January 4

Sri Lanka Army’s de-mining Field Engineer troops till January 4, since the year 2002, cleared a total land extent of 450.41 square kilometres (450,402,744 square metres) of LTTE buried explosive devices, anti-personnel and anti-tank mines and Un-Exploded Ordnance (UXOs) from northern and eastern Districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar, Vavuniya, Batticaloa and Trincomalee,.

Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are separately engaged in de-mining work in the same Districts. The extent of area de-mined by those NGO de-miners has not been included in the geographical extent figure as given above.

At present, troops are continuing their de-mining work in Vedithalattivu (Mannar), Mankulam (Kilinochchi) and Thunukkai-Amathipuram (Mullaitivu) areas. Initial surveys have confirmed that about 600 square kilometres area still remains to be cleared of mines and UXOs.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) decided to support the Opposition consensus presidential nominee General (retired) Sarath Fonseka, an announcement by United National Party (UNP) which is leading the alliance in support of the General.

While indications were that a majority in the TNA would back Fonseka in the January 26 poll, there had been no formal word till now from the TNA on their interactions with the former Army chief.

Seeking the support of TNA at the upcoming presidential elections, Fonseka has offered to grant amnesty to all the detained LTTE cadres if he is elected.

January 5

President Mahinda Rajapakse stressed that he would never merge the North and the East under his administration.

Chief Government Whip and Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told Parliament on January 5 that the 17^th Amendment to the Constitution is now defunct and there was no use in taking up its provisions.

The Sri Lankan Parliament voted to extend the state of emergency in the country by another month.

January 6-7

The slain LTTE chief Velupillai Prabakaran’s father Thiruvengadam Velupillai passed away on January 6.

A total number of 16,989 Internally Displaced People (IDP) have been resettled and around 82,940 war displaced are living in eight IDP centres in Vavuniya and two other camps in Jaffna.

January 7

The United Nations Human Right expert said that the execution video depicting alleged execution of Tamil prisoners by Sri Lankan soldiers is authentic and called for an inquiry into possible war crimes during the final stages of the conflict between the Government forces and LTTE militants.

The direction pursued by the Government towards fulfilling the aspirations of the Tamil people is vastly different to that which is being followed by the TNA led by R. Sampanthan, Investment Promotion Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa told the Media at the Cabinet briefing. He said the Tamil people in the North are gradually being inducted into the democratic way of life. The High Security Zones established in Jaffna at the time of war are being gradually removed.

Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Keheliya Rambukwelle said the LTTE and the TNA were part and parcel of the same team which tried to attain the Eelam goal through different means and they have gained a new life after their May 18 defeat with the General (retired) Sarath Fonseka group teaming up with the TNA.

The TNA Parliamentarian K. Thurairetnasingam said the party is extending its support to Sarath Fonseka at the Presidential election after getting him to agree to a number of conditions.

January 9

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told the BBC Sinhala that just over 11,000 LTTE suspects are in custody, following the release of 712 former LTTE combatants.

January 10

Thousands of LTTE suspects in Government custody will not be released soon, said Power and Energy Minister W. D. J. Seneviratne.

January 12

President Mahinda Rajapakse said Tamils would be given a greater say in matters of governance through devolution of powers to provinces and promised to create an upper House in Parliament by proposing an amendment in the Constitution.

January 13

The Sri Lankan Government is taking measures to thwart any attempt by the remaining LTTE cadres and its overseas supporters from resurrecting the vanquished terrorist outfit, the Foreign Ministry said.

The Foreign Minister said that during the last four years the missions abroad mainly focused on dismantling the LTTE terror network abroad and countering their misinformation propaganda against the government while seeking to attract foreign investments and technical assistance for development work that continued in parallel.

President Mahinda Rajapakse said he will present his own solution to the problem of the people of the North and East during his second term.

January 14

The Norwegian Council of Eelam Tamils (NCET) on the Tamil festival day of Pongkal, announced initiation of three global committees: a Monitoring Committee to help and coordinate polls mandating Tamil Eelam as well as constitutions cum elections for people’s councils in various countries; an Exploration Committee to examine the possibilities of founding a diplomatic centre in Oslo to represent the people’s councils and a Representative Committee to discuss apex coordination or united functioning with other constructs that emerge with national thinking.

January 15

The Government is to expedite legal proceedings relating to the LTTE suspects held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and Emergency Regulations.

President Mahinda Rajapakse said that Sri Lanka still faces a severe threat from separatists though the LTTE has been militarily crushed and the country united after a 30-year war.

The President further said that the Government would gradually ease security restrictions imposed in the Northern and Eastern Provinces as well as other parts of the country because the LTTE no longer posed a conventional military threat.

The President dismissed all efforts that have been made so far to find political solutions to the country’s ethnic problem and said he will present his own solution after the forthcoming election.

January 20

The subtle aim of the TNA is to obtain a self governing unit for the North and East through Ranil Wickremasinghe’s intervention by getting a retired general elected to power, said vocational and Technical Training Minister Piyasena Gamage addressing a seminar attended by teachers at the A.N. Reception hall, Balapitiya on January 10, Daily News reports on January 20.

January 21

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his concern over the escalating pre-election violence in the country in the run up to the presidential elections on January 26.

According to Defence Ministry report, the Bishop of Jaffna Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas Saundranayagam said, "Jaffna is returning to normal. The A-9 road has been re-opened and civilians can now use the road.

January 22

A federal court in the United States sentenced two persons, identified as Sathajhan Sarachandran (30), and Nadarasa Yogarasa (55), to 26 and 14 years of imprisonment respectively, in connection with their efforts to purchase USD one million worth of high-powered weaponry for the LTTE, a designated foreign terrorist organization in the US.

A court in Sri Lanka has ordered the Police to immediately release 73 LTTE suspects. Earlier, a Sri Lankan Minister told journalists that the Government would not be able to release LTTE suspects as many trained suicide cadres are among them.

January 23

In an election rally organised in support of the common opposition presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka in Jaffna, two-minute silence was observed to honour the LTTE cadres killed during terrorist activities.

January 26

Poll started for the Presidential Elections in Sri Lanka at 7:00 a.m. (SST) amid heavy security.

According to provisional figures, an average voter turnout of over 70 percent was recorded countrywide presidential election except in the North and East, election officials said.

The election monitors say the voting has been peaceful for the most past except for some minor incidents in the North. The voting ended at 4:00pm (SST) without any major incidents.

January 27

The results released so far including the postal votes by the Elections Department, shows  incumbent President, Mahinda Rajapakse has received 1,319,980 or 59.47 percent and his contender, General (Retired) Sarath Fonseka has received 860,816 votes or 38.78 percent.

The Secretary-General of the UN Ban Ki-moon expressed relief on the relatively peaceful conclusion to Sri Lanka's first post-war national election.

January 28

Incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse was elected as the sixth Executive President of the country by a massive majority of over 1.8 million votes on January 26 election. He polled a total of 6,015,934 votes as against his closest rival General (Retired) Sarath Fonseka of the New Democratic Front (NDF) who polled 4,173,185 votes.

The lack of sufficient transportation facilities for the IDPs to go to the polling canters was the major factor for the low voter turnout in the North, the monitoring groups said.

