Professional Documents
Culture Documents
http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/shrilanka/timeline/year2004.htm
SriLankaTimelineYear2004
January1
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) proposes an interim constitution for the country as a
formulatoreachaconsensusbetween"thedivergentandthepolarisedviewsofthedifferentstake
holders."
January5
Four Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres, between 15 and 17 years of age, who had
trainedattheThoppigalaLTTEcampsurrendertotheKandegamapolice.Theyhadallegedlybeen
kidnappedfromJaffnaandBatticaloain2002.
January7
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe calls on President Kumaratunga to take over the task of handling
the peace process by introducing suitable amendments to the Ceasefire Agreement of February
2001andrenegotiatetheAccordwiththeLTTE.
January8
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) acting chief Hagrup Haukland says that the Ceasefire
Agreement stands despite the Prime Minister's speech at a public rally on January 7, relieving
himselfoftheresponsibilitiesofthetruce.
January12
LTTEPoliticalWing leaderS.P.ThamilselvansaysthatitdidnotmatterwhotheLTTEnegotiated
with,aslongasthatpersonhadamandatetomakepeace.
January16
Retired Major General Trond Furuhovde will be appointed as the new Head of Mission of the Sri
LankaMonitoringMission(SLMM)replacingTryggveTellefsen, whoisinOsloafterbeingaccused
ofendangeringnationalsecuritybyPresidentKumaratunga.
January23
The LTTE decides not to attend the donor meeting in Colombo, a follow up to the Tokyo Donor
Conference,attributingitsnonattendanceto"politicalinstability"intheSouth.
January23
RepresentativesoftheDonornationswhichmetintheaidgroupmeetinginColombosaidthatthey
werereadytocontinuewithfinancialassistance,whileexpressingconcernthattheongoingpolitical
crisiswillhindertheeffortsforanegotiatedsettlement.
February7
President Kumaratunga dissolves Parliament and calls for elections onApril 2, almost four years
ahead of schedule. The President used her executive powers to dissolve the 225member
ParliamentledbyWickremesinghe.
February10
Speaking in Karadiyanaaru, Colonel Karuna, senior LTTE commander, says that, "we are
prepared to talk to any government that comes to power in Sri Lanka with clear authority and
power."
February18
PresidentKumaratungaopinesthataGovernmentunderherleadershipwouldnotinanyway incite
orprovoketheLTTEtoanotherwar.
February26
PresidentKumaratungastatesthatthefutureAllianceGovernmentwillcommencepeacetalkswith
theLTTEtoreachasolutionwhilealsoensuringtherightsofallcommunities.
February26
S. Elilan, the head of LTTE's political division for Vavuniya, states that "the Liberation Tigers
decidedtodaytocampaignforthevictoryoftheTamilNationalAlliance."
March1
A United National Party (UNP) candidate, S. Sunderampillai, for the Batticaloa District in the
forthcomingGeneralElectionsisshotdeadbysuspectedLTTEcadres.
March1
An activist of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), identified as Ponniah Yogendran, is
shotdeadbysuspectedLTTEcadresatValachchenaiintheBatticaloadistrict.
March3
LTTE's military leader for the East, 'Colonel' Karuna, quits over alleged differences with his leader
Velupillai Prabhakaran and refuses to send 1,000 armed cadres to the North as ordered by
Prabhakaran,theSriLankaBroadcastingCorporationstatedinitsnewsbulletinonMarch3.
March4
ChiefofthepoliticalwingofLTTE,S.P.Thamilchelvan,toldaSLMMdelegationinKilinochchithatthe"crisis
[thereportedsplitinLTTE]isonlyatemporaryoneandaresolutionwillbereachedsoon."
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March5
In a letter published in Thamil Alai, Colonel Karuna, suggests an administration structure for
Batticaloa parallel to the other divisions of the LTTE functioning directly under Prabhakaran's
command.
March5
'Colonel' 'Karuna takes over LTTE apparatus in the Batticaloa and Ampara districts. Ramesh,
Karuna's deputy, is replaced by 'Rabat', while Karikalan sacked by LTTE chief Prabhakaran is
reinstatedbyKarunaasthepoliticalwingleaderofBatticaloa,replacingKausalyan.
