The ethnic conflict between the government, dominated by the Sinhalese majority, and the Tigers has killed more than 60,000 people in the past 18 years.

Her mother, a secondary-school principal, was a member of the Sinhalese majority.

The Indian intervention was also unpopular among the Sinhalese majority.

They assert that the majority Sinhalese discriminate against them in government jobs, education and language.

The Sinhalese majority, who are mostly Buddhist, live in the other parts of the country.

The island is dominated by the Sinhalese ethnic majority.

She was a shrewd political leader with a wide base in the Sinhalese majority.

The elections were held in areas dominated by the island's ethnic Sinhalese majority.

The Tamils accuse the Sinhalese majority of discrimination in education and jobs.

Tamil rebels took up arms in 1983 to fight alleged discrimination by the Sinhalese majority.