The election monitoring group Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) said that at the Manik Farm, 5354 registered voters did not get the opportunity to exercise their ballot as the election officials refused to accept the temporary identity cards carried by the voters for voting in the morning hours.

Issuing a statement the President's office said that he intends to build on the peace already achieved and move towards a full reconciliation program, to ensure that the country is respected around the world for justice and equality of rights.

February 1

Sri Lanka's coalition of Tamil parties, TNA, says it is ready to hold discussions on power sharing with the re-elected President Mahinda Rajapakse if they are given an opportunity. TNA leader R. Sampanthan said he is ready to discuss genuine power sharing proposals in a unitary State if invited by the President.

The two main opposition parties that came together on one stage for the presidential elections are to contest on their own at the parliamentary elections. UNP parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella said that the UNP will contest as the UNF under the Elephant symbol at the General Election to be held sometime before April.

The defeated presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka has also expressed his intention to contest the parliamentary elections. However, he has not revealed which party he would represent.

February 2

Sri Lanka Police arrested a suspected LTTE cadre in connection with the 2006 bomb attack on a bus in Kebithigollewa in North Central Province.

The USAID has announced USD three million in new funding to support International Organization of Migration's (IOM) operations of return and resettlement of some 77,000 IDPs in Northern Sri Lanka.

A total of 1200 IDPs would be resettled at Poonagari in Kilinochchi the Ministry of Disaster Relief Services and Resettlement said.

February 3

Sri Lanka Police have arrested 37 suspects under Emergency Regulations over the alleged assassination attempt on President Mahinda Rajapakse and his family by supporters of the main opposition candidate General (Retired) Sarath Fonseka.

Two Tamil persons have been arrested in connection with supplying the arms found in a Buddhist temple, Bodhirukkaramaya, in Maligawatta.

February 4

Addressing the nation on the first Independence Day since the end of the war President Mahinda Rajapakse said that the people of the North and East suffered for thirty years without their democratic rights and he was able to grant them democracy. The President speaking in Tamil asked the Tamil people to live together with the rest of the country without any divisive policies. "Let us discuss our issues among ourselves and resolve them. One country, one people, one law. That is our way, the only way," he added.

February 8

Sri Lankan Military Police arrested the former Army Chief, former Chief of Defence Staffs and defeated Presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka at his office for committing military offences. The Government has accused Fonseka of plotting to assassinate the President and overthrow the Government by a coup.

Sri Lankan Government has admitted 2000 Internally Displaced children living outside the welfare camps to 59 regular public schools in Vavuniya.

February 8-9

President Mahinda Rajapakse dissolved the Parliament with effect from midnight of February 9 under the powers vested in him under Article 70 (1) of Chapter 11 of the Constitution. The election is likely to be held on April 8 and the new Parliament would meet on April 22. Elections will be held to select 196 members of the Parliament and 29 would be chosen from the national lists of political parties and/or independent groups.

February 10

The total number of resettled IDPs from Mannar, Vavuniya and Trincomalee till February 4, 2010 is 134,352, stated the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights.  

February 14

Already 175,000 persons have already been re-settled in the north and 2216 people who were displaced will be re-settled in Karachchi area of Kilinochchi, said Minister of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services, Rishad Bathiudeen.

Resettlement of people has been completed in four Grama Seva (Village Service) divisions at Oddusudan in Mullaitivu. Another 3,000 persons will be resettled at Mulleyaveli from February 15.

The Government of China donated more machinery and equipment worth 17 million Yuan (285.4 million SNR) to Sri Lanka for the infrastructure development of the war-damaged North.

February 15

Despite the killings of top LTTE leaders, including its former chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, and the decimation of the rebels, the concept of Tamil Eelam has not died out amongst those harbouring it, Sri Lankan Army Chief Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya warned.

The LTTE operated 11 bank branches in Northern Sri Lanka with claims of prompt service and various loan facilities prior to its annihilation in May 2009.

The international election monitoring group, the Commonwealth Expert Team, issuing its final report on 2010 Presidential Elections in Sri Lanka said it was generally well-administered on Election Day but there were shortcomings in the pre-election period due to incidences of inter-party violence.

Sri Lanka's common opposition Presidential candidate General (retired) Sarath Fonseka, who was defeated by a margin of 18 percent at January 26, 2010 Presidential Elections filed a petition at the Supreme Court on February 16 challenging the re-election of incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse.

February 20

The Sri Lankan Government said that it will set up community villages to rehabilitate former LTTE cadres. Over 11,000 former cadres of the LTTE are currently sheltered in 18 State-run rehabilitation centres.

February 21

The breakaway former TNA Batticaloa District Parliamentarian Thangeswari Kathiraman announced that she will be contesting the upcoming General Election under the ruling UPFA.

February 22

Sri Lanka would re-establish judicial system in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu Districts from next month replacing two decades of 'Kangaroo Courts' run by the now vanquished LTTE outfit.

February 24

The Government has resettled another batch of 1161 IDPs in their original villages in the North.  

The defeated presidential candidate and former Army Chief General (retired) Sarath Fonseka signed his nomination papers to contest the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled to be held on April 8, 2010.

March 1

Sri Lanka Army has expedited its de-mining activities in the mine-infested former battlefields in the North in order to accelerate the resettlement of displaced civilians still languishing in the welfare camps.

Inspector General of Police Mahinda Balasuriya said Police Stations will be set up in all liberated areas in the North in 2010 to facilitate normal civilian life and civil administration in them.

March 7

India expressed its satisfaction over the resettlement process and development programs in North and assured its continued support to the Sri Lankan Government's efforts when Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao called on President Mahinda Rajapakse in Colombo.

March 9

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) granted additional financial assistance of USD 12.8 million for the rehabilitation of conflict-affected areas in the Northern Province, particularly to assist the return and resettlement of IDPs.

March 14

The military source said that all the road blocks and barriers in the Jaffna peninsula have been removed to facilitate the free movement of the civilians there.

Contrary to claims by a section of the media that the Sri Lanka's pro- LTTE political party, the TNA, has given up its stance on Eelam; the alliance has reiterated the demand on the right to self-determination of Tamils. In its manifesto for the April 8 general election, the TNA has sought federal solution based on shared sovereignty while reiterating its position on the right to self-determination. The stated position of the TNA on Eelam has been that it has never articulated the demand. In its election manifesto, the TNA also demanded re-merger of northern and eastern provinces.

Contrary to claims by a section of the media that the Sri Lanka's pro- LTTE political party, the TNA, has given up its stance on Eelam; the alliance has reiterated the demand on the right to self-determination of Tamils.

March 22

There is a secret connection between the Sri Lanka opposition parties and the TNA to betray the country, Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma alleged.

March 24

TNA highlights the "dangers" arising from the post-war influx of Sinhalese into the predominently Tamil Jaffna peninsula and the Wanni by drawing attention to the construction of permament Sri Lankan Army camps in the in the region.

March 28

Releasing of all theLTTE suspects irrespective of whether they had been arrested or surrendered was among the demands the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) had placed before the Government in view of the General Election, a regional newspaper said on March 28 quoting EPDP leader Douglas Devananda.

