Many native Sri Lankan Tamils migrated to Malaysia nad Singapore during the British colonial period, but they migrated and white collar workers ( clerical and administrators ) teachers,Doctors and Lawyers. their desendants are stil living there and have become quite prosperous most of them are now proffesionals. The Sri Lankan Tamils never migrated anywhere as labourers. The former Singaporean foreingh minister Sinnathamby Rajaratnam is a Jaffna Tamil and the current President of SIngapore I think is also of Sri Lankan Tamil background. The Sri Lankan Tamils usually have propered and done very well overseas. Almost around a million ethnic Eelam Tamils have migrated to the west because of the current conflict. Many even form remote villages only speaking Tamil. Most had lost everything and just came with a few belongings but have propered in their newly adopted countires. This capacity to work hard and proper was on eof the reasons that the Sinhalas were very envious about the native Eelam Tamils, they wanted to stop this so that they may not become too prosperous and become more economically powerful than them.
