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Lecture -8

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Post-Colonial South Asia: Governance,religion, ethnicity and politics, military

in politics and intra-state conflicts-I

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Evolved as a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, withalmost equal influences of Buddhism and Hinduism.

Culturally, society experienced an amalgamation of

Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and western traditions.

Immigrations, colonial invasions, and trade interactions

led to the formation of a number of ethnic groups, each

with its own language and culture.

The society though divided ethnically, was a progressive

one.

Sinhala and Tamil languages are official languages;however, English is considered a connecting language.

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British arrived in the region in late 18thcentury (1796) and

established their control over the coastal region which theynamed as Ceylon.

The monarch and Sri Lankan forces resisted British East India

Company, however; during second Kandyan War in 1815, SriLanka lost its independence. The Colebrook-Cameron reforms in 1833, retained a utilitarian

and liberal political culture in the country. Rebellion against the British continued and in 1848, Tea

cultivation began, when the British tried to settle 15 years ofdeterioration of coffee plantation.

By the end of 19thcentury as a result of British attemptstowards forming a range of professionals for the Ceylon Civi lService, and for the legal, medical and educationalprofessions.

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Donoughmor Commission ruled Ceylon from1931-1947.

Ceylon experienced elections and in 1937, Tamil leader

demanded 50-50% representation.

The following Soulbury Constitution established

Dominion Status for Ceylon (autonomous polities under

the British sovereign) in 1948 till 1972.

Attempts were made to strengthen Sinhala culture and

language as the only official language and influential

culture. Ceylon became federal republic in 1972 and opted for Sri

Lanka as official name.

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LTTE separatist movement was launched in 1983 and continued till2009.

The movement called for the creation of independent Tamil state innorth and east of Sri Lanka.

LTTE possessed a well-trained militia and carried out barbaric high-

profile attacks.

The movement was also a case of high level internal displacements.

The ideology of LTTE emerged from Marxist-Leninist thought andwas secular.

Tamil Tigers were declared terrorists by 32 countries.

The movement ended following the killing of its leader by the SriLankan Army in 2009.

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Monarchs ruled Nepal for around 250 years.

From 15thto mid-18thcentury, the territory of present-day

Nepal remained divided into three regions: Kathmandu,

Patan and Bhaktapur.

In mid-18thcentury, Prithvi Narayan Shah, a Gorkha

King, brought together the territories which later became

todays Nepal.

In early 19thcentury, the rivalry between the British East

India Company and Nepal over the annexation of minorstates bordering Nepal led to Anglo-Nepalese war in

1815-16. British forces were defeated by Gorkhas.

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Maoist faction of Communist Party of Nepal launched aninsurgency against the monarchy in February 1996.

Initially, the Monarch considered Jana Andolan a law andorder problem and was against deploying the RNA (RoyalNepalese Army, which has been loyal to the monarch).

In 2001, following the massacre of King Birendra, RNA wasdeployed against the rebels only to worsen the situation.

The rebellion had stretched to 65 out 70 districts of Nepal.

After 10 years of struggle, monarch was abdicated in 2006.

Transition to democracy has not been smooth, the state andsociety is struggling to adapt to democratic norms.

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http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp

?historyid=ac68

H. R. Perera, Buddhism in Sri Lanka: A Short History,

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/perera/wheel1

00.html Nabiha Gul, Political Transition in Nepal: From Maoist

Insurgency to Democracy, BIISS Journal

(Dhaka), Vol. 31, No. 3, July 2010.