Blowback

Neil DeVotta is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Hartwick College, New York.

• Contents Prefacexiii Acknowledgmentsxvii Abbreviationsxix 1.An Overview1 2.Ethnic Identities and Politics Before Independence21 3.From Linguistic Parity to Sinhala-Only42 4.The Official Language Act of 195673 5. Institutional Decay: The Consequences of the Official Language Act, 1956-7792 6.From Linguistic Nationalism to Civil War143 7.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and Ethnic Conflict167 8.Conclusion191 Appendixes A.The Official Language Act, No. 33 of 1956207 B. Resolutions Passed at the Fifth (Special) National Convention of the Federal Party (1957)208 C. The "Bandaranaike-Chelvanayakam Pact" (1957)209 D. The Tamil Language (Special Provisions) Act, No. 28 of 1958211 E. The Agreement Between Dudley Senanayake and S. J. V. Chelvanayakam (1965)212 F. The Tamil Language (Special Provisions) Regulations (1966)213 G.The Vaddukkoddai Resolution (1976)213 H.The LTTE Proposal for an Interim Self- Governing Authority for the Northeast (2003)217 Notes000 References000 Index000 Library of Congress Subject Headings for this publication: Sri Lanka Politics and governmet 1978-Sri Lanka Ethnic relations Political aspects, Ethnic conflict Sri Lanka, Tamil (Indic people) Sri Lanka Politics and government, Nationalism Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Languages Political aspects

"DeVotta has submitted an elaborate, interesting, theory-led study of the Sri Lankan conflict. Focusing on the language politics, he allude to a highly sensitive topic in the history of Tamil-Sinhalese ethnic relations. In addition, the extensive quotations enable the reader to comprehend the political view of the Sinhala and Tamil elites at that time." - Internationales Asienforum "DeVotta's detailed historical approach makes the book a fine case study for social scientists in general and for anyone with a serious interest in ethnic conflict in South Asia." - Journal of Asian Studies "The resounding strength of DeVotta's book is that it provides a truly nuanced understanding of the productive ideological linking of language to collective notions of peoplehood within the postcolonial state. His book richly illustrates the ways that language ideologies are created, linked to competing versions of national identity, and intimately embedded in institutionalized positions of power." - Journal of Anthropological Research "Neil DeVotta's devastating indictment of Sinhala linguistic nationalism offers a well-researched historical narrative and theoretical discussion of the origins of the conflict." - ANTHROPOLOGICAL LINGUISTICS