March6
LTTE Political Wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan announces at a news briefing in Kilinochchi that 'eastern
commander' V. Muralitharan alias Karuna had been removed from his post. The LTTE high command
appointsT.Rameshasthe'SpecialCommander'oftheBatticaloaAmparairegioninplaceofKaruna,while
KaushalyanwasappointedasthePoliticalWingleader.RamandPrabhawereappointedasthedeputies
ofRameshinthemilitarywing.
March8
Life in Batticaloa,Ampara and Valachchenai in the East, comes to a standstill as shops, schools
andgovernmentofficesareclosedreportedlyinsupportofColonelKaruna
March9
The SLMM ceases patrolling in areas held by 'Colonel' Karuna in Batticaloa and Ampara, as he
reportedlyinsistedonafreshceasefireagreementwiththeGovernment.
March10
Spokesperson for Prime Minister Wickremesinghe's caretaker Government, Prof. G. L Pieris, said
thattheGovernmentwouldnotexploitthecurrentsituationintheeasttogainpoliticalmileage. He
addedthathisGovernmentwouldnotinterfereinKaruna'smatterbecauseitisaninternalaffairof
theLTTE.
March11
'Colonel' Karuna denounces the LTTE leadership, saying they were no longer the sole
representativesoftheTamilpeople.
March13
ColonelKaruna,inaninterviewtoTheHindu statesthatitisimpossibletocreateaseparateTamil
state due to lack of international support. He also terms the assassination of former Indian Prime
MinisterRajivGandhiasthe"gravestmistake"committedbytheLTTEintelligencewing.
March17
The LTTE clandestine radio, 'Voice of Tigers' (VOT) announces that a possible death penalty now
awaits'Colonel'Karunaastheamnestygrantedtohimendedonthesameday.
March21
The LTTE hands over 35 youths, under 18 years of age, to the UNICEF during an event held at
SampurintheTrincomaleedistrict.
March24
Suspected LTTE cadres shot at and injure a university lecturer, Thevanayagam Thiruchelvam,
believedtobesympathetictoColonelKarunaintheeasterndistrictofBatticaloa.
March25
AccordingtoTheHindu,theLTTEsaysthatithad"decidedtogetridofKarunafromoursoil.''The
LTTE political division alleged that Colonel Karuna was attempting to "create regional differences
andfratricidalwar''to"coveruptheoffencescommittedbyhim."
March27
Sri Lanka's former Hindu Affairs Minister and Member of Parliament (MP) for Jaffna, Thiyagarajah
MaheswaranisshotandseriouslywoundedbyunidentifiedassailantsindowntownColombo.
The Batticaloa government agent, Ratnam Mounagurusamy, is also shot and wounded by
unidentifiedassailantsatPillaiyaradionthenorthernoutskirtsofBatticaloatown.
March30
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) candidate in Batticaloa, Rajan Sathiyamoorthy, an alleged close
confidanteofColonelKaruna,iskilledbyunidentifiedassailantsathisresidenceonMarch30.
April2
Morethan75percentoftheregistered12.89millionvotersreportedlyexercisetheirfranchiseinthe
nationwideelections.
April4
President Chandrika Kumaratunga's United People's FreedomAlliance (UPFA) polls 4.22 million of
the total votes cast during theApril 2General Election to emerge as the single largest party with
105 seats. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Front (UNF) polled 3.5 million
votestosecure82seats.TheIllankaiTamilArasuKahchchi(TNAtheTamilNational Alliance)was
placed third with 633,654 votes securing 22 seats followed by the Jathika Hela Urumaya who
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obtained552,724votesfornineseats,theSriLankaMuslimCongress(SLMC)186,876(fiveseats)
andtheUpCountryPeople'sFront49,782(oneseat).
April5
TheLTTE,inastatement,threatenstorenewfightingiftheirdemandforasovereignTamilstateis
notmet.
April6
President Chandrika Kumaratunga appoints the former Leader of Opposition, Mahinda Rajapakse,
astheislandnation'snewPrimeMinister.
