Soon after the independence of Sri Lanka (then called Ceylon) the majority dominated government started to introduce discriminator policies sidelining the minorities. Peaceful resistance by the Tamil moderates were
ignored or ridiculed by the Sinhala majority. All these happened in the 1950s
to 1970s long before Prabaharan came into the picture. The demand for
separation did not drop from the sky overnight. Initially, there was not even a
demand for power sharing at regional/provincial level. The demands were only to
restore the lost language rights, equal opportunities in higher education etc.

After losing confidence in the central government there was demand for power sharing
on the basis of traditional home land where the minorities inhabited and ruled
themselves as kingdoms long before even the Europeans came. The peace efforts
have never ruled out including the latest (2002 – 2008) involving Norway, a
solution within united Sri
Lanka. The call for complete independence is considered and rightfully too as the last option.

The ethnic strive has escalated into an armed struggle and civil war for more than 25
years now. Over these years more than 1.5 million Tamils have left Sri
Lanka. An equal amount or even more are internally displaced. 30+ years of war has changed the demography of
the North East of Sri Lanka we know now. Not to mention the 100,000+ dead.
There has been systematic colonization of the East Sri Lanka all these years too. Yes
if the brutal war continues for another 30 years then with the facts of that
time it might sound logical to comment that even mere North of Sri Lanka is preposterous demand by Tamils.