The Eastern province was a highly contested zone between the Sinhalese and Tamils . Since the 1930 's , the majority Sinhalese government settled Sinhalese in the Eastern province with the explicit intention of restoring the historic Sinhalese homeland . Tamil nationalists viewed this as an attempt to alter the demographics of the Tamil homeland , thus weakening the Tamils ' stake in it . During the 1983 riots , Trincomalee was the site of anti-Tamil violence at the hands of Sinhalese sailors . With the start of the civil war , in 1985 , many residents of the Trincomalee District were expelled by the Sri Lankan Army to make way for Sinhalese settlers , with help from the settlers themselves at times
1983 riots
Black July
1987 Eastern Province massacres