"The government measures gradually increased the feeling of alienation among the Sri Lankan Tamils." Explain the statement.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:00 · grounding rag
Model Answer
The Sri Lankan government took several majoritarian steps that increased alienation among Tamils:
- Official Language Act (1956): Sinhala was declared the only official language, disregarding Tamil entirely.
- Preferential Policies: Sinhala applicants were favoured for university admissions and government jobs, reducing Tamil opportunities.
- Constitutional Provisions: The constitution directed the state to protect and foster Buddhism, sidelining Tamil religious identity.
These consecutive measures made Tamils feel that the government denied them equal political rights, discriminated against them in education and employment, and ignored their cultural interests, deepening the sense of alienation.
Source: Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka, Chapter 1
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Explanation
- The question asks you to explain, so listing 3 distinct government measures with a brief impact each is the ideal approach for 3 marks.
- Each measure = approximately 1 mark. End with a concluding line linking the measures to alienation.
- Avoid adding information about civil war or Tamil Eelam unless asked — that goes beyond what this question requires.
- Keywords to include: Sinhala, official language, preferential policies, Buddhism, alienation.