Sinhalisation

Sinhalisation is a term, derived from , that has number of meanings in Sri Lanka.

In a sociological context it could refer to the assimilation of ethno-cultural minorities in Sri Lanka such as the Sri Lankan Tamils, Colombo Chetties and indigenous Veddas into the majority Sinhalese identity, including some Sinhala Buddhists of the interior such as the Demalagattara and some Catholics such as the Bharatha of the coastal areas of the island nation.

Many noted elite families of foreign origins were supposedly Sinhalised during the pre-colonial period. (see abstract here)

In a political context it could refer to the Sinhala language-favouring policies of the post colonial governments of Sri Lanka that is considered to be a major cause of the Sri Lankan civil war. It is termed as culturo-ideological exclusivism by some when one's cultural values and norms are absolutised in such a manner that a particular way of life is enshrined as superior to all others and must therefore be adopted by others (e.g. the Tamil reaction to the perceived "Sinhalisation" processes of the Sri Lankan state)

It was said to be a cause of the abortive coup by disgruntled Catholic army officers in 1962.

Currently some observers note that Sri Lankan political parties such as JHU and JVP adhere to a policy of political Sinhalisation.

Media in India use the word "Sinhalisation" to refer to the process by which the Sri Lankan government funded and sponsored settlement of Sinhala people in Tamil-dominant regions in order to make Tamil as minorities. Some reports claims that the Sinhalese and Sinhala military families are settled in houses built by money from the Indian government that was intended to improve the welfare of the Tamil people.

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