|
Sri Lanka The Riots of 1981
In June 1981, local elections were held in the north to elect
members of the newly established district development councils.
TULF had decided to participate and work in the councils. In
doing so, TULF continued to work toward autonomy for the Tamil
areas. Extremists within the separatist movement, however,
adamantly opposed working within the existing political
framework. They viewed participation in the elections as
compromising the objective of a separate state. Shortly before
the elections, the leading candidate of the UNP was assassinated
as he left a political rally. The sporadic communal violence that
persisted over the following three months foreshadowed the
devastating communal riots of 1983. When elections were held a
few days later, concomitant charges of voting irregularities and
mishandling of ballots created the nation's first election
scandal since the introduction of universal suffrage fifty years
earlier.
Data as of October 1988
|
