Seventy-seven years ago, on February 4, 1948, Sri Lanka—then Ceylon—stepped into the light of independence, shedding the yoke of British colonial rule. It was a moment of pride, of rebirth, of boundless potential. Yet, the story of Sri Lanka’s independence is not just one of self-rule; it is also a story of struggles over whose freedom was truly secured and whose voices were left unheard.

In many ways, Sri Lanka’s journey echoes that of its South Asian neighbors—navigating postcolonial challenges of nation-building, economic aspirations, and social justice. But its history has also been marked by a series of painful reckonings: ethnic conflict, civil war, and the long shadows of majoritarian nationalism. As we reflect on this anniversary, we must ask: What does freedom mean in a society still grappling with its divisions? And how can the lessons of the past inform a more just future?

The Promise of Independence and the Realities of Exclusion

Like many postcolonial nations, Sri Lanka’s independence was a hard-won victory. But in the immediate years after 1948, the new nation-state quickly became a site of contested belonging. The Sinhala-majority government enacted policies that marginalized Tamil communities, including the disenfranchisement of Tamil plantation workers and the privileging of Sinhala as the sole official language in 1956. These policies, which sought to create a unitary national identity, instead deepened ethnic tensions, laying the groundwork for decades of strife.

By the late 20th century, these fissures erupted into one of South Asia’s most brutal civil wars, lasting nearly three decades. The war officially ended in 2009 with the military defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), but its wounds remain raw. The unresolved questions of justice, accountability, and reconciliation continue to shape Sri Lankan society today.

The Civil War: A Legacy of Pain and Unresolved Injustice

The Sri Lankan Civil War, which lasted from 1983 to 2009, was a devastating ethno-religious conflict between the Sinhalese-majority Sri Lankan government and the LTTE, a Tamil insurgent group seeking an independent Tamil homeland. The war was marked by horrific violence, including the Black July pogroms of 1983 and the Mullivaikkal Massacre of 2009, when thousands of Tamil civilians were killed in a government-declared safe zone. The Mullivaikkal Memorial, or Mullivaikkal Muttram, stands today as a testament to those lives lost. The conflict was also shaped by the consolidation of power by a handful of political elite families, such as the Senanayake, Kotelewala, Jayawardene, and Bandaranaike dynasties, who centralized authority and denied decentralization to other groups, exacerbating political grievances. While the formal fighting has ended, the Sri Lankan government has evaded accountability for war crimes and continues its persecution of Tamil communities. Hindus for Human Rights stands in solidarity with Sri Lankan Tamils in their struggle for justice, self-determination, and human rights.

For further context, we recommend reading A Reporter’s Guide to the Sri Lankan Civil War.The Struggle for a Just Peace, that HfHR published in 2024.

The Struggle for a Just Peace

Independence is not just about sovereignty; it is about dignity. It is about ensuring that all citizens—regardless of ethnicity, religion, or caste—can live with equal rights and security. For Sri Lanka’s Tamil, Muslim, and other marginalized communities, true freedom remains elusive.

The post-war years have seen continued militarization in Tamil-majority areas, crackdowns on dissent, and a lack of accountability for wartime atrocities. Meanwhile, Buddhist nationalist movements have targeted Muslim and Christian minorities, echoing patterns of exclusion that have played out across the region. The past few years have also brought economic collapse, mass protests, and a broader questioning of governance, reminding us that independence is not static—it must be continuously redefined and renewed.

Solidarity and Reconciliation

For those of us committed to justice, Sri Lanka’s 77th Independence Day is not just a time to commemorate the past, but to push for a more inclusive and reconciled future. True independence means dismantling structures of discrimination and acknowledging historical injustices. It means honoring the voices of the disappeared, the displaced, and those who continue to fight for accountability.

As Hindus for Human Rights, we stand in solidarity with all Sri Lankans striving for democracy, human rights, and a pluralistic society. The path forward requires not only political reform but also a moral reckoning—a willingness to confront painful histories and build a nation that serves all its people, not just the powerful majority.

Sri Lanka’s story is not over. Its 77 years of independence have been complex, marked by both resilience and repression. But there remains hope: in the courage of activists, in the voices of those demanding truth and justice, and in the possibility of a nation where independence truly means freedom for all.