The Sri Lankan Civil War lasted over 25 years , and it was estimated that between 80,000 to 100,000 people died. Sri Lanka gained independence from Great Britain in 1948, which left the small island divided between the Tamil minority and Sinhalese majority. When the British left, the country fell into a Sinhalese control, and they placed systemic disaffirmation against the Tamils. The employment discrimination rate increased, restrictions were imposed on the access to education, and the government made the official language of Sri Lanka, Sinhalese. The 1958 Riot followed, which cost 200 Tamils to die, and started a series of armed Tamil groups to form. In 1983, a guerrilla group known as the LTTE killed 13 Sri Lankan soldiers. This triggered the worst anti-Tamil riot in the countries history. The LTTE started to grow and many young Tamils left to join them. Prabhakaran built an army prepared to use child soldiers, suicide bombers, and guerrilla warfare. They wanted a state for the Tamils to live in peace. Many innocent civilians died due to the LTTE and the Sri Lanka Government. In May of 2009, the war came to a close with Prabhakaran dying and the Sri Lankan goverment taking the final part of the LTTE's land. The UN admitted that they should have done something due to the many innocent lives lost.