* SUMMARY

Language Policy: Towards Reducing Multi Ethnic Imbalances, Enhancing Social Harmony and Social Cohesion


Introduction

After ending thirty years of civil war in 2009, Sri Lanka has become one of the emerging countries in the Asian region, developing through the policies introduced by the “Mahinda Chinthanaya”, the main policy document presented by the His Excellency, the President Mahinda Rajapaksa identifying the main issues and strategies to drive the development process eliminating the imbalances which contributed to worsen the war situation. The new language policy which was introduced, or actually taken as a tool to increase the interrelationship among the different ethnic groups, especially between the main two groups, the Sinhalese and Tamils, can be treated as very important initiatives taken by the government after ending the war chapter in the history book of Sri Lanka. In common with some other policies adopted by the government, with good initiative to give a position drive to the forces of development, the language policy also, while it has many position and favorable aspects, contain some defects and weaknesses which have to be remedied.