April7
President Kumaratunga says the new Government would give high priority to restarting the peace
processandbringinginconstitutionalchangestoabolishtheexecutivepresidencyand change the
electoralsystem.
April8
LTTE demands that the new Government headed by Prime Minister Rajapakse open peace talks
basedontheirproposalsforselfrulewhichwasearlierrejectedbyPresidentKumaratunga.
April9
At least 22 people are reported killed as heavy fighting erupted between the LTTE factions of
Velupillai Prabhakaran and Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias 'Colonel' Karuna near the Verugal
River,78KilometersfromBatticaloa.
April10
PresidentKumaratungaappointsa31memberCabinetofMinistersandretainsthekeyportfoliosof
Defence,ConstitutionalAffairsandEducation.
April12
The proLTTE website Tamil Net claims that Colonel Karuna has sought refuge in a Sri Lankan
militarycampinthePolonnaruwadistrict.
April13
TheUnitedNationsChildren'sFund(UNICEF)facilitatesreleaseofnearly150childsoldiersbythe
LTTEinSriLankaseasternregion.
April15
During a meeting between Sri Lankan Armys General Officer Commanding Vajira
Wijeyagoonewardena and Thambirajah Ramesh of the LTTE in Vavunathivu, both sides agree to
upholdtheFebruary2002ceasefireagreement.
April17
April20
LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran holds a meeting with the 22 newlyelected Members of
Parliament belonging to the Tamil NationalAlliance, a front supported by the LTTE in the recently
heldnationalelections.
April23
NorwegianPrimeMinisterKjellMagneBondevikagreestoarequestmadebySriLankanPresident
Chandrika Kumaratunga for Oslo to resume its facilitator role in the peace process between the
GovernmentandLTTE.
April26
LTTEallegesthatsevenofitscadreswerekilledonApril25inBatticaloadistrictbycadresloyalto
therenegadefactionheadedbyVinayagamoorthyMuralitharanaliasColonel Karuna.Accordingto
theLTTE,itscadreswereshotdeadinsideanareaundertheircontrol,fourkilometersnorthwestof
Batticaloatown.
May3
TheLTTEsaysitisreadytoresumepeacetalkswiththeGovernmentofSriLanka.
May4
NorwayannouncesthatitsForeignMinister,JanPetersen,willvisitSriLankaonMay10and11to
explorepossibilitiesforholdingtalksbetweentheLTTEandSriLankanGovernment.
May6
TheLTTEhasrecruitedchildreninthepastfewdays,saidUnitedNationsChildrenFund(UNICEF)
officials."We have verified four children have been recruited and we've taken in up with the LTTE,
whosaytheyareinvestigating,"saidUNICEFspokespersonGeoffreyKeele.
May9
ALanceCorporalattachedtotheSriLankaArmy IntelligenceUnitisshotdeadbysuspectedLTTE
cadresatThandamveliintheBatticaloadistrict.
May11
InameetingheldintheBatticaloadistrict,anagreementwasreachedbetweentheSriLankanArmy
and LTTE to develop mechanisms to ensure information sharing and to prevent serious crimes.
Both sides also agree to continue to uphold and respect the Ceasefire Agreement signed on
February22,2002.
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May12
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar is reported to have said during a lecture in the
UnitedStatesthat "LiberationTigers ofTami Eelams proposal for Interim SelfGoverning Authority
(ISGA)isablueprintforafutureseparateStateitwillbedifficultforasovereigngovernmentto
accept."
May14
TheUnitedStatesAssistantSecretaryofStateforSouthAsianAffairs,ChristinaB.Rocca,saysin
Colombothatthe LTTE "will remain'' in Washington's list as a "foreign terrorist organisation'' until it
renouncesviolenceandterrorismin"wordanddeed.''
May15
May18
JapaneseSpecialEnvoy,YasushiAkashi,holdsdiscussionsatKilinochchiwithThamilselvan,head
oftheLTTEpoliticaldivision,onissuesrelatedtotheproposedresumptionofpeacetalksbetween
the outfit and the Sri Lankan Government. Discussions also focused on reconstruction and
developmentinthenortheast,saidLTTEofficials.