March 30

The British House of Commons said in retrospect that it regrets UK arms exports to Sri Lanka during the fragile ceasefire period and suggests that the UK Government should take a "longer term view about unstable countries" when exporting arms as where the weapons end up and how they would be used become important.

Sri Lanka Police has taken measures to deploy nearly 60,000 Police officers to maintain law and during the upcoming general election, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mahinda Balasuriya said.

April 1

An Australian court has released three persons, who were charged with sending funds to the LTTE after pleading guilty to their charges.

April 6

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has said that it was ready to support the Government in implementing a solution to the national issue if it is genuinely interested in resolving it. TNA legislator R. M. Imam said, "The TNA is ready to support the Government if it comes out with a genuine effort to resolve the national issue."

April 8

Polls for the first post-war parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka opened in the morning at 7:00am (SLT) amid heavy security. The polls closed at 4:00pm. An estimated 50-55 per cent of the 14 million voters in Sri Lanka cast their ballot amid incidents of sporadic violence.

April 9

The ruling United Peoples' Freedom Alliance (UPFA) won a huge majority close to almost two-thirds in the 14^th Parliament of Sri Lanka at the General election held on April 8, reports Daily News. The UPFA secured majorities over 100, 000 in six electoral Districts while its majority in the electoral District of Kurunegala exceeded 200,000. The highest majority of 322,953 votes was recorded in the Gampaha District. The results for Kandy and Trincomalee Districts have not been released. They will be released only after a re-poll is held by the Elections Commissioner in electorates where counting has been suspended on account of alleged malpractices. Of the results of 180 seats declared so far, the UPFA has won in 120 constituencies. The outcome of the elections to the 225-member House shows that there is no change in the public mood since the January 26, 2010 Presidential election in which Mahinda Rajapakse secured a second tenure by nearly 18 percentage points over the candidate backed by the entire Opposition.

The main Opposition grouping, led by the United National Party (UNP), has so far bagged only 47 seats. The Democratic National Alliance (DNA), the third front led by the defeated common consensus Presidential candidate and the former Army Chief General (retired) Sarath Fonseka, has fared poorly, securing less than half-a-dozen seats. The pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance (TNA) bagged a dozen of the 20 seats for which the results have been declared so far in the provinces of north and east.

The official final tally of the new Parliament is expected to be delayed for at least two weeks, as the Election Commission has withheld the results of 12 seats in the Kandy District following complaints of irregularities in some polling booths.

April 13

A Tamil Parliamentarian elected from Sri Lanka's ruling UPFA has assured to gradually remove the HSZs in the northern peninsula. Former Minister and EPDP leader Douglas Devananda has reportedly said that the HSZs in the peninsula will be removed as there is no security threat any more.

Sri Lanka's major Tamil party, TNA, has said that it is not opposed to supporting an acceptable proposal on finding a lasting solution to the ethnic issue. TNA MP-elect from the Jaffna District, Suresh Premachandran, said that the party was open for discussion with the Government. According to him, the TNA does not have any idea at present as to what types of constitutional amendments were likely to be brought forward. He has, however, added that if President Mahinda Rajapakse comes forward with constitutional reforms aimed at finding solutions to the ethnic problems the TNA would definitely discuss such proposals with him.

April 16

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse said that the SLFP led United UPFA Government should be prepared to thwart a fresh attempts by separatists operating abroad to throw a lifeline to the LTTE.

April 17

Sri Lankan Army has recovered valuable documents and photo albums belonging to slain LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran during a search operation in Mullaitivu.

April 27

Seven suspected LTTE cadres have been arrested in The Netherlands. The Sri Lankan Ambassador to Holland Grace Asirvathan provided the information. As per the BBC, the arrests came after an intensive study of the LTTE banned activities in the country. It quoted The Netherlands National Criminal office as saying 16 residences and businesses were searched in the operation and computers, paperwork, phones, documents, photos, DVDs and 40,000 Euro were seized. "Among the suspects are the leaders of various organisations of Tamils in the Netherlands, which probably play a role in the international network of the LTTE," it quoted the Justice Ministry as saying. Leaders of the Tamil Coordinating Committee (TCC), the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), the Tamil Youth Organisation (TYO), the Tamil Women Organisation (TWO) and the Tamil Arts and Cultural Organization Netherlands (TKCO), are believed to be among the suspects.

May 4

Sri Lankan Government announced that it has relaxed several provisions in the Emergency Regulations without causing any detriment to the national security in order to return the country to normalcy and accelerate development. External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris told Parliament during the debate to extend Emergency Regulations held today that some of the regulations involving holding meetings and gatherings, curfew, printing literature and providing householder's names to the police would be relaxed. The Minister however said that the Military would continue to enjoy Police powers to deal with ongoing investigations into terrorist activities. He said the government does not wish to continue the state of emergency but some emergency regulations are essential since the pro- LTTE groups are still attempting to spread terrorist activities to discredit the Government.

May 6

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) threat against Sri Lanka has only shifted from the field of battle to the field of diplomacy, with attempts of establishing a Transnational Government in exile to continue LTTE propaganda, said External Affairs Minister Professor G.L. Peiris.

May 7

Sri Lanka asked western countries to crackdown on Tamils trying to revive the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s (LTTE) separatist movement, which was crushed in 2009, reports The Hindu. Declaring that Colombo will not tolerate moves by the LTTE remnants to form a transnational Government, the newly-elected Prime Minister, D.M. Jayaratne, said the Government was aware of moves by some sections of the 1.5 million ethnic Tamils living abroad to revive separatist movement in the North.

May 9

Sri Lanka defence sources said that the authorities have blacklisted the 272 Tamils elected to the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) in elections held. These representatives of Tamil Diaspora were elected from UK, France, Germany, Canada, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, and Australia. Sri Lanka Government has denied recognition of the TGTE.

May 11

In the first case of its kind in Canada under its terrorism laws, a Sri Lankan Tamil has pleaded guilty to raising funds for the banned LTTE. Appearing in the British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, Toronto-based Prapaharan Thambithurai admitted raising money for the LTTE in 2008.

May 12

Deputy Solicitor General Wasantha Bandara said that Defence Secretary did not order shooting LTTE cadres coming to surrender. He said this when retired General Sarath Fonseka was produced before Colombo Chief Magistrate Janaki Rajaratne.

The TNA, the single largest Tamil party in the Sri Lankan Parliament with 14 members, said that the Rajapakse Government's constitutional proposals are unacceptable to the Tamils and other minorities, an Indian media report said.

May 15

Sri Lanka has urged the European Union (EU) Governments not to provide any political or symbolic support towards the LTTE’s initiative to forming a so called Provisional Translational Government of Tamil Eelam (PTGTE). Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Belgium and Luxemburg and the EU Ravinatha Aryasinha said the LTTE’s initiative to forming a so called "Provisional Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam", with "country working groups" at national and regional levels in western countries was a ruse to perpetuate its terrorist struggle.

May 17

LTTE leader Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran has disclosed in a press statement that the controversial Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) will be holding its inaugural sessions in the city of Philadelphia in the United States for three days. Rudrakumaran has reportedly announced the meeting in an e-mail statement that had been circulated to e-mail addresses of several Sri Lankan newspapers. According to Rudrakumaran, May 17-19 was chosen for the inauguration of TGTE in order to demonstrate the will of Eelam Tamil nation for its independence and coincides with the first year remembrance of the military victory against the LTTE.

