February 1
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Government discloses that Norway is to play an intermediary role
in placing before the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
a peace package.
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April 23
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Government admits to having lost the strategic Elephant Pass
to LTTE onslaught.
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May 8
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President Kumaratunga rejects a cease-fire offer made by the
LTTE to enable the evacuation to safety of an estimated 40,000
troops from Jaffna.
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May21
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Speaking on India's stand on the evolving situation in Sri Lanka,
Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee says, "If we have
to take any step, we are ready for it, if necessary." Indian
Defence Minister, George Fernandes, however, rules out military
intervention.
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May 24
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LTTE claims that its cadres shot down a Mi-24 helicopter gunship
in Manthuvil, Tenmarachchi division.
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May 27
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LTTE declares temporary, unilateral cease-fire for 12 hours,
between 10.00am and 10.00pm to facilitate civilians to move to
safer areas from the Tenmarachchi division. Government gives no
response.
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Led by the President, Sri Lanka celebrates first ever annual
War Heroes Day. Several commemmorative events mark the day. C.
V. Gooneratne, Minister for Industrial Development, assassinated
by a male Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bomber
in Ratmalana, near Colombo. Gooneratne was leading a War Heroes
Day rally when his assassin struck.
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July 10
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A delegation of the moderate Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF)
calls on the President and informs her that the proposals on devolution
agreed upon between the Ruling Peoples Alliance and the
Opposition United National Party (UNP) did not satisfy Tamil aspirations.
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July 18
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Parliament enacts two laws, Prevention
of Hostage Taking and Suppression of Unlawful Acts, in tune
with international and terrorist treaties, to tighten existing
mechanisms to contain international terrorism.
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August 2
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A spokesperson for the opposition United National Party (UNP),
Karu Jayasuriya, announces that his party would not support the
Constitution Reforms Bill.
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August 3
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Kumaratunga, pilots the Constitution Reforms Bill, "An Act
for the Repeal and Replacement of the Constitution", in Parliament
amidst protests on the floor of the House and outside Parliament.
Supreme Court declares that the Act would be legal only if it
is passed by a two-thirds majority in Parliament and approved
by the people at a national referendum.
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August 8
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Government decides to defer the debate, and, in effect, voting,
on the Constitution Reforms Bil in the wake of protests against
the Bill and the likelihood of not being able to secure the required
two-thirds majority.
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August 10
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Five-time Prime Minister and two-time Leader of the Opposition,
Sirimavo Bandaranaike lays down office as Prime Minister. Sirimavo,
world's first woman Prime Minister, just completed 40 years in
public life; Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Home Minister and Leader
of the House, assumes office as Prime Minister, a fortnight before
the term of the current House is due to end.
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August 11
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President Kumaratunga announces that the next parliament would
be converted into a Constituent Assembly in order to pass the
proposed Constitutional Reform Bill.
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August 12
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President asserts that the new Constitution would be enacted
within two months of the next general election. At the same time
one of Sri Lanka's four principal Buddhist sects called for a
more concerted opposition to the Constitutional Reforms Bill
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August 13
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Sri Lanka's new Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake calls
on the heads of two of the country's four principal Buddhist sects
(Malwatte and Asgiriy) in an attempt to get their support ahead
of the parliamentary elections.
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August 18
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President dissolves Parliament a week before its term was due
to end. Polls called for on October 10.
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August 22
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In a major set back to the government, three ministers of the
ruling coalition partner, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), resign
over differences on seat adjustment.
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August 24
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Major Gen. Lionel Balagale assumes charge as the new Commander
of the Sri Lankan Army replacing Lt. Gen. Sirilal Weerasooriya.
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August 30
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A UNP leader and member of the dissolved Parliament, Sarath Kongahage
resigns from the Party accusing the leadership of collaborating
with the LTTE.
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August 31
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Norwegian special envoy Erik Solheim visits the country indicating
that Norway was still trying to bring the LTTE and the Sri Lankan
government to the negotiating table.
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September 1
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LTTE rebels blow up a military vehicle in northern Sri Lanka
kiling 15 airforce men.
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September 3
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26 soldiers killed and several hundred injured as army launches
fresh offensives against the LTTE in Jaffna.
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September 10
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Chelian Perinpanayagam, former Mayor of Batticoloa shot dead
along with a supporter in eastern Kalumunai.
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September 16
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M.H.M. Ashraff, Ports Minister and SLMC leader and 14 others
killed in a helicopter crash in the east of the country.
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Sri Lankan troops lunched Operation Kinihara. Recapture Chavakachcheri
town from the LTTE.
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LTTE launches Operation Unceasing Waves IV along the Killali-Muhamalai-
Nagarkovil axis and claims to have killed more than 150 soldiers.
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September 30
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Deputy Posts and Telecommunications Minister M L A M Hizbullah
survives an assassination attempt in Batticoloa.
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Prime Minister Wickremanayake asserts at a press conference in
Colombo, "The stage of talking to the LTTE is over".
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Deputy Minister for Health and Indigenous Medicine, Tissa Karaliyaddea
survives a suicide bomb attack at an election rally. 12 people,
including a police officer, killed in the attack. Over 100 rebels
kiled as troops repulse attack on Nagarkovil.
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President Kumaratunga states in Colombo, 'There is no other alternative
but to conclude the war successfully.'
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Sirimavo Bandaranayake dies of a heart attack after casting her
vote in the country's parliamentary elections.
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People's Alliance(PA) emerges as the leading party with 107 seats,
closely followed by the UNP with 89 seats.
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Ratnasiri Wickremanayake sworn in Prime Minister after the PA
manages to obtain support from the SLMC and the National Unity
Alliance (NUA).
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SLMC issues a 100-day deadline to the President to implement
constitutional reforms or risk a collapse of the coalition government.
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Sri Lanka's influential Buddhist monks demand the setting up
of a national government with the collective effort of the PA
and the UNP.
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SLMC splits over extending support to PA. Sinhala Urumaya, the
hardline Sinhala Buddhist Nationalist party splits over the issue
of representation in Parliament.
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Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar states in Oslo, 'We want
Norway to remain engaged in the process.' He presents a letter
from the President to the Norwegian PM which says, 'We look forward
to Oslo continuing its efforts in the peace process.'
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Three civilians killed and 21, including three American nationals,
injured in a suicide bomb attack near the Colombo Town Hall as
the new Cabinet takes oath.
BBC correspondent Mylvaganam Nirmalarajan killed by unidentified
terrorists in Jaffna.
TULF calls for halting the war and commencing negotiations with
the rebels.
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TULF calls for disarming all former terrorist groups such as
TELO and PLOTE that have been absorbed into the democratic stream.
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LTTE shoots down helicopter gunshipa and in a suicide attack
on Trincomalee harbour destroys two naval vessels.
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An estimated 26 youth detained under the Prevention of Terrorism
Act killed when a mob attacks the Bindunuwewa Detention camp in
Banarawela.
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Army launches Operation Kinihara III in Maduvil North to capture
rebel strong holds and claims to have killed 25 rebels.
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Airforce planes destroy seven LTTE camps in Upparu and Kandalkadu
areas, south of Trincomalee.
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Eric Solheim, Norwegian peace envoy, meets LTTE chief Prabhakaran
in the Wanni. Says the meeting was 'serious, frank, open and very
useful'.
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JVP, the Sinhala nationalist party, criticises Norwegian initiative
and alleges that it wasattempting to impose a political solution.
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TULF Member of Parliament representing Batticaloa district shot
dead by an unidentified-armed person in Chenkaladi, near Batticaloa.
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Cief of the Naval Staff meets India's Naval Chief and discusses
increasing arms trafficking across the high seas.
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President inaugurates 11th Parliament. Parliament extends State
of Emergency by a month. President declares that her government
was willing to negotiate with the LTTE, but 'war against terrorism
would have to continue’.
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Government would hold further talks with Norway and seek clarifications
on the modalities of the proposed peace talks with the LTTE, Kumaratunga
informs party (SLFP) colleagues.
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Army Chief General Balgalle discloses that the LTTE lost more
than 2,100 cadres in the year 2000.
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European Union extends support to Norwegian peace initiative.
Calls upon both the government and the LTTE to seize the opportunity
to hold a dialogue in order to find a negotiated solution to the
ethnic conflict.
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Supreme Court directs a serving military officer to stand trial
at a court martial. The officer has been accused of having colluded
with the LTTE.
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Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) leader Douglas Devananda
warns the government that the LTTE was never sincere about negotiations,
but expreses support if the government held talks with the LTTE.
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Sri Lankan Army launchesOperation Kinihara IV in Maduvil South.
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Peter Hain, British Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth
Affairs arrives in Colombo to meet the President and other leaders,
amidst protests from the rightist Sinhala Urumaya.
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LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran says in his annual Heroes
Day Speech,the LTTE "is prepared to participate in negotiations
to find a political solution to the ethnic conflict through peaceful
means... [I am looking for a] fair, just and equitable negotiated
settlement". Explaining his stand, he declares, "our call for
de-escalation and normalisation of civilian life should not be
misinterpreted as pre-conditions".
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Karl Inderfurth, US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia,
says the US supports the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and
favours a solution that protects the dignity of all Sri Lankans.
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General Anurudh Rattawate once again appointed Deputy Minister
for Defence. The President holds the Defence portfolio, too.
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LTTE rebels have lost 1,742 cadres, including 253 suicide cadres,
in the year 2000, the Daily News says, quoting the LTTE.
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LTTE theoritician and chief negotiator, Anton Balasingham says,
in London, the LTTE has serious doubts on the government's willingness
to negotiate peace and adds, the President is keen on prosecuting
the war. Meanwhile, several Tamil groups welcome the LTTE leadcer's
Heroes Day offer to hold peacew talks with the government.
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The Sri Lankan Army launches Operation Kinihara V to regain rebel-held
areas in Nunavil west.
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On the occasion of its golden jubilee, the Sri Lankan Navy commissions
three Israeli Fast Missile Vessels (FMV) and an Indian Offshore
Patrol Vessel (OPV) to augment its strength.
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Government reiterates willingness to hold peace talks with the
LTTE, but firmly declares, "the de-escalation of war could
be considered only as the talks progress towards a definitive
stage in resolving the conflict".
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Strongly protesting the British Minister for Foreign and Common
Wealth Affairs, Peter Hains'statement, Foreign Minister Lakshman
Kadirgamar asks international community to desist from making
statements that would 'undermine Sri Lanka's right to solve its
own ethnic problem'.
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Governmentr forces launch Stage 2 of 'Operation Kinihira V',
in the Nunavvil sector.
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LTTE announces, in a statement issued from its headdquarters
in the Wanni, month-long unilateral cease-fire from midnight December
24.
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Prime Minister Wickremanayake and Foreign Minister Kadirgamar
issue a staement rejecting the LTTE's cese-fire offer.
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LTTE expresses 'dismay' at the governemtn's rejection of the
cease-fire.Vows to implement its offer. TULF criticises government
decision.
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Government accuses LTTE of 'violating its own cease-fire' offer.
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