to a Civil War. As a result, thousands of people of both communities were killed.