Who Are the Eelam Tamils?

Eelam Tamils are the indigenous Tamil-speaking people of the North-East of the island known today as Sri Lanka. "Eelam" refers to the traditional Tamil homeland — the North-Eastern provinces where Tamils have lived for centuries with a distinct language, culture, and political history.

Since the island's independence from British rule in 1948, Eelam Tamils have faced escalating discrimination, violence, and structural erasure at the hands of the Sinhala-majority state. A large and active diaspora — including the generation of youth who founded IDCTE — has grown across Europe, North America, and beyond, continuing to advocate for the rights and self-determination of Eelam Tamils on the international stage.

This page is a starting overview. IDCTE will expand it with more detail on Eelam Tamil history, culture, and identity.