history based essay ; completed 1st draft

The tension between Sinhalese and Tamils started during the British colonial rule which favoured the Tamil minority in terms of jobs and education.

Rajiv, whose parents work with the British government body in Sri Lanka was born with a silver spoon. Since young, he stayed near a village, where this boy named Bala lived. Bala was at the river bathing when he met Rajiv. They got along well and became good friends. They tend to each other’s needs and seldom quarrel. Bala is a Sinhalese whose forefathers have been living in Sri Lanka for decades.

Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948, the Sri Lanka government passed the Ceylon Citizenship Act of 1948. The act only granted citizenship only to those who were either born in Sri Lanka, or those whose forefathers were born there. As a result, many Indian Tamils found themselves stateless. Rajiv and his family therefore became stateless, but his parents still continued to work and contributed significantly to the Sri Lanka economy. Life has been tougher for them.

Another policy was the resettlement policy of the 1950s, the Indian Tamils are heavily concentrated in the highlands districts as the majority of them are tea plantation workers. The Sri Lanka Tamils, on the other hand make up more than 95% of the population in the Jaffna peninsula. Sinhalese peasants were transferred from the densely populated south-western and central areas to Tamils areas. The Sinhalese has occupied the lands.

English were the official language in the early period. English-educated Tamils could enter the government service and be promoted. However, ever since Sinhalese took place, Sinhala was declared as the country’s official language under the Official Language Act in 1956. The Tamils were forced to learn Sinhala in three years time or be dismissed.

“I do not understand the question, how am I suppose to do the homework?!’’ claimed Rajiv.

“Everything has changed, you got to learn right from the start. Get started now!’’ exclaimed Bala.

Rajiv could not be bothered, and he started racking his brain on his homework. “If English was the official language, I bet you will understand the feeling I’m going through now.” thought Rajiv. Rajiv and Bala have been quarrelling very often since Sinhalese government take over.

In 1970, the government introduced new university admission criteria Tamil students had to score higher marks than the Sinhalese students to enter the same course in the universities.

“Father! Why are we the one to be working more harder than the Sinhalese people?” Rajiv growled.

“Bear with it, everything will be fine someday.” Father said it with no confidence.

Rajiv has scored higher in the examination then Bala.

“I’m rejected?! I scored higher than you but you got in to university!” Rajiv blurted out in exasperation.

“There is no use crying over spilled milk, the result has shown that WE, the Sinhalese are much more important than YOU, Tamils.” Bala told Rajiv arrogantly.

“So be it, we are not friends anymore. There is no justice at all!” Rajiv said it in an aggrieved tone of voice.

The two of friends went their separated ways. Bala achieved more than he deserved and Rajiv on the other hand, has to work extra hard it was not fair, in Rajiv’s point of view, but five years down the road he joined a Liberation community, when time comes they first attacked the Court of Law. The Court of Law, where Bala is working since he graduated.