On 23 July 1983, Tamil separatists, known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), intensified militant attacks in northern Sri Lanka and killed 13 Sinhalese soldiers who they were only reported for service the day before at Thirunelvely, Jaffna. The LTTE was fighting for a separate Tamil state in the northern and eastern parts of the country. This day became known as the beginning of Black July, an organized, ethnic massacre of the Tamil people. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayAfter the Jaffna incident, Sri Lankan soldiers killed 51 civilians in Jaffna. The violence in the country lasted several days and around 3,000 Tamils ​​were killed. The deaths of the 13 soldiers were used as propaganda to justify violence against Tamils. Tamil-owned shops were looted. People were stripped naked. The women were raped. Tamils ​​were even burned alive. In Colombo and provincial cities, soldiers stood by and even provided gasoline to help set the cities on fire. Thousands of Tamils ​​fled to Jaffna, believing that remaining in a Sinhalese area was unsafe for them. To eradicate Tamils ​​from the area, many Sinhalese displayed suspicious Tamil objects and demanded to know the Sinhala word for them. There was government complicity and gangs operated at the behest of intransigent ministers. On 27 July 1983, then President JR Jayewardene delivered his first speech on the events, offering no sympathy to the minority and instead highlighting Sinhalese grievances. More murders followed. By the time the violence abated on July 31, 1983, tens of thousands of Tamils ​​had fled to the northern and eastern provinces or abroad. Black July was a recruiting agent for Tamil militants. The incident began a 26-year civil war between the Sri Lanka Army and the LTTE. Sri Lankan military forces finally defeated the LTTE in May 2009. Around 700,000 Tamils ​​were sent into exile during these 26 years and at least 100,000 people were killed. Please note: this is just an example. Get a customized document from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict remains unresolved. Kidnappings, arbitrary arrests and sexual violence perpetrated by the military have not decreased. Military involvement in the North and East is still strong. Most of the military camps have become permanent and Sinhala colonization is increasing. The idea of ​​a separate Tamil homeland – illegal as a political platform – has become more potent because so many Tamils ​​have fled to areas of the island where they were the majority. Since 1983, many Tamils ​​have not felt comfortable living in the south of Sri Lanka, apart from the capital. Four years after victory in the war, the government claims that "there are no minorities" and that everyone is equal, but Sinhalese nationalist sentiment and discourse are on the rise. Nervousness remains, not only among Tamils ​​but also among Muslims who have seen their mosques attacked and their way of life subjected to constant attacks by Sinhala Buddhist nationalists, including monks. With the Tigers crushed in 2009 and an unknown number of Tamil civilians killed at the end of the war, hardline ministers now support reduced devolution for Tamil areas despite a constitutional clause intended to increase it.