UNITED STATES OF AMERICA United States of America Map 4.XX he United States today is home to a small but THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA T growing population of Sri Lankans from Sinhalese, Tamil, Moor, Burgher and Malay ethnic communities, 0 700 kilometres CANADA among others. Sri Lanka’s ‘best and brightest’ have had 0 700 miles a long history of taking up temporary residences in NORTH North America and Europe for advanced education S DAKOTA MINNESOTA ke uper MONTANA La ior WASHINGTON i and professional employment. Since the mid-1980s this p p i s s i s n s MAINE profile has changed as greater numbers of Sri Lankans, i Lake a SOUTH M WISCONSIN g VERMONT i Huron h DAKOTA c primarily Tamils, have fled a lengthy civil war in their OREGON i Lake Ontario NEW HAMPSHIRE IDAHO M MICHIGAN WYOMING e k NEW YORK Boston a homeland to seek political asylum abroad, especially L MASSACHUSETTS IOWA Chicago Lake Erie NEBRASKA New York City RHODE ISLAND in Europe and Canada. Sri Lankans in the United NEVADA INDIANA PENNSYLVANIA CONNECTICUT OHIO ILLINOIS NEW JERSEY States have shown themselves to be a versatile group of UTAH COLORADO MARYLAND WEST Washington, DC Sacramento KANSAS MISSOURI generally well-educated and solidly middle-class families San Francisco VIRGINIA DELAWARE KENTUCKY CALIFORNIA VIRGINIA active in the educational, medical, scientific, political, OKLAHOMA NORTH TENNESSEE NEW CAROLINA social, commercial, artistic, and philanthropic realms of ARIZONA ARKANSAS MEXICO ALABAMA American society. MISSISSIPPI SOUTH A TLANTIC GEORGIA CAROLINA OCEAN TEXAS LOUISIANA P ACIFIC Historical Origins OCEAN FLORIDA Sri Lankan Americans descend from a variety of ethnic G Orlando u l f o groups, and the Sinhalese make up roughly half of the f C a MEXICO l i f G ulf of Mexico community in the United States. Sri Lankan immigrants o r n i a have been differentiated from other South Asian ethnic CUBA groups in public records in the United States only since ALASKA GREENLAND 1975. Earlier immigrant Sri Lankans were classified CANADA either as ‘other Asian’ or ‘South Asian’, and the latter BELIZE description remains on many data-collecting forms today HAWAIIAN GUATEMALA HONDURAS Caribbean Sea ISLANDS (American Fact Finder, U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). The EL SALVADOR MEXICO NICARAGUA first Sri Lankans may have arrived towards the end of COLOMBIA the 19th century along with roughly two thousand ‘other Asians’, according to U.S. immigration records—but it is seekers jumped as the danger of civil strife in their impossible to confirm this. In 1975, fewer than 500 Sri homeland grew stronger (American Fact Finder, U.S. Lankans immigrated to the United States (American Fact Census Bureau, n.d.). Notably, between 1989 and 1990, Finder, U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). this number increased by a remarkable twenty-seven fold Violence at home intensified in the 1980s and caused in a twelve-month span. many Sri Lankan Tamils to seek refuge abroad. Few Over the past decade, an average of 1,300 refugees arrived in the United States compared to other countries per year (mostly Tamils) have been granted asylum such as the United Kingdom, India, and Canada. Of the in the United States [with the exception of 2004–05, estimated 25,000 Sri Lanka-born living in the United in which relatively small numbers were admitted for States in 2000, roughly 40 percent were naturalised U.S. reasons that are not clear (Statistics, United Nations High citizens who mostly entered before 1989; by contrast, Commissioner for Refugees, 2011)]. Various estimates nearly three quarters of non-naturalized citizens entered suggest that roughly 35 to 40 per cent of the Sri Lankan after 1990, when the number of Sri Lankan asylum- American diaspora today is of Tamil origin, with the remainder largely being Sinhalese. Of the two groups, the former tends to hold a higher profile both within and outside of the United States for their political activism. Settlement Patterns & Population Characteristics Sri Lankan Americans make up around six per cent of the entire Sri Lankan diaspora. The number of Tamil refugees accepted by the United States remains small especially Don Francis Arichi from Sri when compared to Canada and Western Europe. Yet, Lanka takes his citizenship oath as more than 2,700 notwithstanding stringent regulations on immigration, people are sworn in as US over the past ten years the Sri Lankan population in the citizens during naturalization United States has grown by an estimated 60 per cent. Many ceremonies on April 9, 2009 in newcomers settle near their corresponding religious Montebello, California. 