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When the British arrived on the island, they implemented an economic policy that shifted the trading focus from the North to the predominantly Sinhalese city of Colombo in the South. The British seized the ports in the Northeast, severely handicapping the traditional Tamil economy. Enormous resources were poured into Colombo, which was built as the principal trading city and major port of the country. By doing so, the British largely eliminated the traditional livelihoods of the Tamils; conventional economies were destroyed, local trade imploded, and harbours and ports were neglected and even abandoned after British seizure. |
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Through its military ventures, the Sri Lankan government has managed to assert its presence strongly over large portions of the Tamils’ traditional territory. |
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