May20
An LTTE cadre is killed during an explosion in the outfitcontrolled area of Aalankerni in the
Batticaloadistrict.
May24
An Eastern University lecturer, K. Tambiah, is shot dead at his residence in Batticaloa town by
unidentifiedgunmen.
May25
The Indian envoy to Sri Lanka, Nirupam Sen, states that India was willing to carry out
reconstructionworkinthe"unclearedareas"ofSriLanka,whichareunderthecontroloftheLTTE.
However,headdedthatitwouldnothaveanyengagementwiththeoutfit.
May26
The LTTE demands "institutionalising'' of an Interim SelfGoverningAuthority (ISGA) for the North
East before it discusses the core issues of the conflict with the Sri Lankan Government. The
demand was made by LTTE 'political wing' leader, S.P. Thamilselvan, to the visiting Norwegian
SpecialEnvoy,ErikSolheim.
May30
The Indian Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, dismisses demands for a review of the ban on the LTTE
andstatesthattheproscriptionwouldcontinue.
May31
Aseniorjournalist,G.Nadeshan,isshotdead bysuspectedLTTEcadresatManmunaijunctionin
theBatticaloadistrict.
June2
The Sri Lankan Government and LTTE agree to strengthen cooperation between the Security
Forces, Police and the outfit to identify and arrest criminal elements responsible for the recent
killingsinBatticaloadistrict.
June4
Governing ally, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), urges the international community to exert
pressure on the LTTE to give up the "precondition'' linking its proposal for interim selfrule in the
northeasttoresumptionofthestalledpeacetalks.
June13
LTTE accuses President Kumaratunga with resorting to "political duplicity'' and warned donor
nations that the country would return to a "bloodbath,"' if the international community did not exert
pressureontheGovernment.InarejectionofwhatittermedanewconditionbythePresidentthat
"discussions on core issues should go parallel to interim administration,'' the LTTE said it was
impractical to do so as Sinhala regime was not prepared to meet its demand for an interim
administration,norwasthePresident'sGovernmentnumericallystrong.
June18
AfootpatrolpartyoftheSriLankaPolicerecoversasuicidejacketandsomeexplosivesconcealed
inabagnearGrandpassareainColombocity.
June22
TheUSAssistantSecretaryforSouthAsia,Christina Rocca,saysthatthedesignationofLTTEas
aterroristorganisationwillremainandWashingtonislookingforwardtothedaywhentheoutfitwill
takethe"necessarysteps"togetoffthelist.
June24
The Sri Lankan Government concedes that some individuals in the military supported the former
LTTE'commander',V.MuralitharanaliasColonelKaruna,butmaintainedthatthere was"noofficial
involvement, directly or indirectly with the breakaway group.'' "Obviously there have been military
personnel involved. We are not denying it," but "the Government is not officially involved,"
GovernmentspokespersonMangalaSamaraweerasaidatapressconference.
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June27
TheLTTEhassteppedupconscriptionofchildrentoitsranks,disclosesUNICEF.TheUNagency
confirmedthattheoutfithasacceleratedtherecruitmentofunderagecombatantsinApril and May
2004,especiallyintheNorth.
June30
Speaking to the press after meeting Norways special peace envoy Erik Solheim in Kilinochchi,
LTTEpoliticalwingleaderThamilselvansaysthattheoutfitiscommittedto resumingpeacetalks.
He,however,addedthattheGovernmentshouldtaketheinitiativeinthisregard.
July1
President Chandrika Kumaratunga rejects publicly aired allegations by the LTTE that the
Government had authorised Sri Lankan military activities in the Eastern Province in support of the
'Colonel'Karunafaction.
July5
AnLTTEcadreisshotdeadandthreeothers,includingaseniorpoliticalfunctionary,werewounded
in two separate incidents in the Batticaloa district of eastern Sri Lanka. The shootings, carried out
byunidentifiedgunmen,occurredonthedaywhentheLTTEhelditsannualcommemorationforits
BlackTigersuicidecadresthroughoutthenorthernandeasternprovinces.
