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Read the given text and answer the following questions: Sri Lanka emerged as an independent country in 1948. The leaders of the Sinhala community sought to secure dominance over government by virtue of their majority. As a result, the democratically elected government adopted a series of MAJORITARIAN measures to establish Sinhala supremacy. Over the years, it created feelings of alienation among the Sri Lankan Tamils. They felt that none of the major political parties led by the Buddhist Sinhala leaders was sensitive to their language and culture. As a result, the relations between the Sinhala and Tamil communities strained over time. On the other hand, the Belgian leaders took a different path. They recognised the existence of regional differences and cultural diversities. Between 1970 and 1993, they amended their constitution four times to work out an arrangement that would enable everyone to live together within the same country. 28. 1 State any two demands of Tamils in Sri Lanka. 28. 2 State the results of the Majoritarian Government in Sri Lanka. 28. 3 Explain any two provisions of the Belgian model of power sharing.

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The Tamils demanded that their language, Tamil, be recognised as one of the official languages of Sri Lanka. They wanted regional autonomy in Tamil-majority areas.

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  1. ANSWER: 28. 1 (a) The Tamils demanded that their language, Tamil, be recognised as one of the official languages of Sri Lanka.
    (b) They wanted regional autonomy in Tamil-majority areas.
    (c) They also sought equality of opportunities in securing education and government jobs to end discrimination and ensure fair representation.

     

    1. 2 The Majoritarian Government in Sri Lanka created deep distrust between the Tamil and Sinhala communities, which finally led to a long civil war. Thousands of people from both groups were killed and many families were forced to leave their homes and settle abroad as refugees.

     

    1. 3 (a) Equal Representation at the Centre:
      The Belgian Constitution prescribed that the number of Dutch-speaking and French-speaking ministers shall be equal in the central government. Some special laws require majority support from both linguistic groups, preventing unilateral decisions.

    (b) Distribution of Powers:
    Many powers of the central government were given to the state governments of the two regions. These state governments are not subordinate to the central government, ensuring balance and autonomy.

     

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