Misinformation on Sri Lanka’s demographics

by Dr. Mahes Ladduwahetty

(February 18, Maryland, Sri Lanka Guardian) In an article titled "Getting Prabhakaran" , in India Today, Raj Chengappa covers the current situation on the conflict in Sri Lanka with full details of the military operations, etc.. However, one is left wondering as to where writers to such reputed magazines get their statistics because there are some fundamental errors. I quote: "Tamils form 23% of the 20-million strong population and the LTTE has been waging a 30-year war for a separate state for them".

It should be pointed out that Sri Lankan Tamils are only about 8% of today's population of Sri Lanka. Of these, about 54% live in the South among the Sinhalese, and the rest (i.e., 46% of SL Tamils or ~4% of Sri Lanka's population are the Tamils who live in the North and the East. It is for the Tamils of the North alone (i.e., only a portion of the ~4%) that Prabhakaran is waging his war, as the Eastern Tamils (rest of the ~4%) do not wish to be part of Prabhakaran's domain.

The Tamils of Indian origin comprise about 5% of Sri Lanka's population. They live in the Central Province (hill country) and have never been associated with Prabhakaran, nor the demand for separation.

Thus the total Tamil population (Sri Lankan Tamils + Indian Tamils) together make up only 13% of Sri Lanka's population.

It is therefore completely erroneous for the author to state that Sri Lanka's Tamil population is 23%, and to add that the LTTE has been waging a 30 year war for a separate state for them all. Prabhakaran's war for a separate state is in fact for ~4% of Sri Lanka's population.