The rupture in the relations between the Sinhala and the Tamils began about three decades ago, when the official language was an issue in the 1956 election. Ethnic violence began in 1958 and recurred in 1974, 1977, 1979, 1981, and 1983, making peaceful coexistence between the Sinhala and the Tamils almost impossible Tamil terrorist groups arose in 1970, and a few are still operational. The Tamil activities that began over the language issue were later extended to efforts to secure homelands in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. In recent years, the situation has been further complicated by the interference of India, in part from fear that Sri Lanka would seek military aid from the United States or other Western nations, which resulted in the Indo Lanka Peace Accord. 11 references.