July6
TheIndianHighCommissioninColombosaysthat"Withregardtoapressreporttoday...Thatthe
newIndiangovernmenthasmadearequesttotheSriLankangovernmenttohandoverLTTEleader
PrabhakaranandPottuAmman,theHighCommissionofIndiaherebydeniesthatanyfreshrequest
hasbeenmadebythenewgovernmentofIndiainthisconnection."
July7
AsuspectedwomanLTTEsuicidebomberblows herselfupattheKollupitiyaPolicestationnextto
the Sri Lankan Prime Minister's official residence in Colombo killing herself and four police
personnelandinjuringninepersons.
July8
The LTTE denies involvement in the suicide attack in Colombo a day earlier in which four police
personnel and the woman suicide bomber were killed. Thamichelvan, head of the LTTE political
division, told TamilNet that the outfit had "absolutely no connection in the suicide bombing in
Colombo."Accordingto him,"Thisisanacttodestabilizethepeaceprocess.Wesuspectthis has
beencarriedoutbyelementsthatwanttodisruptthepeaceprocess."
July11
The former Special Commander of LTTE, Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Colonel Karuna,
saysinaninterviewtotheBBCthathewouldlaunchapoliticalparty"withinamonth"andalleged
hisformerleader,VelupillaiPrabhakaran,waspursuingawarstrategy.
July15
AlongwithSatchiMaster,anotherkeyassociateof'Colonel'Karuna,SarvanamuttuShanthakumar,
is killed when Mahendran Puvidaran, a known LTTE supporter, attacked them in the Batticaloa
prison.
July16
TwoMuslimtradersintheMutturdivisionofTrincomaleeareshotdeadbyunidentifiedgunmen.The
incidentreportedlyoccurredintheGovernmentcontrolledShafieNagarvillageinMutturdivision.
July21
AseniorEelamPeople'sDemocraticParty(EPDP)cadre,VelayuthamRaveendran,isshotdeadby
suspected LTTE cadres in Akkaraipattu town, 64 kilometers south of Batticaloa, on Sri Lanka's
southeasterncoast.
July23
ALiberationTigersofTamilEelam( LTTE)cadre,SeenithambyMahalingam,isshotdeadbyunidentified
assailantsatKandaladi,nearVakarai,64kilometersnorthofBatticaloa.
SriLankanPresidentChandrikaKumaratungasaysinKandythatallthoseresponsiblefortheJuly
1983ethnicriotsthatsparkedoffacivilwarinthecountrymustapologiseifthecountryistomove
forward.
July25
Seven suspected cadres of the LTTE faction led by 'Colonel' Karuna and a Sinhalese person are
shotdeadatahouseinKottawa,15kmsfromtheSriLankancapitalColombo.
July28
The visiting Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister, Vidar Helgesen, states that the two parties, the
GovernmentandLTTE,werecommittedtopeacealthoughtherewasnoprogresstoreportinterms
ofanearlyresumptionofpeacetalks.
July30
Thirtyfour child soldiers are released to the UNICEFsupported transit centre in Kilinochchi by the
LiberationTigersofTamilEelam.
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`PLOTEMohan')isshotdeadonDuplicationRoadinColombocitybysuspectedLTTEgunmen.
August2
During a meeting of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Executive Council, President
ChandrikaKumaratungaemphasizedthattheGovernmentisnotreadyforpeacetalksonthe basis
ofLTTEsInterimSelfGoverningAuthorityproposals.
August3
Five persons, including one police personnel, are wounded in a rifle grenade attack on an Eelam
People'sDemocraticParty(EPDP)campinValaichenai,32kilometresnorthofBatticaloa.Thelocal
EPDPleaderAnpunanKandasamywasalsowoundedwhenariflelaunchedgrenadehitthecamp.
August5
CabinetspokespersonMangalaSamaraweerastatesthattheGovernmentisdevelopingafreshset
ofproposalsonaninterimadministrationforthecountry'snorthernandeasterndistricts that would
formColombo'spositionwhenevertalksrecommencewiththeLTTE.
August10
AnunidentifiedgunmanshotdeadanEPDPcadreintheTrincomaleetown.
Inanotherincident,inBatticaloadistrict,aTamilyouthwasshotdeadbyunidentifiedassailantsina
boutiqueontheBatticaloaKalmunaihighway.
August11
Unidentified gunmen kill Sivrajah Sivaseelan, suspected to be linked to rebel LTTE 'commander'
Karuna at Kiran, 27 kilometers north of Batticaloa.Another person, Seniththamby Yogarajan, also
linked to the Karuna group, was shot dead onAugust 10night in Kaluwaanchikudy, 24 kilometers
southofBatticaloa.
August16
SriLankanPresident,ChandrikaKumaratunga,offerstomeettheLTTEchief,VelupillaiPrabhakaran,ifthe
stalledpeacenegotiationsresumedandprogresswasmade.However,shealsocautionedtheLTTEthat
shewouldordertroopstomarchintorebelheldSriLankaiftheLTTEsinternecinewarendangeredthe
country.
The European Union criticises the LTTE for continuing to engage in political killings, abductions and
recruitmentofchildrenforitsranks.
EPDP leader and Minister Douglas Devananda's Media Secretary, K. Balanadarajah, is shot dead
bytwounidentifiedgunmenatWellawatteinthecapitalColombo.
August20
TwoLTTEleadersareshotdeadandtwocadressustaininjuriesintheeasternBatticaloadistrictduringan
ambush by unidentified gunmen, allegedly supporters of the expelled military 'commander' of the outfit,
ColonelKaruna.
A Sri Lanka Police sergeant, identified as G. L Jayaratna, is shot dead by unidentified gunmen in
Kalmunaitown,40kilometressouthofBatticaloa.
August23
August24
An associate of the rebel LTTE 'commander' Karuna is shot dead inside the Akkaraipattu court
premises,64kilometerssouthofBatticaloa.
August27
FollowingmediareportsreferringtostatementsthatweremadeataseminarinOslolastweek,the
Royal Norwegian Embassy stated that the Government of Norway has never provided any military
trainingtotheLTTEorotherarmedmovements.
September2
The LTTE cadres, managing the Sinnakkadai Northern Province Fisheries Society, released the
fishermen and fishing boats they had reportedly taken into custody on August 30 and 31 after
opening small arms fire on three fishing trawlers for entering their self proclaimed 'High Security
Zone'intheseaofPalaitivu.
September3
PresidentKumaratungarulesoutareturntowardespitefactionalkillingsandexpressedhopesofa
peacedealwiththeLTTE.ThePresidentsaidshebelievedneithersidewantedtoreturntofighting
althoughtheLTTEhadrefusedtoresumefacetofacenegotiationswithherGovernment
September8
The United States Coordinator for Counter Terrorism, Cofer Black, says in Colombo that the LTTE must
negotiatewiththeGovernmentofSriLankaingoodfaithandalsorenounceterrorisminwordandindeed.
The LTTE alleges that on September 7, a group of Sri Lankan Army commandos attacked the
outfitsborderpostatPullumalai,65kilometersfromBatticaloa.
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September11
An Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) activist, Maivan Chandramohan, who was the
chairmanoftheAchchuweliPradeshiya Sabha,wasshotdeadbyanunidentifiedassailantwhenhe
wasparticipatinginaweddingreceptionofhisfriendatKaramppanareaintheKaytsIsland.
September15
LTTE political wing leader Thamilselvam states that its Interim SelfGoverning Authority (ISGA)
proposalswerenotrigidorfinalanditwasreadytonegotiatetheissue.
September18
AseniormemberoftheEelamPeople'sDemocraticParty(EPDP),ThambithuraiSivakumar,isshot
deadbyanunidentifiedassailantinPuttalam,125kilometresnorthofColombo
September21
LTTEbringsintoplevelchangesinthetwoeasterndistrictsofBatticaloaandAmparaibyreplacing
itsSpecialCommanderRameshwiththegroup'schiefofheavymortardivision,Bhanu.
September22
Sri LankanArmy (SLA) officials, led by General Officer Commanding Vajira Wijegunawardena, and
the LTTE political team members led by E. Kousalyan meet in Batticaloa to discuss ceasefire
relatedissuesintheeasterndistrict.
