Eelam refers to a proposed independent state for the Tamil people in the northern and eastern regions of Sri Lanka. The term is often associated with the aspirations of the Tamil Tigers, a militant organization that fought for this cause from the 1980s until 2009. The conflict stemmed from ethnic tensions between the Tamil minority and the Sinhalese majority in the country. The idea of Eelam is rooted in the desire for self-determination and cultural preservation among Tamils. The term is also linked to the broader historical context of Tamil nationalism, which seeks to address grievances related to language, land rights, and political representation in Sri Lanka.