May 20

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse, said that LTTE sympathisers outside the country were trying to revive the Tamil separatist movement.

Gotabhaya also said that although the LTTE had not carried out any attacks since the outfit's leadership was wiped out in May 2009, the pro-rebel lobby abroad was still active.

June 2

Sri Lanka is to see the emergence of a new Tamil political party with former TNA parliamentarian N. Sri Kantha deciding to register his party, the Tamil National Liberation Alliance (TNLA), as a new Tamil political party in the country.

June 4

Addressing a press conference at the information ministry auditorium in Colombo, Mass Media and Communication Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that some diaspora elements and United Nations human Rights High Commissioner Navaneethan Pillay were supporting the LTTE. The international network of the LTTE is still active, he said.

Two pro- LTTE activists were arrested in Paris following the death of Ramesh Sivarupan who is believed to be a member of the Ruthrakumar faction of the LTTE, according to informed sources.

June 5

Tamil Nadu Police had advised the Union Government of India not to grant permission for Malaysian Tamil politician P. Ramaswamy to arrive in Tamil Nadu, sources said.

June 6

Deputy Resettlement Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman has held the TNA partly responsible for the current plight of the Tamil civilians in the North. He has said that the TNA continued to support the LTTE and its war efforts when everyone including himself defected from the LTTE and called on the organization to give up arms and stop the war.

However, TNA Leader R. Sampanthan denying Minister Karuna’s statement said it would not be correct to say that the TNA backed the war.

Making it clear that Sri Lankan Government will not tolerate any groups in the east carrying arms, Karuna Amman asked them to disarm themselves.

June 8

LTTE cadres are re-emerging a year after their defeat despite launching no attacks, Sri Lanka's prime minister D. M. Jayaratne said. D. M. Jayaratne told Parliament that remnants of the LTTE were planning a comeback with financial backing from Tamils abroad.

Sri Lanka's Government proposed maintaining defence spending at nearly the same level as in the final year of its massive military offensive against the rebels. Figures presented to parliament showed that the Government had allocated 201 billion rupees (1.8 billion dollars) on defence for 2010, down marginally from an estimated 210 billion spent in 2009.

June 15

A Malaysian Government minister has disclosed that foreign terrorists including remnants of Sri Lanka's LTTE are using Malaysia as their operational base and to recruit new cadres. Malaysian Police had detected the presence of several senior leaders of the LTTE who were reportedly using Malaysia for shelter and logistic base, Malaysian National News Agency Bernama reported.

June 16

Defence Spokesman and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that Sri Lankan Intelligence Units are maintaining a close relationship with Malaysian Intelligence Units and Police to curb LTTE activities there.

June 17

Quoting the Dutch media, Colombo Page reports that the Netherlands authorities have again arrested several Tamils as a part of an ongoing investigation into illegal activities of the LTTE movement in the country. Radio Netherlands Worldwide states that the organisation, which seeks to establish an independent Tamil State in northeast Sri Lanka, was placed on the European Union list of terrorist organisations in 2006.

June 20

Three suspected operatives of the LTTE were arrested and a cache of detonators was seized from their possession, four days after a member of the banned outfit was arrested by the Police. The trio was arrested by the Tamil Nadu ''Q'' branch during a raid at Tiruchirapalli. 4,900 ordinary detonators and 430 electric detonators were recovered from them, an official release said in Chennai.

38-year-old Chiranjeevi, a member of the intelligence wing of LTTE who was arrested on June 16, 2010, had confessed to having smuggled explosives along with Siva, Selvam, Tamiz, during the war between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Army, Police claimed.

June 21

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse warned that an international LTTE network was still active a year after the separatists were defeated militarily.

June 22

Sri Lanka Government has warned Australia about a vessel carrying 200 suspected LTTE cadres on its way to Australia, but is unaware if there are top LTTE leaders among them or from where the ship departed from.

June 30

TNA has handed in an application to Sri Lanka's Elections Commissioner to register it as a political party. TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachnadran said that the leader of the TNA party has been named as parliamentarian R. Samapanthan and the joint secretaries of the party would be parliamentarians Mavai Senathirajah, Suresh Premachandran and Selvam Adaikalanadan. Although the party functioned as the TNA the registered political party was known as ITAK.

July 1

Only the will and dedication of the people will resolve the internal conflicts in a country and foreign military intervention to an internal conflict is not a solution, told President Mahinda Rajapakse.

The main Marxist party, JVP, which is a constituent party of DNA led by Fonseka, said that General Fonseka is still a member of the DNA. JVP politburo member and DNA parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake told a press conference that although General Fonseka has applied to register a new political party, he would remain in the DNA.

July 2

Former Army Commander and DNA parliamentarian General (retired) Sarath Fonseka said the Government was planning to get former LTTE international wing leader Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP to contest the NPC election.

July 4

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse denied reports in a section of the media that the Government is planning to install the former LTTE international wing leader Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP, who is under detention, as the CM of the Northern Province.

Defence authorities have given civil administration in the North permission to resettle displaced civilians in the HSZs of Jaffna, the Jaffna Government Agent K. Ganesh said.

The Government has taken steps to ensure the electrification of the entire Kilinochchi District within two years. The ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party parliamentarian Lohan Ratwatte, who has been assigned the task of coordinating the developments in the power sector in the Kilinochchi District.

July 6

During 2009 the Government had spent SLR 2,180 million to clear landmines in the North and East, said Economic Development Ministry Media Director Kapila Ariyarathna. He further said up to May 2010 the Government had conducted 17,654 educational programs on landmines and explosive devices to the people in the North and East. The Sri Lanka Army had expedited the de-mining process with 1,050 Army personnel deployed in the risky process which consumes time and energy while another six NGOs participating in the process. In addition to the Army personnel another 2013 officers from NGOs took part in the de-mining process he explained.

July 10

Sri Lanka Army’s Military spokesman Brigadier U.A.P.Medawela told media that the Army had defused 290,000 unexploded ordnance that were left behind by the LTTE. This cache of unexploded ordnance has been found in 1,744 square kilometres of land in Northern and Eastern Provinces and around 113 square kilometres of land area have been cleared of land mines.

At least eight NGOs are assisting the Sri Lanka Army in demining operations. Sri Lanka Army has deployed 1,050 Army personnel to expedite the demining process while over 2,000 de-miners from NGOs are also involved in the process. The source further maintains that according to the Economic Development Ministry, the Government had spent SLR 2.18 billion last year to clear landmines in the war-torn North and East.

July 11

A Sri Lankan national, Chandrayoga, was detained at the Airport of Chennai. He allegedly has links with the LTTE.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne said that the Government will provide more than 3,000 jobs to youth in the Killinochchi and Mullaitivu Districts who have had direct contacts with the LTTE.

July 12

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse in an interview to Philippine daily The Manila Times said that the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission to probe and report on the lessons to be learnt from the events during the ethnic conflict will heal the wounds of conflict.

Sri Lankan authorities filed a third case before a civil court against former Army Commander and DNA parliamentarian General (retired) Sarath.

July 13

UNP would initiate dialogue with other opposition parties on proposed constitutional amendments and the abolishing of the Executive Presidency and create an Executive Prime Minister post that will be responsible to Parliament.

TNA, the major Tamil party in Sri Lanka, said that it was awaiting an invitation from President Mahinda Rajapaksa to discuss the solution to the ethnic issue following a recent visit to India by a group of TNA parliamentarians.

July 14

As many as half of Sri Lankans seeking asylum in Australia are suspected of being former fighters, operatives or supporters of LTTE. Sri Lankan officials also estimate that between 25 and 50 per cent of Tamils fleeing to Australia have connections to the LTTE.

FBI said the LTTE uses its supporters in countries such as the US to raise funds and buy weapons and explosives.

The Sri Lankan Government held a Cabinet meeting in the former LTTE stronghold of Kilinochchi in war-battered Northern Province.

Addressing a public gathering in Kilinochchi, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that the Government's largest financial allocation for regional development went to uplift the conflict ravaged North.

July 15

A special meeting of the Sri Lankan Cabinet, chaired by President Mahinda Rajapakse, held at Kilinochchi town in the Northern Province approved an emergency loan of USD 150 million from ADB for re-construction of the damaged power and water infrastructure in the Northern and Eastern provinces.

The External Affairs Ministry in a statement said Sri Lanka had been removed from all marine war and marine strikes risk of the Joint Cargo Committee Joint Cargo Watch List.

Minister of Mass Media and Communication Keheliya Rambukwella said the HSZs established in Northern area will not be removed as they are essential to ensure the security in the region.

Sri Lanka's Chief Coordinating Officer of the Competent Office for IDPs in the Vavuniya District said that the total number of IDPs remaining in welfare centers in the North is currently 38,127.

July 16

Canadian Immigration Officials are monitoring a ship that may be headed to British Columbia in Canada. The ship is carrying 200 Tamil migrants. Some of them are suspected to be LTTE cadres. The ship was last spotted in May 2010 in the Gulf of Thailand.

Figures released by the Statistics Department of Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) showed that the economy of Northern and Eastern Provinces have shown growth albeit small since the end of the war in May 2009.

Deputy Resettlement Minister of Sri Lanka Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna told that civilians would be resettled gradually in HSZs. 62,000 persons have been displaced due to the establishment of HSZs in the North.

July 17

The External Affairs Ministry said it was not in a position to ascertain whether Sri Lankans were among boat people heading to Canada.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) announced that it has revoked the charitable registration of Ottawa-area charity, Tamil (Sri Lanka) Refugee-Aid Society (TRAS) effective from July 17.

July 18

Sri Lankan authorities have initiated fresh moves with the assistance of International Police (]nterpol) and other intelligence agencies abroad to break the `backbone’ of the LTTE international terror network which is believed to be still active in certain countries. Interpol has already issued red notices on two hardcore LTTE terrorists.

July 19

Sri Lanka Minister of Media Keheliya Rambukwella that the Government is taking measures to set up a Media Authority to obtain the support of the media persons in the development of the post-war Sri Lank.

An Ottawa-based aid group in Canada, Tamil (Sri Lanka) Refugee-Aid Society (TRAS), stripped of its charity status on July 17 was linked to an arms merchant for Sri Lanka’s LTTE rebels, according to Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) documents released on July 19. The documents obtained by the National Post allege that Thiruthanikan Thanigasalam, a convicted weapons dealer, had served as the Toronto representative of the TRAS of Ottawa.

July 20

The United Nations Panel of Experts appointed by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to advise him on Sri Lanka's accountability during the last stages of the war with LTTE has met informally in New York. This is confirmed by the UN. However, the four-month clock assigned to conclude the panel's investigations have not begun to count down yet. The panel was appointed in June 2010.

The final report of Sri Lanka's APRC that was released to the media by the main opposition UNP and the SLMC has recommended that Sri Lanka shall be a unitary state while the state powers are shared between the centre and the provinces.

July 21

The Sri Lankan Government has given the opportunities for ex-LTTE child combatants, who had missed their opportunity to complete their education due to the war, to sit for the public examinations.

Thousands of DNA people protested in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo demanding the release of former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka who is currently in military custody over allegedly violating the military law while in uniform.

July 23

Sri Lanka defence authorities said that the state intelligence agencies have unearthed many important information on several hardcore LTTE terrorists who are involved in international activities of the defeated LTTE. The intelligence agencies of the Army have also recovered several diaries and secret documents that belong to the head of the international activities of the LTTE "Castro".

Colombo is also pursuing several Governments to dismantle three broad groups that are now assumed to be controlling the remaining pro-LTTE international factions: the US group is said to be headed by V. Rudrakumaran, the UK group by Aruththanthai Emmanuel of the World Tamil Forum (WTF) and the Norway group by Nediyavan.

The Government Spokesman and the Minister of Mass Media and Information Keheliya Rambukwella said Sri Lankan government has not changed its stance on the Panel of Experts appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General and stressed that it will not be changed.

Some 100 LTTE cadres who worked as drivers for the LTTE are now undergoing training to be recruited as drivers for the NTB, an authoritative source said.

July 28

Colombo High court sentenced two persons to 11 years of Rigorous Imprisonment for supplying information to the LTTE to assassinate the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Mahajana Wing) leader Mangala Samaraweera. The two suspects, G.G. Ranaweera alias Malli and Sampath Thushara were accused of providing information in 2006 on the movements of former minister to assassinate him either in Colombo or in his electorate, Matara.

The Sri Lankan Government has re-settled 85 per cent of the nearly 300,000 war displaced Tamil civilians in the Northern Province, according to Government spokesman and Media and Information Minister Keheliya.

The Island reported that the Police and Security Forces had so far identified 737 hardcore terrorists among the 11,686 LTTE cadre who surrendered and they were being held separately from others undergoing rehabilitation at different Government-run centres. Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Sudantha Ranasinghe as saying those involved in major terrorist attacks would have to be legally dealt with.

Rehabilitation and Law Reforms Minister Dew Gunasekera told The Island that there were two categories of LTTE cadre in Government custody.

July 29

The Sri Lanka Government maintains that the Tamil Diaspora is now divided into two groups and the majority is supporting its efforts towards improvement of the living standards of Tamils in the northern and eastern provinces.

KP answered questions on a wide range of issues, including his capture, breakdown of the various attempts to negotiate peace and a desperate bid to thwart annihilation of the LTTE's military leadership in May 2009.

Sri Lankan Government said that the Higher Security Zones extended during the war cannot be removed completely overnight although some High Security Zones have already been narrowed as the Government has to ensure safety of all citizens in the country.

Military Spokesman Major General Ubaya Madewela, said High Security Zones in Kokavil, Muhamalei, Tilappom on Jaffna - Kankasanthurai road have been removed and former residents have been resettled.

July 30

Sri Lanka Rehabilitation Commissioner Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe says that 3,000 surrendered cadres of the LTTE have been released so far. The Rehabilitation Commissioner said that 11,698 LTTE cadres were identified for rehabilitation. Among the 3,000 released ex-LTTE cadres there were university students, children, ill and disabled cadres, pregnant women, mothers with children, minor offenders and those who were acquitted by courts, Brigadier Ranasinghe said.

August 2

The TNA accused the Government of militarising some of the areas in the Northern Province earlier occupied by the LTTE.

The Minister in charge of Resettlement, Milroy Fernando, told BBC Sandeshaya that the Government needs to establish military camps in the area 'for national security'. "Can the navy be stationed away from the sea?" queried the minister when asked about the navy acquiring hundreds of acres in Mannar. Those affected will be only a 'small number of people,' he added.

Guy Platton, Charge d’affaires of the Delegation of the European Union (EU) said the EU never felt that it was a criminal act on the part of the Sri Lankan Government to wage war on the LTTE, though the EU always wanted to end the fighting to pave the way for a negotiated settlement to avoid massive loss of life in contravention of the Geneva Conventions. Platton was responding to a query by The Island, in the wake of recent revelation of excesses by foreign forces including US, British and Polish troops.

August 3

Sri Lanka Security Forces announced that a key high security zone (HSZ) in the island's Tamil dominated Jaffna peninsula has been removed. This high security zone was in effect for around 15 years since the Army liberated the Jaffna peninsula from the Tamil rebels in 1995. The zone centered on Ceynor Jetty in Gurunagar, a major fisher community area in Jaffna. Government sources said that the high security zone was removed to facilitate the resettlement process.

Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne 3 stated that the Government is in the process of confiscating the assets including houses, plots of land and business establishments that were run by the LTTE in Colombo and the suburbs. The Prime Minister moving the Motion to extend the Emergency Regulations by another one month, in Parliament further stated that information about the assets of the LTTE in Colombo and the suburbs are being divulged by LTTE cadres who have been arrested. The Prime Minister also stated it is obvious that the pro-LTTE International Organizations are attempting to reinvigorate the LTTE.

August 4

U.S. Homeland Security is monitoring the Sri Lankan Tamil migrant ship heading to Canada. According to reports of Sri Lankan media there are many cadres of LTTE aboard the Thai ship MV Sun Sea. Meanwhile Canadian authorities said on August 1 that they are preparing to handle any situation that may be arising from the arrival of the migrant ship carrying Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Vancouver Island some time in the second week of August.

August 8

De-mining in the Jaffna peninsula of Northern Sri Lanka has been accelerated and the peninsula will be a mine-free zone within September 2010.

TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran said that IDPs from the Santhapuram area in the Kilinochchi District were not allowed to resettle in their original homes after they were asked to return home.

August 9

Canada expressed concern that a Thai ship MV Sun Sea heading to British Columbia with migrants on board may be carrying cadres of LTTE. Canada's Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said that Ottawa is concerned over the possibility that there may be Tamil Tigers on board the Thai cargo ship and the authorities are closely monitoring the situation but did not elaborate on the steps the Government would take.

August 11

A Government-appointed panel tasked with investigating the final years of Sri Lanka's civil war opened in Colombo.

Bernard Goonetilleke, the former head of Sri Lanka's now defunct Peace Secretariat on August 10, said that pro- LTTE elements were involved in collecting funds from the Tamil Diaspora even after the war.

Canadian authorities said that they would intercept a ship of Tamil asylum-seekers from Sri Lanka before it reached the coast because the passengers may include members of the LTTE. The ship was reported to be within 322 km of Canada's Pacific coast province of British Columbia, said Chris McCluskey, a spokesman for Public Safety Minister Vic Toews. The Thai cargo ship MV Sun Sea was expected to reach the Strait of Juan de Fuca off Vancouver island late August 11 or early August 12. Between 400 and 500 people are believed to be on board.

August 12

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris said that China has pledged its support to Sri Lanka against any international pressure for a United Nations-led probe into alleged war crimes.

The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister dismissed Indian concerns that the Chinese-built deep-sea port at Hambantota was part of Beijing's policy to expand its strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean, describing it as a purely commercial venture.

Sri Lankan Government has issued a response to a report submitted by the United States Department of State to the Congress.

August 13

A Sri Lankan court martial, probing charges that General (retd.) Sarath Fonseka dabbled in politics while in uniform, found him guilty and recommended him for a ‘dishonourable discharge from rank.’

Hundreds of Tamils seeking asylum from Sri Lanka sailed into Canada under escort of authorities, who vowed to screen out LTTE cadres.

The Canadian Government said that authorities would screen each individual Sri Lankan Tamil migrant who embarked on Canadian shores on August 13 from the Thai cargo ship MV Sun Sea. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said that the Federal Government will not hesitate to strengthen Canada's human smuggling laws. According to the Canada Border Services all 380 men and 63 women are detained while the 49 children on board MV Sun Sea are either with their families or in the care of local social services. Public Safety Minister Victor Toews said that each migrant had paid 40,000 to 50,000 Canadian dollars to the ship operators to bring them to Canada from Thailand. He has described the voyage as a human smuggling operation run by the overseas cadres of LTTE. Meanwhile, the UNHCR has commended Canada for its reception given to the 492 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees arrived in British Columbia's Vancouver Island aboard the Thai cargo ship MV Sun Sea.

Sri Lanka Army reports that Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa told the Lessons Learnt Commission that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) had used the Jaffna University Medical Faculty to train some its cadres to treat the war wounded. He said that he had got the opportunity to meet three 'LTTE doctors' now undergoing rehabilitation at Senapura rehabilitation centre. According to him, as Sinhala and Muslim medical students had not been willing to join the Jaffna medical faculty due to terrorism, the LTTE had made use of some of those slots to have its cadres trained.

August 26

Defence Secretary of India Pradeep Kumar will soon visit Colombo to get an idea normalising the defence relationship between India and Sri Lanka with the end of the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. The issue is to be taken up at the first annual defence dialogue between the two countries

August 30

An investigative report by Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail revealed that an alleged LTTE human-smuggling ring is preparing to smuggle another shipload of Tamils who have left Sri Lanka to be sent to Canada. The report says the Tamils arrive in Bangkok from Sri Lanka on two-week tourist visas and stay in rented apartments pretending to be tourists until the next ship is ready to sail to Canada. The report citing the Thai Police said some of the refugees left on MV Sun Sea, the cargo ship that reached Vancouver earlier this month with 492 Tamil asylum seekers on board, were recent arrivals, who entered the country on tourist visas shortly before the ship departed in April.

September 6

Sri Lanka's former Army Commander and Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Parliamentarian Sarath Fonseka said that 200 kilograms of gold belonging to the LTTE was unearthed from the Vellamullivaikkal area in the Mullaitivu District during his tenure as Army Chief. Fonseka told the Parliament during the debate to extend the emergency regulations that while larger stocks of gold had been recovered after his tenure as Commander no one knew what happened to the gold.

September 13

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) decided to testify before the Presidential Commission on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation when they would meet in Kilinochchi on September 16, 17 and 18. The TNA accepted the invitation and said that it would testify before the Commission, as they felt the problems of the Tamil people had not been recorded even though they had been presented in previous occasions.

September 14

The Sri Lankan Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission suggested President Mahinda Rajapakse some interim measures to better the lot of resettled Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and people living in former conflict areas. Other measures suggested by the eight-member Commission include enabling people to use their own language in official dealings, especially while making statements to the police.

September 16

Around 25,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) remaining in welfare centers will be resettled by the Sri Lankan Government as soon as the demining is completed in the areas where they are to be resettled. The Government producing resettlement figures said on September 16 that the total number of IDPs remaining in welfare centers in Vavuniya, Mannar and Trincomalee has come down to 25, 260 from over 280,000 IDPs who escaped from the LTTE in last phases of the war in 2009.

September 17

A court martial in Sri Lanka held the former Army Chief, Sarath Fonseka, guilty on all four counts in a case related to procurement of arms in violation of the tender procedures and recommended that he be jailed for three years. Director-General of the Media Centre for National Security Lakshman Hulugalle said at a news conference that the punishment would be subject to approval of President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as the supreme commander of the Armed Forces.

The Sri Lankan cabinet recently decided to award the contract to build a new deep-water container terminal in Colombo port to a consortium consisting of China Merchant Holdings International and Aitken Spence. According to reports, the terminal will be built by the same company that built the Hambantota port complex - China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) and Sino Hydro Corporation.

September 27

The media spokesman of Sri Lanka Army, Major General Ubaya Medawala said that the resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Eastern Province is totally completed at present and it is successfully being carried out in the Northern Province as well, according to Asian Tribune. According to the spokesman.90 per cent of the displaced families were resettled in their original abodes and only 27,000 persons temporarily housed in 5 relief villages were yet to be resettled

September 29

The Sri Lankan Government organised a special job fair for the rehabilitated former LTTE combatants in Vavuniya at Pompemadu rehabilitation centre, reports Colombo Page. Deputy Minister of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Vijithamuni Zoysa told the local media that a job fair will be held for the former LTTE cadres who completed their rehabilitation and vocational training. According to the Minister over 25 private sector organizations from various fields such as garments and construction would participate in the job fair.

September 30

Robert Blake, a senior American diplomat, suggested that the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), established by the Sri Lanka Government should identify persons responsible for the serious violation of international humanitarian laws that occurred in the final stages of the conflict with the LTTE militants. Blake made this "expressed view of the United States" when he addressed the World Affairs Council in San Diego in California

President Mahinda Rajapaksa on approved the prison sentence given by the second court martial against former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka. According to local media the President recommended a 30-month jail term for Fonseka. The second court martial recommended a prison sentence of maximum three years for Fonseka after finding him guilty of four charges related to alleged irregularities in military procurements during his tenure as Army Chief..

October 4

Sri Lanka's Tamil Political Parties Forum (TPPF) asked the Government to start a civil administration in the North after ending the military administration. Former Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP and Tamil National Liberation Front (TNLF) General Secretary M.K. Sivajilingam said that there was no need for the Government to continue an administration managed by the Armed Forces in the North following the end of the war.

October 7

Sri Lanka' ex-Army chief General (retired) Sarath Fonseka lost his seat in Parliament in accordance with an ordinance which clearly states that if a member is jailed he loses his seat immediately. Fonseka is in jail after President Mahinda Rajapakse on September 30, 2010 signed the paper endorsing the military court order sentencing Fonseka for a period of 30 months.

October 8

Canadian authorities are searching for evidence of a possible second ship suspected of smuggling Sri Lankan Tamil migrants to Canada. Canada's public safety officers are using satellites and hi-tech eaves dropping equipment to locate and pick up signals from the suspected vessel to determine whether the ship is smuggling migrants from Sri Lanka. An investigative report in August revealed that an alleged LTTE human-smuggling ring is preparing to smuggle another shipload of Tamils who have left Sri Lanka to be sent to Canada.

October 10

The Thai immigration officials with the aid of the Crime Suppression Division of Thai Police raided several apartments in Bangkok and arrested 155 illegal Sri Lankan immigrants. According to Thai media reports the Government suspected the illegal Tamil immigrants to be a part of a group seeking to travel to Canada as refugees. Many of the migrants were without travel documents or valid visas. Also, Intelligence information revealed that a number of LTTE) militants were among the Sri Lankan illegal immigrants living in Thailand waiting to seek asylum in a third country, mainly Canada.

October 12

Sri Lanka's main opposition UNP said that it would continue to agitate for the freedom of former Army Commander and democratic National Alliance (DNA) leader Sarath Fonseka. The UNP has planned countrywide demonstrations on December 10 to coincide with the International Human Rights Day to urge the Government to release Fonseka. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said that the party had also organized protest rallies in 20 Districts in the country to be held in November 2010. Attanayake added that the country needed to agitate for the release of the man who had liberated the country from terrorism.

October 15

The LLRC sought a report from the TID over the LTTE suspects in detention in a week’s time. According to Commission Chairman C. R. de Silva PC, the Commission received a number of complaints regarding LTTE suspects who are detained by the security authorities during public sittings of the Commission in Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and certain areas in the Eastern Province.

Over 500 former LTTE cadres, who successfully completed their rehabilitation program at the Vavuniya rehabilitation centre, were handed over to their parents. The Government plans to release another 2,000 rehabilitated former LTTE cadres next month. Over 11,000 ex-LTTE cadres surrendered to the Security Forces during the final stages of the Eelam War IV and they were being rehabilitated at centres in Vavuniya.

President Mahinda Rajapakse assured PM Manmohan Singh that he would hold dialogue with a "broader spectrum" of stakeholders to address the Tamil issue.

Sri Lanka has embarked on a first-of-its-kind multilingualism approach, comprising three languages -- Tamil, Sinhalese and English. Sri Lanka has sought the help of the Indian Government in implementing the policy.

October 17

Despite a probe by its defence authorities, Sri Lanka has found no evidence to suggest that its territory is being used by the LeT to train terrorists. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G. L. Peiris, who is on a four-day visit to India, on October 16 said that there is no merit in such claims. "The matter was brought to our notice. It was examined by our defence authorities but we have not found anything to establish it," Peiris told TOI, adding, that the two countries were involved in an intelligence sharing mechanism to prevent any such activity.

As reported earlier, one of the accused in the Pune (Maharashtra) bakery blast case had said LeT operatives were being trained in Sri Lanka. Though the training was said to have taken place in an area close to Colombo, Sri Lankan authorities denied this citing heavy presence of Security Force personnel in the area.

October 18

A federal jury in Baltimore has convicted a Singapore national of conspiring to provide weapons to the LTTE operating in Sri Lanka, the US Justice Department said.

October 19

President Mahinda Rajapakse said his Government would like consensus among all Tamil political parties for a political solution to the ethnic conflict.

Beginning the first stage of Budget 2011, Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne presented the Appropriation Bill in Parliament on October 19, according to Daily News. The highest allocation in the Appropriation Bill has been made to the Defence Ministry. It stood at SLR 215,220 million. A sum of SLR 75,250 million has been allocated for the Economic Development Ministry.

October 20

The Government is planning major changes to the proportional representation system in elected bodies, beginning with local Government bodies.

The TNA, which won majority of parliamentary seats in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, has opposed the move saying it will adversely impact the interests of minorities.

October 23

The Central Province TID arrested a former Vice Chairman of the Talawakelle Urban Council allegedly for aiding and abetting LTTE terrorist activities.

Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe, Commissioner General of Essential Services, said that 306 former LTTE militants are to be released after rehabilitation. "We will be releasing 306 of them this afternoon", Ranasinghe said, adding that over 4,000 of them had been rehabilitated and released. "We hope to complete the release of all female ex-combatants rehabilitated by the end of this month", Ranasinghe added. Some 11000 ex-LTTE militants either surrendered or were arrested by the military at the conclusion of the Eelam War IV in May 2009.

October 24

The Government will indict some 1,000 former LTTE cadres in custody on charges of involvement in terrorism during the nearly three decades ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka that came to an end in May 2009. D.E.W. Gunasekara, Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Minister, said these former LTTE cadres are being held on charges of their involvement in terrorism. According to the Colombo Page, the Government has decided to indict some 1,000 former LTTE cadres who are currently in custody and release 23 former women LTTE cadres on October 25 (today). Gunasekara said the Government has so far rehabilitated and released some 4,460 former LTTE cadres, including 304 females. The Government continues to screen refugees in military-run camps for LTTE militants.

October 25

The Sri Lankan Government said that it plans to resettle all the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) remaining in the welfare camps by the end of 2010. According to the Ministry of Resettlement the total number of IDPs remaining to be resettled dropped to 18, 799 with the 17,641 people still in the Vavuniya relief villages and another 1,158 IDPs remaining in Jaffna. According to security sources the remaining IDPs will be resettled before the end of 2010 in their villages once the ongoing mine clearing process is completed.

October 27

The Colombo High Court sentenced a cadre of the LTTE to 30 years rigorous imprisonment for delivering a bomb to assassinate former President Chandrika Kumaranatunga on December 18, 1999. Colombo High Court Judge W.T.M.P.D. Waraweva delivered the sentence against the accused Sathyavel Ilangeshwaram who was 19 years old at the time of the bombing. Ilangeshwaram and six others including a woman were accused on counts related to conspiring to assassinate the former President. Kumaranatunga lost an eye due to the bomb attack that targeted her at the final propaganda rally of the 1999 Presidential election. Twenty six persons were killed and 80 others were injured in the incident.

October 28

The British Prime Minister David Cameron said that there should be an independent investigation into what happened during the decisive phase of Sri Lanka's war against the LTTE in 2009. Cameron made this observation while responding to a query by the opposition Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) Siobhain McDonagh on the assassination and civil rights abuses allegedly taking place in Sri Lanka. "We need to see an independent investigation of what happened. Everyone has read the papers and seen the TV footage, but we need an independent investigation to work out whether what she suggests is right," he said. However, he did not call for an international war crime tribunal as the opposition MP suggested.

October 29

Sri Lanka''s Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by the former Army Commander and defeated Presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka challenging President Mahinda Rajapaksa''s re-election at the January 26 Presidential elections. The five-member bench upheld a preliminary objection raised on behalf of President Rajapakse and rejected Fonseka's petition without being tried. The common opposition candidate and the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) leader alleged that election malpractices took place during the January 26th presidential election ( which President Rajapakse won with a wide margin of 18 percent equivalent to 1.8 million votes over Fonseka) and charged that the results were therefore unacceptable.

November 7

President Mahinda Rajapakse extended the tenure of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) by another six months in order to facilitate the Commission to record more evidence.

Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said that a pilot project to construct 1,000 houses for IDPs, i.e. Tamils, in northern and eastern Sri Lanka will begin soon.

Following the telecast of a story of alleged war crimes committed on Tamil civilians by the Sri Lankan Security Forces during the final stages of Sri Lanka's war against LTTE in 2009 by the Doha based international news channel Al Jazeera, the Sri Lankan Government accused the news channel of attempting to tarnish the image of country's Army.

November 15

A Major General told the Colombo High Court that Sri Lanka Defence Secretary had given clear instructions to the Security Forces not to shoot any one who was surrendering to them during the final stages of Sri Lanka's war with the LTTE.

November 19

Following his overwhelming victory at the Presidential elections in January 2010, Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse commenced his second term in office.

November 21

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse confirmed that he had a political solution to the Tamil question in mind and that discussion with political parties and the people would go ahead.

India has started work on construction of 1,000 homes for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Sri Lanka,. The construction of 1,000 homes is a pilot project for the commitment made by India to build 50,000 houses in northern and eastern Sri Lanka.

November 25

Sri Lanka Army completed the excavations of the mass grave in Kilinochchi District where the bodies of 26 Sri Lankan soldiers executed by the LTTE militants were reported to have been buried.

The LLRC, probing the events that took place during the final stages of war, will hold their public sessions in Trincomalee District in December,. The LLRC will commence its next open public hearings in Trincomalee in December 2010 to obtain the views of the people in Trincomalee to give them the opportunity to present their accounts of war..

Indian External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna arrived in Colombo on a four-day visit to discuss the whole gamut of issues between India and Sri Lanka, including the re-settlement of three lakh war displaced Tamil civilians and the quest for a political solution to the ethnic strife.

November 29

In a letter to Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, the Tamil Parties Forum (TPF), the umbrella organisation of Sri Lankan Tamil parties and Tamil National Alliance (TNA), said that efforts by India to ensure ‘equality and justice' to Sri Lankan Tamils should be carried forward.

November 28

Army has managed to clear over 300,000 mines in the Northern and Eastern Provinces in the country. Military Spokesman Major General Ubhaya Medawala has told the local media that the Army Field Engineers have so far cleared over 306,000 mines in a land area of 1,863 square kilometres in the North and East.

November 30

A British TV channel, Channel 4, broadcast a video of alleged massacre of LTTE cadres and civilians by Sri Lankan Security Forces, supposedly shot shortly before the final triumph of the Sri Lankan Army over the LTTE in May 2009.

December 6

Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) Hambanthota District Parliamentarian (MP) Sajith Premadasa said that only the LTTE members had committed war crimes in Sri Lanka.

December 7

Thai Police arrested 50 illegal Sri Lankan immigrants in Bangkok. Suspected members of the LTTE were believed to be among the arrestees.

December 8

The Sri Lankan Government said that the LTTE militants had executed Sri Lankan Security Forces personnel imprisoned by them during the final stages of the war in 2009.

December 13

In a move likely to further alienate the ethnic Tamils in the country, Sri Lanka has scrapped the Tamil version of its national anthem at official and state functions. Now the national anthem 'Sri Lanka matha....' can only be rendered in the majority Sinhala language at official functions, the Sri Lankan cabinet decided.

Deputy Minister of Resettlement Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan aka "Colonel’ Karuna Amman, a former senior ‘commander’ of LTTE said that the LTTE could not be revived and the former LTTE cadres would never want to join a terrorist outfit again as they have suffered enough due to the war. He was giving evidence before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).

December 22

A Sri Lankan court remanded 160 LTTE cadres who were hiding among the internally displaced people.

December 26

The Sri Lankan Government declared that steps would be taken to expedite the release of detained members of the LTTE after their rehabilitation.

Sri Lanka Government rejected a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) report that had claimed that the LLRC appointed by the President Mahinda Rajapakse was biased in favour of the LTTE.