103 PART IV NORTH AMERICA UNITED STATES OF AMERICA schools, charities, religious and cultural centres contribute seminars and professional in Sri Lanka’s political Cricket match organized by to fostering a sense of collective identity and encouraging events by notable speakers—all and economic situation; the Sri Lanka Association the preservation of cultural traditions alongside the of which are intended to appeal to welcome new arrivals Washington, D.C. (SLAWDC). incorporation of American values. to a diverse body of members. from Sri Lanka, especially During the event, various other sporting activities were Some of the earliest Sri Lankan associations in While the organisation eschews students; to commemorate also organised. the United States were formed in the 1970s, and were political affiliation, it has from important national events; primarily aimed at promoting the welfare of expatriate time to time participated in and to provide a forum for members. The very first Sri Lankan-American drought relief, medical assistance social, cultural and welfare community organisation—Sri Lanka Association—was or charitable giving events for community activities. Besides established in New York. The inaugural meeting on compatriots in Sri Lanka. An Christmas and National Day 2 October 1971, was attended by renowned Sri Lankan affiliate organisation, the tax- celebrations, the organisation diplomat Hamilton Shirley Amerasinghe as well as exempt Sri Lanka Association of hosts an annual Discover Sri Ceylon’s High Commissioner to Canada William Silva. Greater Washington (SLAGW), Lanka project organised by The association remains an important forum for social was set up in 2001 to field young members for children and fraternal activities among members, and encourages charitable and educational activities, and has received to learn about their heritage in fun, interactive ways. The the retention of Sri Lankan culture among younger generous community support since its inception. project simultaneously collects supplies to deliver to a generations. It hosts a number of events ranging from In recent years, the number of Sri Lankan organisations school in Sri Lanka, and is one of three projects involving annual Christmas gala to dinner dances, Sri Lanka Day in the U.S. has proliferated. That augmentation is largely Sri Lankan-American youth in community service. celebrations, picnics, sports days and Sri Lankan New the product of an increase in the size of the Sri Lankan- A distinctive feature of some of the more recent Year festivities. Besides serving the largest Sri Lankan American population. While it is true that the growth of Sri Lankan American associations is the tendency to community in the U.S., the association also participates ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka has resulted in some Tamil concentrate on educational and charitable activities. For in charity activities and actively donates to government- emigrants distancing themselves from pan-Sri Lankan example the Educate Lanka Foundation(ELF) launched Sri Lankan American recognised organisations in the homeland. associations, at the same time there have been efforts by in 2007 by two young Sri Lankan student expatriates at Association of Houston (SLAAH) advertising the A similar organisation was formed in 1975 in the these organisations to foster a sense of fraternity. Amongst the University of Maryland, the non-profit organisation Channa-Upuli Performing Arts Sri Lankan fans celebrate communities, whether Buddhist or Hindu. In 2009, the American capital. The Sri Lanka Association Washington, these include initiatives by the Sri Lanka Association of has sough to empower through education. With advisory Institute from Sri Lanka for a during their match against top three states of permanent residence were California, D.C. (SLAWDC) facilitates social and cultural interaction New England (SLANE). The organisation, created by 50 Sri guidance from two Sri Lankan-American professors ballet workshop that would be New Zealand during the Pearls New York and Maryland, followed by New Jersey and alongside the preservation of traditions. It organises Lankan Americans in 1998 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the greater Washington, D.C. area Sri Lankan of interest to the Sri Lankan Cup T20 Series cricket game Texas (American Fact Finder, U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). three main events every year: the Sinhala-Tamil New has sought to promote friendship, goodwill, peace community, ELF has developed a unique web-centric diaspora in Houston. being held at the Central Broward Regional Park in Fort Sizeable populations exist in or near cities such as Boston, Year in April, the Washington-New York Annual Cricket and unity among the Sri Lankan community within peer-to-peer model to enable underprivileged students Lauderdale, Florida in 2010. Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Encounter in the summer, and the New Year’s Eve Gala. and in neighbouring regions of the state. SLANE has in Sri Lanka to continue their education through micro Newark, New York, Seattle and San Diego, many of which The association is also home to a plethora of smaller attempted to raise public awareness of and interest financing. The foundation locates Sri Lankans around already had established Indian communities. Of these, events including an annual Children’s Christmas Party, the New York City metropolitan area claims the largest sports tournaments, destination outings, food fairs, youth community of Sri Lankans as well as the highest number dances and career-oriented resources such as guidance of legal permanent resident immigrants.