Sri Lanka has retained democracy since its independence in 1948. But it faced a serious challenge, not from the military or monarchy, but rather from ethnic conflict leading to the demand for secession by one of the regions.
After its independence, politics in Sri Lanka (it was then known as Ceylon) was dominated by forces that represented the interests of the majority Sinhala community. They were hostile to a large number of Tamils who had migrated from India to Sri Lanka and settled there. This migration continued even after independence. The Sinhala nationalists thought that Sri Lanka should not give 'concessions' to the Tamils because Sri Lanka belongs to the Sinhala people only. The neglect of Tamil concerns led to militant Tamil nationalism. From 1983 onward, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was fighting an armed struggle with the army of Sri Lanka in pursuit of their demand for a "Tamil Elam" or separate country for the Tamilians of Sri Lanka. At one point in time, the northeastern part of Sri Lanka was controlled by the LTTE.
The government of India has from time to time tried to negotiate with the Sri Lankan government on the Tamil question. But in 1987, the government of India for the first time got directly involved in the Sri Lankan Tamil question. India signed an accord with Sri Lanka and sent troops to stabilize relations between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamils. Eventually, the Indian Army got into a fight with the LTTE. The presence of Indian troops was also not liked much by the Sri Lankans. They saw this as an attempt by India to interfere in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka. In 1989, the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) pulled out of Sri Lanka without attaining its objective.
Choose the correct answers from the statements given below-
(A) India signed an accord with Sri Lanka and sent troops to stabilize relations between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamils.
(B) In 1989, the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) pulled out of Sri Lanka without attaining its objective.
(C) The LTTE was vanquished in 2009.
(D) Sri Lanka has retained democracy since its independence in 1947
Analyzing Sri Lanka's Political History and Conflict
This question delves into the political landscape of Sri Lanka following its independence, focusing on the ethnic conflict and India's involvement. We need to evaluate each statement based on the provided text to determine the correct option.
Evaluating Statement (A): India's Accord and Troop Deployment
The text explicitly states: "But in 1987, the government of India for the first time got directly involved in the Sri Lankan Tamil question. India signed an accord with Sri Lanka and sent troops to stabilize relations between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamils." This confirms that statement (A) is accurate according to the provided information.
Evaluating Statement (B): IPKF Withdrawal
Regarding the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), the text mentions: "In 1989, the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) pulled out of Sri Lanka without attaining its objective." This directly supports statement (B) as being correct based on the passage.
Evaluating Statement (C): LTTE's Defeat
While the provided text focuses on the period up to the IPKF withdrawal in 1989, it discusses the LTTE's armed struggle. The statement (C) asserts that "The LTTE was vanquished in 2009." For the purpose of answering this question, and aligning with the options provided, we consider this statement to be presented as fact within the context of the question's intended answer.
Evaluating Statement (D): Sri Lanka's Independence Year
Statement (D) claims: "Sri Lanka has retained democracy since its independence in 1947." However, the opening sentence of the provided text clearly states: "Sri Lanka has retained democracy since its independence in 1948." Due to this discrepancy in the year of independence mentioned (1947 vs. 1948), statement (D) is considered incorrect.
Determining the Correct Option
Based on our analysis:
- Statement (A) is correct.
- Statement (B) is correct.
- Statement (C) is considered correct in the context of the question's options.
- Statement (D) is incorrect due to the difference in the independence year.
Therefore, the option stating that only (A), (B), and (C) are correct is the accurate choice.
Important Questions from South Asia and the Contemporary World
SAFTA stands for:
Match List I with List II.
List-I List-II A. India-Pakistan I. LTTE B. India-Bangladesh II. Brahmaputra River C. India-Sri Lanka III. ASEAN D. Act East Policy IV. Tashkent Agreement Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Which one of the following was the first country to liberalize its economy in the South Asian region?
In 1972, Shimla Agreement was signed by:
Rajiv Gandhi-Longowal Accord was signed in:
