January
3
|
The
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
says decommissioning weapons is "non-negotiable", until a final
solution is reached. A day earlier Army chief Lt. Gen. Lionel
Balagalle’s said IDPs would not be allowed to resettle in (High
Security Zones (HSZs) unless the LTTE gave weapons.
|
January
4
|
Norway
refutes President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s allegation that it was
illegally helping the LTTE to import radio equipment, under the
guise of brokering peace. It says it had merely responded to a
government request to help LTTE import communication equipment
for an FM station.
|
January
7
|
LTTE,
government agree on resettling internally displaces persons in
HSZs. They would in the first stage be settled outside the HSZs.
Cabinet Minister G.L. Peiris says resettlement is "daunting in
its proportions but we have to begin somewhere", and would be
done without impairing state security.
|
January
8
|
Over
25,000 persons protest in a Janata Vimukthi Peramuna rally protesting
the peace talks with the LTTE and allege it is a western imperialist
conspiracy to divide the country.
|
January
10
|
The
prevailing conditions are "not conducive" for repealing the Prevention
of Terrorism (Temporary provisions) Act, Defence Minister Tilak
Marapone announces in Parliament.
|
January
11
|
LTTE
turns away 14 children (12 girls and two boys)––all students––aspiring
to join its cadres.
|
January
14
|
2,000
Budhdhist monks protest at Nugegoda Junction, Colombo suburbs,
led by the ‘Federation of Bikkhus to Rescue the Motherland’, against
peace talks with the LTTE.
|
January
22
|
The
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) notes an overall decline in
the monthly number of complaints of truce violations. In December
2002, a total of 142 valid complains were received––118 against
the LTTE and 24 against government forces. It adds, since the
truce cam into force and until December 31, 2002, ruling has been
made in 502 cases against the LTTE and 54 against government forces.
|
January
22
|
Jaffna
district committee for resettling IDPs outside HSZs commences
work.
|
January
23
|
Representatives
of the government and LTTE attended a meeting in the capital Colombo,
for the first time in 12 years, and brief 20 donor countries on
immediate humanitarian needs.
|
January
24
|
Maj.
Gen. (Retd) Tryggve Tellefsen will replace Maj. Gen. (Retd) Trond
Furuhovde as SLMM chief in late February or March 2003, say reports.
|
January
28
|
LTTE
political-wing leader S. P. Tamilselvam says, in Kilinochchi,
"Lack of discipline in some cadres of lower ranks (in the LTTE)"
is the primary cause for cease-fire violations.
|
|
Reports
quoting Anton Balasingham say the LTTE would reject any proposal
that links resettling IDPs to decommissioning its weapons.
|
January
29
|
LTTE
proscription in the United Kingdom would continue, Minister in
the Foreign Office Mike O'Brien says in Colombo.
|
February
3
|
SLMM
chief Trond Furuhovde says dismantling HSZs for resettlement and
cultivation will change the balance of power between the security
forces and the LTTE.
|
February
8
|
In
a serious violation of truce terms three LTTE cadres blow themselves
up in a boat carrying arms and ammunition off Delft island. In
a joint statement, the government and the LTTE say the incident
was a result of communication gap between LTTE cadres and commanders.
At
the fifth round of peace talks in Berlin, the government and the
LTTE agree to frame safeguards against sea incidents. They also
agree to discuss political issues at the next round of talks in
Japan in March.
The
LTTE says its has worked out an action plan with UNICEF to stop
recruitment of child soldiers and discloses it had returned 350
children to their parents in the last six months.
|
February
16
|
The
SLMM says, "Using military forces to maintain law and order
can be justified during times of war, but is highly likely to
lead to unnecessary violence and increased tensions during times
of peace".
|
February
17
|
The
body of a soldier killed in LTTE controlled area in Kilaly is
handed over, in Colombo, to his parents.
|
February
18
|
SLMM
says that live firing exercise by LTTE attack craft off-Mullaitivu
is a clear violation of truce terms.
|
February
20
|
Government
chief negotiator G.L.Peiris expresses satisfaction with the achievements
of the peace process thus far.
Janata
Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) organises a massive protest march against
the ongoing cease-fire between the government and the LTTE.
|
February
21
|
Premier
Wickremesinghe notes that the peace process has fared "well"
in the past one year and adds, "We are facing issues which require
more discussions, and which will also face difficulties."
|
February
22
|
The
ongoing truce between the government and the LTTE completes one
year.
|
February
22
|
Navy
detains seven LTTE cadres in government controlled area for moving
with arms but subsequently releases them at the intervention of
the SLMM near Kuchchaveli.
|
February
24
|
A
government soldier is found dead at a guard post near Koliyar
Kulam checkpoint, Vavuniya.
|
February
26
|
SLMM
new chief Tryggve Tellefsen and his colleagues meet with LTYTE
and government representatives at the SLMM office in Vavuniya.
|
February
27
|
Minister
Rauf Hakeem leads a Muslim delegation and asks Prime Minister
Ranil Wickremasinghe to enable Muslims to participate as an independent
group in the peace talks.
|
March
2
|
LTTE
ideologue Anton Balasingham and chief Prabhakaran meet in Mullaitivu
and discuss the political situation in the island, progress of
the peace talks and issues to be taken up at the forthcoming round
of talks in Japan.
|
March
4
|
SLMM
chief Tellefsen and LTTE senior commander Col. Karuna meet in
Karadiyanaru, Batticaloa district, and discuss the implementation
of the ongoing truce.
|
March
5
|
LTTE
releases a government soldier and constable who were in its custody.
|
March
5, 6
|
The
first meeting of the Subcommittee for the welfare and rehabilitation
of war affected women and children is held in Kilinochchi.
|
March
7
|
LTTE
and Tamil National Alliance agree to work jointly to take the
ongoing peace process forward and strengthen ties between Tamils
and Muslims.
|
March
10
|
Sri
Lanka Navy (SLN) sinks an LTTE vessel––suspected to be ferrying
arms––killing 11 cadres, 180 nautical miles east of Mulathivu.
|
|
The
SLFP, JVP, the MEP, the National Unity Alliance (NUA) and Buddhist
monks, hold a massive protest march in Colombo against the peace
process.
|
March
12
|
LTTE
ideologue Balasingham says in Kilinochchi that sinking an LTTE
vessel on March 10 is a "grave violation" of the truce and "contravenes
international law". He adds, "Though there is mutual trust and
confidence at the conference table, the reality of the situation
in the field is very different. The Sri Lanka Army and Navy have
taken an uncompromising position."
|
March
13
|
Muslim
Members of Parliament call on President Kumaratunga and discuss
the representation to community at the ongoing peace talks.
|
March
16
|
Truce
Monitors say in their report on the March 10-incident, in which
an LTTE vessel was sunk, that "it is difficult to draw a
ruling based on two contradictory versions of the Navy and the
LTTE."
|
March
17
|
Navy
troops chase an LTTE boat and arrest three Sea Tigers’ cadres,
off Trincomalee, after they allegedly dumped some boxes into the
sea.
|
March
18
|
The
sixth round of the peace talks between the government and the
LTTE begins in Hakone, near Tokyo.
|
March
20
|
Suspected
Sea Tigers cadres of the LTTE sink a Chinese fishing trawler,
33km northwest of Mullaithivu. 16 fishermen go missing, 16 more
are rescued.
|
March
21
|
Media
reports say that at the peace talks, ‘the fiscal aspect of power
sharing between the centre and the units was discussed, in the
main, and preliminary discussions on were held on political aspects
of power sharing. "We are paying… attention [to] the availability
of resources to the units, and how well these resources can be
raised within various models", Minister Peiris says.
|
March
27
|
LTTE
assures a Muslim delegation that they are free to cultivate their
lands in LTTE-controlled areas and assures that their properties
were not seized.
|
March
29
|
SLMM
prepares report on the sinking of the Chinese finishing trawler
and fails to identify the culprits. It asks the Government and
the LTTE to identify, trace and punish the attackers.
|
March
30
|
A
20-member LTTE team leaves for Nordic countries to study federalism,
constitutional framework and administrative structures followed
there.
|
April
1
|
LTTE
denies its cadres made an abortive attack on a merchant navy vessel
ferrying troops on March 31, near Trincomalee. Four soldiers were
injured, while the attacking dingy boat was sunk in security forces’
retaliatory firing
|
April
2
|
An
unidentified-armed assailant kills paramilitary leader Varathan
in Aariyampathi, near Batticaloa.
|
April 3
|
Government chief negotiator and Minister G L
Peiris says that the Government would consider conducting a referendum
on the future of the peace process in response to a request by
a cross-section of the society.
Report indicates that the LTTE trained 400 male
cadres and 300 women cadres at its Tharavai central training camp
in Batticaloa district.
|
April 5
|
The JVP observes 32nd anniversary
of its aborted bid to capture state power and to establish a ‘Communist
regime’ in 1971.
|
April 8
|
LTTE assures the SLMM during a meeting at Sampoor
in Trincomalee that it will ‘suspend’ the movement of its cadres
through Government-controlled areas at night after due procedures
are formulated in this regard.
|
April 9
|
Talks between the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)
and the Defence Ministry on identifying a new site for the Army’s
Jaffna town brigade headquarters remain inconclusive.
|
April 14
|
Preliminary conference to the forthcoming international
donors conference begins in Washington DC without LTTE’s participation.
US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Armitage
says that the LTTE is designated as a foreign terrorist organization
in the US since 1997, and hence its representatives were not given
visas to attend the meeting.
|
April 17
|
India’s Ambassador in Washington Lalit Mansingh
says at the preliminary international donors’ conference that
India would support a final solution to Sri Lanka's protracted
ethnic conflict that would recognise the rights of all communities.
|
April 18
|
Three Muslims die during a clash between Tamils
and Muslims in Muttur town.
Unidentified gunman kills an important leader
of Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) at Akkaraipattu in Batticaloa.
|
April 21
|
Representatives of the LTTE and the Muttur division
of the Majlis al Shura–an association of Muslims agree to restore
peace.
|
April 30
|
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in a reply
to the LTTE Chief Negotiator Anton Balasingham's letter on temporarily
pulling out from the peace talks, calls upon the group to review
its present stance and continue its participation in the negotiations.
The JVP appeals to the Government to make decommissioning
of long-range weapons held by the LTTE a minimum condition for
the removal of High Security Zones (HSZ).
The US State Department’s report on Global Terrorism
states that LTTE would continue to remain a "foreign terrorist
organisation" as the outfit has not renounced terrorism and
continues to smuggle weapons and indulge in forcible recruitment,
including the recruitment of children.
|
May 4
|
Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen
arrives in Colombo to meet LTTE Chief Negotiator Anton Balasingham
and discuss possibilities of an early resumption of ‘suspended’
peace talks.
The SLMM says if the LTTE were to be found responsible
for the killings of Tamil opponents during the past year, it will
be termed as a violation of the cease-fire Agreement, signed on
February 22, 2002.
|
May 10
|
Visiting Japanese special envoy Yasushi Akashi
asks both, the Government and LTTE to make clear their stand by
May 14 on their participation in the forthcoming Tokyo Donors
Conference to be held on June 9 and 10.
|
May 12
|
Colonel’ Pathuman, the LTTE ‘military commander’
in eastern Trincomalee city admits that the LTTE is training more
cadres purportedly to maintain its ‘military’ strength.
|
May 13
|
Suspected LTTE cadres attack the local PLOTE
office in Batticaloa and injure eight PLOTE members.
|
May 15
|
An LTTE statement at Kilinochchi says that a
formal mechanism to administer funds for the reconstruction of
the North-East should be set up as a prerequisite for the group
to participate at the Tokyo donor conference.
|
May19
|
The LTTE asks for more time to study the Government's
response to its demands to resume peace talks and take part in
the forthcoming Tokyo aid conference.
|
May 21
|
The LTTE asks the Government to formulate an
interim administration instead of the Sub Committee on Immediate
Humanitarian Rehabilitation Needs (SIHRN) with a view to reviving
and forging ahead the peace process.
|
May 23
|
The main opposition party People's Alliance (PA)
opposes the LTTE demand for an "Internal administration outside
the constitutional framework of Sri Lanka" as a prerequisite for
its participation in the forthcoming ‘donor conference’ at Tokyo.
|
May 26
|
Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik
arrives in Tokyo on a three-day visit for talks regarding Sri
Lankan peace process with his Japanese counterpart Junichiro Koizumi.
|
May 27
|
Sri Lankan authorities say proposals on a mechanism
to undertake development, rehabilitation and reconstruction of
the Northeast region of the country has been handed over to Norwegian
Special Envoy Erik Solheim to be conveyed to the LTTE.
In Tokyo, Norwegian Premier Bondevik says that
the Sri Lankan Government should show flexibility in response
to the LTTE's request to set up an interim administration.
|
May 28
|
Security forces commanders and the LTTE military
leadership meet in the no-man's zone in Kattaparichchan, Trincomalee,
to bridge differences and to make new lines of communications
between the two parties.
|
May 29
|
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe declares
that the Government will seek solutions to the Tamil issue "within
the framework of the laws" and people will be consulted before
a final solution to the conflict is implemented.
At an official meeting with the Hindu Religious
Affairs Minister T Maheswaran, President Chandrika Bandaranaike
Kumaratunga says that she is willing to have the displaced people
settled in the HSZ in the NEP other than in the Palali area.
The EPDP alleges that the LTTE is training a
special group for deployment in the Muttur area.
|
May 30
|
The LTTE rejects alternate proposals suggested
by the Government and criticises it for not specifying the participatory
role of the LTTE in the proposed structure.
|
June 1
|
Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe says that the proposed
interim administrative structure for the NEP, among other things,
would safeguard the interests of all communities in the region
and enable the LTTE to play a significant role without being in
conflict with the laws of the country.
|
June 2
|
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe rejects LTTE demand
for an Interim Administration (IA) in the NEP outside the law
and the constitution.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe writes to Norwegian
Foreign Minister Jan Petersen requesting the facilitators to arrange
a dialogue with the LTTE, which will enable the Government to
explain and clarify its proposals for an administrative mechanism
for the NEP.
Japan warns the LTTE that it will go ahead and
hold the "Aid Lanka" meet in Tokyo, as planned on June 9 and 10,
whether the LTTE agreed to attend it or not.
|
June 3
|
Police allege that the LTTE has issued death
threats to K B Gunaratne, organiser of the Sinhala section of
the EPDP in Pottuvil, Panama in Ampara district.
|
June 4
|
LTTE chief negotiator Anton Balasingham rejects
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s proposed apex body for the
NEP, but expresses willingness to resume talks on a draft framework
for an interim administrative structure for NEP reconstruction
and rehabilitation.
A diplomatic team comprising Dutch, Swiss, UK
and German Ambassadors meets LTTE political wing chief Tamilselvan
to reaffirm, as bilateral donors, their strong support for the
peace process.
Ministry of Defence clarifies that the Sri Lankan
Army (SLA) has reported 18 LTTE violations relating to killings
of intelligence unit members to the SLMM.
|
June 5
|
The European Commission adopts an Euro 3.27 million
aid resolution under its Rapid Reaction Mechanism in support of
the peace process in Sri Lanka.
|
June 6
|
In Colombo, more than 10,000 activists, including
parliamentary members of the Sinhala Nationalist Party (SNP) and
the JVP, protest against reported attempts by the Sri Lanka Government
to hand over Northeast interim administration to the LTTE.
Anton Balasingham reiterates that negotiations
on an interim administration for the NEP would begin only after
Government produces a detailed draft of its proposals for such
a body.
|
June 8
|
Minister G L Peiris says that the LTTE too would
have say on aid utilisation in the NEP even if it were not participating
in the Tokyo donors’ conference.
|
June 9
|
Speaking at the beginning of donors conference
on Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka in Tokyo, Japan,
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe promises to revive stalled
peace talks with the LTTE offering to meet their key demand for
an interim administration in NEP. He also says his government
would consider calling a referendum to endorse changes to the
country's Constitution that could be part of a final solution
to the 20-year conflict.
Donors pledge US dollars 4 billion aid over the
next four years to rebuild Sri Lanka.
|
June 10
|
The main opposition party PA of Sri Lanka promises
to re-negotiate foreign aid amounting to $4 billion secured by
the Government at the Tokyo aid conference.
|
June 11
|
In Kilinochchi, the LTTE in a statement reiterates
that it will resume peace talks only after a draft framework of
the interim administrative framework for the NEP is produced.
LTTE also rejects the Prime Minister's offer for a provincial
administrative structure.
|
June 13
|
In Colombo, the main opposition party PA asks
the Government to place the armed forces on red alert alleging
that the LTTE has reverted its position to Tamil homeland policy.
|
June 14
|
A suspected LTTE sharpshooter kills a top leader
of the Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) in
Jaffna.
The SLN blows up suspected arms smuggling vessel
of the LTTE with 12 sea tigers onboard on international waters
266 nautical miles off the coast of Mullaitivu.
|
June 16
|
SLMM prevents security forces from searching
LTTE’s political office at Chullipuram in Jaffna.
|
June 17
|
In Jaffna, the LTTE asks the SLMM to stop the
SLA from establishing new camps in the peninsula.
|
June 18
|
Three members of the LTTE child brigade escape
from an LTTE camp and report to the Eravur police.
|
June 19
|
In a televised address to the Nation, Prime Minister
Wickremesinghe says that the Government intends to establish a
Northeast interim administration council that would protect the
rights of all communities after taking the consent of the LTTE.
The LTTE declines Government’s offer to discuss
an "interim administrative council" and says that it would only
join talks when the Government unveils a "practical conceptual
framework".
|
June 21
|
Addressing the 14th national convention
of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) at Nittambuwa in the Western
province, President Chandrika Kumaratunga says that she had ordered
the Navy to destroy the LTTE vessel on June 14 off the Mullaitivu
coast.
|
June 24
|
Two Tamil youths escape from an LTTE camp and
seek refuge at the Omanthai Army checkpoint. They disclose that
they had been detained for training over two and a half years
at a camp at the Oddusudan-Kandamadu area.
|
June 25
|
President Chandrika Kumaratunga warns that the
LTTE is preparing for war and that the security forces are ill
prepared to meet the challenge.
|
June 26
|
The LTTE complaints to the SLMM in Trincomalee
that SLA violated cease-fire agreement by attempting to enter
Kurankupanchchan area.
|
June 27
|
In an interview to the Colombo-based Tamil daily
Sudar Oli, LTTE leader A Balasingham calls the recently concluded
Tokyo Donor Conference "an international trap" and also accuses
‘some of the world super powers’ of resorting to "an economic
blackmail."
Police and the SLA arrest 13 Tamil youths following
a joint search operation in Wellawatte.
The SLMM in its investigation report on the June
14 incident of the sinking of LTTE vessel off the Mullaitivu coast
indicates that the Navy was right in intercepting the vessel.
It adds that the LTTE had violated the UN Convention of the Law
of the Sea (UNCLOS) by "not flying an appropriate flag and official,
visible identification at the time of the incident".
|
June 28
|
306 persons are arrested for their alleged links
with the LTTE in Colombo and its suburbs.
SLA and Police storm a five-day UNICEF-sponsored
conference held at hotel at Digana in Kandy District alleging
that the participants were LTTE members.
The SLMM asks both the Navy and the LTTE to give
a detailed record of their vessels’ movement to the SLMM so that
it could monitor their activities.
|
June 30
|
The SLMM recommends LTTE to remove a camp in
Kinniya ruling that the area is Government controlled.
A report says that the LTTE killed 108 persons
suspecting them to be its opponents, since the signing of the
MoU with the Government on February 22, 2002.
|
July 1
|
LTTE disputes SLMM ruling that the Kurankupanchan
area in the Trincomalee district comes under Sri Lankan Government
control.
|
July 10
|
Report says the LTTE killed 112 persons, including
intelligence operatives attached to the security forces, police
personnel and also members of Tamil parties opposed to it since
the signing of the MoU with the Sri Lankan Government on February
22, 2002.
|
July 12
|
During a meeting with a 12-member delegation
of the Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance (STMA) in Kilinochchi, LTTE
leader Thamilselvan says that the LTTE is ready to ‘face war’
if it would be imposed.
|
July 13
|
The fourth meeting of the subcommittee on Tamil-Muslim
issues is held under SLMM auspices at the Vavunathivu.
|
July 14
|
SLMM chief Tryggve Tellefsen arrives in Kilinochchi
on a three-day visit to Vanni to obtain LTTE views over its report
on clashes on sea.
The Sri Lanka Police and SLA arrest six LTTE
cadres in Batticaloa during a joint search operation, and seize
an unspecified number of weapons from their possession.
The Norwegian Special Adviser and Ambassador
Erik Solheim during an interview says that killing of democratically
elected politicians by the LTTE was unacceptable and also a violation
of the cease-fire agreement.
|
July 15
|
Police arrest eight LTTE cadres, including four
women, for possessing explosives in Batticaloa.
At a meeting at Kokkadicholai camp in Batticaloa,
the LTTE’s east zone military wing leader Karuna Amman alias Karuna
reportedly asks the LTTE provincial leaders to kill Government
intelligence operatives and also send a report to him in this
regard.
|
July 16
|
Four persons, including two police constables,
are injured in a grenade attack inside the premises of the PLOTE
office premises in Trincomalee.
|
July 17
|
G L Peiris says that Norwegian special peace
envoy Jon Westborg formally handed over to the LTTE Government’s
proposals on LTTE’s role in the NEP.
|
July 19
|
Residence of the chairman of the Tamil-Muslim
Reconciliation Committee, Mohamed Hussein Hayat Mohamed, is attacked
at Oddamavadi in Batticaloa district.
|
July 20
|
Premier Wickremesinghe reiterates that interim
administrative system in the NEP would be within the Constitution
and opposition parties would also be consulted before taking a
final decision is taken.
|
July 22
|
SLMM deputy chief Hagruph Haukland informs that
the SLMM would increase the number of naval monitors in Jaffna
and Trincomalee to prevent likely clashes between the Navy and
LTTE.
|
July 28
|
Unidentified assailants throw grenades at the
LTTE’s political office in Vavuniya Town.
|
July 30
|
SLMM spokeswoman Agnes Bragadottir confirms that
the LTTE have done nothing to vacate the Wan-Ela camp in Kinniya
despite frequent requests from the mission.
|
August 6
|
US ask the LTTE to renounce terrorism alleging
that the group is indulging in activities undermining the peace
process in Sri Lanka.
Official sources reveal that 40 intelligence
operatives attached to the armed forces and police were killed
by the LTTE since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding
on February 22, 2002.
|
August 10
|
Suspected LTTE cadres allegedly kill a SLA intelligence
officer in the eastern coastal town of Akkaraipattu.
|
August 21
|
Sri Lanka Navy personnel arrest two women LTTE
cadres from Thiruperunthurai village in Batticaloa district. However,
they were later released after interrogation.
|
September 1
|
LTTE denies SLMM monitors’ access to the Wan-Ela
camp during a routine patrol.
|
September 13
|
A report says the LTTE recruited approximately
70 cadres, including children, in the eastern province during
the past two weeks following instructions form the LTTE political
wing leader S P Thamilselvan. The recruits are reportedly being
trained at the Kanchikudiaru camp in Ampara and Tharava camp in
Batticaloa.
|
September 14
|
Suspected LTTE cadres kill an EPRLF activist
in Batticaloa.
|
September 26
|
Addressing the 58th session of the
United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe
says that the Government will look positively at the LTTE proposals
and will do everything to keep the peace process moving forward
to a successful conclusion.
|
October 4
|
United States re-designates the LTTE as a Foreign
Terrorist Organisation (FTO) pursuant to Section 219 of the US
Immigration and Nationality Act.
A group of LTTE cadres abduct at least 24 persons
at Valaichchenai in Batticaloa district, a day after a UNICEF
funded scheme to demobilise forcibly conscripted child soldiers
got underway in Kilinochchi.
|
October 7
|
UNICEF reiterates that the continued recruitment
of children by the LTTE was ‘completely unacceptable’ and was
a serious violation of children’s rights.
|
October 8
|
In a letter made available to the press, President
Kumaratunga accuses Prime Minister Wickremesinghe of mismanaging
the nation’s security and ignoring the threat to the island’s
eastern sea port at Trincomalee. Further, she accuses the Premier
of allowing the LTTE to increase their military prowess during
the cease-fire period.
|
October 12
|
SLMM Deputy Chief Hagrup Haukland criticises
the decision by Sihala Urumaya, a Sinhalese party, to visit the
controversial Wan Ela camp, terming it as a "provocative act"
by a third party.
|
October 14
|
Sihala Urumaya activists return without reaching
the controversial Wan Ela camp in Manirasakulam, Trincomalee,
as they are stopped by security forces at the Surangal Army detachment.
|
October 17
|
LTTE hands over 13 forcibly conscripted children
to the UNICEF officials in Batticaloa.
|
October 29
|
The final decision on any problem within the
truce is a matter for the SLMM and both the Government and LTTE
are obliged to abide by that decision, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe
told the Cabinet.
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October 31
|
LTTE hands over their Interim Administration
proposals to the Sri Lankan Government through the Norwegian facilitators.
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November 1
|
The LTTE demands an "Interim Self-Governing Authority
for the NorthEast (ISGA)," with majority powers for itself and
complete control over regional administration "until a final settlement
is reached and implemented" in its counter-proposals. The LTTE's
demands include "all powers and functions in relation to regional
administration exercised by the Government in and for the northeast''
including revenue, law and order, land and marine resources. Further,
it has sought control over finances with powers over domestic
and international borrowings and to "engage in or regulate internal
and external trade."
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November 4
|
President Chandrika Kumaratunga removes the portfolios
of Defence, Interior and Mass Communication from Ministers Tilak
Marapana, John Amaratunga and Imthiaz Bakeer Markar and also prorogues
the Parliament until November 19.
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November 5
|
President Kumaratunga declares a state of ‘short-term’
emergency in the country. She also states that the cease-fire
agreement with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) will
stand.
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November 6
|
President Kumaratunga takes control of the state-run
radio, television and newspapers.
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November 7
|
President Chandrika Kumaratunga withdraws the state of emergency
she declared on November 5.
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November 10
|
The Government announces that talks with the
LTTE have been indefinitely postponed.
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November 11
|
Three Sri Lankan men suspected to be LTTE cadres
are sentenced to five years in jail for arms smuggling by a court
in the Thailand capital Bangkok.
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November 12
|
President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister
Ranil Wickremesinghe meet in Colombo to discuss the ongoing crisis.
The LTTE is believed to have assisted four of
their cadres escape from the Trincomalee prison. The accused were
due to be produced in Courts at Trincomalee, Mutur and Kantalai
and had been arrested in May 2003 for carrying explosives.
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November 13
|
LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran assures the
Norwegian facilitators, Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen
and Special Envoy Erik Solheim, in Kilinochchi that the outfit
remains committed to the peace process and cease-fire but insisted
that political instability in the South must end for dialogue
to resume.
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November 14
|
Norway has no intention of abandoning the peace
process, says Deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesen in Colombo.
He said Norway would continue as a facilitator, provided that
there is clarity about who is holding responsibility on the Government
side. Until such clarity is re-established, there is no space
for further efforts by the Norwegian Government to assist the
two parties in making further progress in the peace process, he
added.
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November 16
|
LTTE’s political offices in Government controlled
North-East will continue despite the political instability and
the suspension of the Norwegian facilitation, an LTTE spokesperson
said.
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November 18
|
President
Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe meet to discuss
core issues on which they could work together. A committee is
appointed to work out the details of future working arrangements
under which the President and the Premier can work together on
issues of national importance.
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November 21
|
President
Kumaratunga sets a December 15 deadline to resolve the ongoing
political standoff with Premier Wickremesinghe and for the two
sides to decide on a Government of reconstruction and reconciliation.
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November 26
|
Three Muslims
are killed and six others injured during grenade attacks in Trincomalee
and Kinniya.
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November 27
|
LTTE chief
Velupillai Prabhakaran in his "Heroes' Day" address denies allegations
that the outfit was re-arming for war and also claimed that its
counter-proposals are not a step towards secession.
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November 28
|
President
Kumaratunga forwards a proposal for setting up a Joint Peace Council
(JPC) to be co-chaired by the President and Prime Minister to
overcome the ongoing impasse in the peace talks.
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December
5 |
Talks
between President Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe
fail to make a breakthrough to end their month-old political impasse.
"There was no breakthrough in the talks… But the talks were cordial,
they reviewed the progress of the official-level talks and wanted
them to complete their work by the original deadline," said an
unnamed official.
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December
15 |
The
Samarawickrema-Tittawella Committee discusses President Kumaratunga's
proposal for a National Security Ministry without achieving a
breakthrough. Earlier, the President and the Prime Minister had
set a December 15 deadline on the Samarawickrema-Tittawella Committee
to reach a solution to the political stalemate. Though the deadline
passed, the Committee will continue its deliberations.
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December
28 |
President
Kumaratunga, while participating in a live radio debate of the
Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation alleges that Premier Wickremesinghe
had created an imaginary Constitutional crisis on the basis of
the take-over of the Ministries of Defence, Internal Security
and Mass Communications by her in the first week of November 2003.
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