On behalf of the Tamil people living in the North-Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka, the Vaddukottai resolution was set forth in the year 1976 to create an independent Tamil Eelam. After this resolution, several armed movements emerged amongst the Tamils. One of the important movements is the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Since the 1990s, the movement has emerged as the strongest armed (military) force in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, in 2004 there had been a massive break up within the movement and it is known as the “Eastern Split”. From this Eastern split, a new party was formed consisting of the Eastern Province militants who abandoned violence and chose their journey on a democratic path. The party registered itself as a political party in Sri Lanka in 23.01.2008 and named itself the “Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal - TMVP”