ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the origin of Tamil settlements in the island, the establishment of the Tamil kingdom in the north and the socio-economic conditions of the Tamils in the pre-colonial period. The Tamils of Sri Lanka experienced successive colonial rule from the Portuguese, Dutch, and British. The process of Tamil colonization and settlement in different parts of the island of Sri Lanka cannot be charted with any degree of historical precision. The occupation of Tamil-speaking districts of the island by three western colonial powers in succession ushered in a new area in the history of the Sri Lankan Tamils. Colonial rule was imposed on the Tamil people, without introducing drastic changes in the social structure or the traditional power hierarchy. A Government Agent belonging to the Colonial Civil Service and a number of Assistants effectively represented the central power of Colombo.
