Draft 6 ! (:

The tension between Sinhalese and Tamils started during the British colonial rule which favoured the Tamil minority in terms of jobs and education. Changes of laws had upset many people. It has caused many Tamils to lose their lives and property. Things started to change.

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 where they both met each other. They got along well and became good friends. They tended to each other’s needs and seldom quarrel. Bala is a Sinhalese whose forefathers had been living in Sri Lanka for decades.

Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948, the Sri Lanka government passed the Ceylon Citizenship Act of 1948. 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. Whereas, life for Bala have been getting more smoothly. His parent held important jobs in the government.

Another policy was the resettlement policy of the 1950s, the Sinhalese has occupied the lands. Rajiv was unhappy as the arrival of the peasants was accompanied by Buddhists monks and Sri Lankan Army which was mostly Sinhalese. Therefore, Rajiv and his family were forced to move to another small part of the country with all the Tamils.

English were the official language in the early period. 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 including school, and work too. Time given was only three years time or would be dismissed.

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

“Come on, be optimistic! Everything has change, you have to learn right from the start. Get started now!’’ exclaimed Bala in an arrogant tone.

Rajiv could not be bothered, and he started racking his brain on his homework. Bala was such a phony.

“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 ever 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 harder than the Sinhalese people?” Rajiv growled.

Father answered it with no confidence, “Bear with it, and he continued, everything will be fine someday” forcing a smile to face Rajiv, his beloved son.

Rajiv has scored higher in the examination then Bala.

“I’m rejected?! I scored higher than you but you got into university?! You will be expelled soon!” Rajiv blurted out in exasperation. The result of going into university astonished Rajiv.

Bala told Rajiv arrogantly in sarcasm, “There is no use crying over spilled milk, the result has shown that WE, the Sinhalese are much more important than YOU, Tamils! You are just being malevolent towards those people who are successful.’’

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

The two of friends went their own separated ways. Bala achieved more than he deserved and Rajiv on the other hand, had to work extra harder to survive in the economy. Five years down the road, Rajiv joined a Liberation community, when time comes they first attacked the Court of Law. The Court of Law which Bala is working for… Will everything come to an end? Will they choose to be friends or foe?