Tamil was accorded official language status in Sri Lanka in 1987, after decades of struggle and following legislation that had reduced it to a second-class language. Yet in 2024, Tamil speakers in the north and east routinely receive government forms, legal documents, and official communications only in Sinhala — a language many do not read.
Language and Power: The Ongoing Fight for Tamil Official Status
Decades after the passage of the Official Languages Act, Tamil speakers in the north and east still encounter Sinhala-only government services.
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Sri Lanka's Tamil Question: A Reckoning Long Deferred
Decades after the end of the civil war, accountability for mass atrocities remains elusive as Colombo deflects international pressure.
The Murals That Colombo Wants to Erase
Street art commemorating the war dead has become a flashpoint between Tamil artists and state authorities in the north.
The NPP Victory and What It Means for Tamil Politics
Anura Kumara Dissanayake's historic win upended the Colombo elite but left the Tamil north and east watching cautiously.