Page 108 - ROHANA_Journal_No_11-2019-ok

Research Journal of the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka- Rohana 11, 2019

“This state of affairs placed the Tamils, who formed only 11% of the total
population of the country, on an equal footing with the Sinhalese, 43% of whom

were Low Country Sinhalese and 24% were Kandyan Sinhalese. The psychological
legacy of this was that until the mid-1920s, the Ceylon Tamils saw themselves as
the dominant community” (p. 29).

Beginning from the 1930s the British rulers began applying democratic principles to

the socio-political setup of Ceylon. During the post-independence period the
government continued this policy by further democratizing the socio-political setup.

Applying these democratic principles allowed the Sinhalese to establish themselves
in a much stronger position in the socio-political and economic fields compared to

the Tamils due to their far greater numerical strength. With the erosion of the

previous position enjoyed by the Vellalah Tamils, they became frustrated as those
positions came to be increasingly filled by the Sinhalese. Moreover, when they

compared their position with that of contemporary Sinhalese society, they were

worried. Even though the evolution of majority dominance is a natural phenomenon
in the socio-economic and political fields under the practice of open competition

based on democratic principles, the high caste Tamils were not ready to accept the
majority, minority concept. They expected equal parity for both nationalities. In this

context they felt they were relatively deprived compared to the Sinhalese (Focus
group discussion held with Vellalah caste Tamil citizens of Meesalai on

08.02.2018).

The post-independence social welfare and human development indicators of Sri

Lanka were at a higher level compared to the other South Asian countries. However,
economic growth was not at a high level when compared with social welfare

development. Nevertheless, as a result of the social welfare development the Sri
Lankan population increased significantly so that in the 1970s the population of the

youth community was extremely high in comparison to the population of older

people. Supported by free education and post-independence welfare developments
most Sri Lankan youth received a good education and naturally they expected to

101