What does this source tell you about the Sri Lankan government’s attitude towards the Tamils? Explain your answer.
Source E: An adaptation on the history between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil population from the LTTE website. Sinhala state repression against the Tamils manifested in concrete forms following the island’s independence in 1948. Systematically, state oppression affected the Tamils’ economic and social lives. State-aided aggressive colonization in Tamil areas deprived the Tamils’ rights over their historical lands and altered the ethnic composition of the population rendering them a minority in traditional Tamil regions. These indicated an obvious plan calculated to destroy the Tamils’ national identity.
The Tamil leadership initially organized non-violent campaigns demanding justice from Sinhala rulers. Massive demonstrations by the Tamils symbolized a national uprising against the state. The Sinhala Government reacted with military violence and terror, brutally crushing these non-violent peaceful campaigns. Such oppressive tactics made the people realize the futility of non-violent campaigns.
What is the message of this source? Explain your answer.
Source G : An extract of a speech by a British Member of Parliament to British political leaders.
It may be surprising to many to learn that little has changed since the early beginnings of Lagan College (the first integrated school*). Back then, pioneering and risk-taking parents brought that school into existence and today the same pioneering and risk-taking parents are taking forward initiatives to establish integrated schooling for their children. In 1981, the government denied any funding to this newly established school, and here we are again in 2006, with a different government denying another four schools the right to exist with government funding in their community.
Despite the positive results shown by integrated education, it is disappointing that the government have remained largely neutral on the subject. I asked a young student as he was about to finish his integrated school education what, apart from the great education he had received, was the biggest lesson he took away. He replied: "I learnt to celebrate other people's cultures, not fear them".
*A school where both Catholics and Protestants study in.
