Outbreak of Civil War in Sri Lanka

There were several reasons that led to the outbreak of civil war in Sri Lanka. However, the most appropriate reason is the policy of majoritarianism.

Policy of Majoritarianism

The policy of majoritarianism refers to the dominance of the majority community over the minority communities. In Sri Lanka, the Sinhalese community, which is the majority community, adopted policies that discriminated against the Tamil community, which is the minority community. The Sinhalese community believed that they were the true heirs of Sri Lanka and that the Tamil community had no place in the country.

Discrimination against Tamils

The discrimination against the Tamils started in the 1950s when the government introduced a policy of Sinhala-only language. This policy made Sinhala the only official language of Sri Lanka, which meant that the Tamil language was marginalized. This policy was followed by other discriminatory policies such as the policy of standardization, which gave preference to Sinhalese students in university admissions.

Armed Rebellion by Tamil Tigers

The discrimination against the Tamils led to an armed rebellion by the Tamil Tigers, a militant group that was formed in the 1970s to fight for Tamil rights. The Tamil Tigers carried out several attacks on the government and the Sinhalese community, which led to a full-blown civil war that lasted for more than 25 years.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the policy of majoritarianism was the most appropriate reason for the outbreak of civil war in Sri Lanka. The discrimination against the Tamils by the Sinhalese community led to an armed rebellion by the Tamil Tigers, which resulted in a long-lasting civil war. The government must ensure that the rights of all communities are protected to avoid such conflicts in the future.

Option 'B' - Policy of Majoritarianism