Another challenge in Sri Lanka is keeping the peace. About three-fourths of Sri Lankans are Sinhalese (sin hah LEEZ), descendants of Aryans who migrated from northern India about 500 B.C. Later, the Tamils (TAHM uhlz), a people of Dravidian origin, came to Sri Lanka from southern India. Over the centuries, the Sinhalese and the Tamils often fought each other. Religion and language differences further split the two groups: The Sinhalese practice Buddhism, while the Tamils practice Hinduism; additionally, the two groups speak different languages and have different alphabets.
| Ethnic Differences | About three-fourths of Sri Lankans are Sinhalese; the rest are Tamils. |
| Religious Differences | The Sinhalese practice Buddhism, while the Tamils practice Hinduism. |
| Language Differences | The Sinhalese and the Tamils speak different languages and have different alphabets. |
Since Sri Lanka gained its independence from Britain in 1948, the Sinhalese have controlled the government--a government that has faced serious obstacles. In 1971, a radical Sinhalese group tried to overthrow the government. In addition, Tamils have long argued that Sinhalese discrimination has denied them equal rights to education, jobs, and land ownership. Attempts to repress the Tamil language led to calls for the creation of an independent Tamil nation on part of the island.
Tamil rebels began a guerrilla war against the Sinhalese in 1983. The conflict led to bloody fighting between government forces and guerrillas, with many civilians caught in the crossfire. This fighting disrupted development in the industry and service sectors of the economy. In late 2001, Norway helped negotiate a ceasefire, but two years of fitful peace talks have not made much progress.