September23
LTTE cadres kill Reggie, elder brother of its former eastern Commander, Colonel Karuna, at the
IlluppadichchenaiareainBatticaloadistrict.Atleasttwoofhisaideswerealsokilledintheattack.
SomasundaramVarnakulasingham,acentralcommitteememberoftheEPDP,isshotdeadatViharaLane,
Wellawatte,apredominantlyTamilsuburbofthecapitalColombobysuspectedLTTEcadres
A former LTTE cadre, Rajathurai Sivagnanam, was shot dead in Mannampity, 72 kilometres
northwestofBatticaloabysuspectedLTTEcadres.
September27
SuspectedLTTEcadresshotdeadamemberoftheEelamPeople'sRevolutionaryLiberationFront
(EPRLFVarathar faction), Valli Sundaram, on KKS Road between Maruthanamadam and Inuvil in
theJaffnadistrict.
September29
Five LTTE cadres and a civilian are killed in clashes between the warring factions of the outfit in the
Batticaloadistrict.
PresidentChandrikaKumaratungastatesthattheGovernmentcannolongerignoretheactofkilling
membersofdisarmedTamilpartiescommittedbytheLTTE.
September30
Several hundred Muslim civilians in Mannar set ablaze two LTTE political offices at Pesalai and
MannarfollowingthemurderofaMuslimcivilian.
October1
A close associate of 'Colonel' Karuna, identified as Ruben, is shot dead by a LTTE 'special jungle
warfareunit'operatinginKulaththuMadunearVakaneri,40kilometresnorthofBatticaloa.
October2
LTTE cadres of the 'Jeyanthan Regiment' attack a group of heavily armed paramilitary cadres
belonging to the 'Colonel' Karuna faction at Omadiyamadu, northwest of Batticaloa, killing two and
woundingthreeothers.
October4
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the National Advisory Council for Peace and Reconciliation
(NACPR)inColombo,PresidentKumaratungaseeksacommitmentfromtheLTTEthattheInterim
AdministrationaswellasthefinalsolutionshouldbebasedontheOsloDeclaration.
October5
Two suspected members of the LTTE pistol gang kill two Muslim civilians in Welikanda, 65 kilometers
northwestofBatticaloa.
AtameetingwithaLTTEdelegationvisitingGeneva,theAmnestyInternational,theHumanRights
Watchandthe International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) urge the outfit to end political killings and
therecruitmentofchildsoldiers.
October9
SecurityforcesbasedatAkkaraipattuinAmparai districtkillanunidentifiedgunmansuspectedtobefrom
the'Colonel'KarunafactionoftheLTTE.
A spokesperson of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) states that the LTTE has recruited
1,424 children, out of which 45 have been abducted during the last 28month truce period ending
August31,while359adultswereabductedduringthesameperiod.
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October11
Twoassociatesof'Colonel'KarunawerekilledandsixothersinjuredinanattackbyaLTTEspecial
forcesgroupinavillageneartheborderbetweenBatticaloaandPolannaruwadistricts.
October12
Announcing the launch of a political party,Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), the former
LTTE military 'commander' 'Colonel' Karuna, tenders his apologies to the Tamil people for past
killingsandassertsthathewouldneverleavetheliberationstruggle.
October14
Cabinet spokesman, Mangala Samaraweera says that the Governments counterproposals were
readyandwaitingtobesubmittedtotheLTTE.
October15
LTTE media coordinator Daya Master states that the LTTE is willing to discuss the counter
proposals prepared by the Government at the negotiation table once peace talks between the two
partiesresume.
October16
LTTEreleasesthetwoSinhalesehomeguards,ChandanaPiyasiriandSarathBandaraheldintheir
detentionforovertwomonths.
October17
AnexLTTEcadre,SinnavanMaheswarankilledinagrenadeattackcarriedoutbysuspectedLTTEcadres
inahighsecuritysuburbofBatticaloatown.
Sunday Observer reports that that the stalled peace talks between Colombo and the LTTE are likely to
recommenceinearlyNovember.
The Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal, the political party launched by Colonel' Karuna and the
EelamNationalDemocraticLiberationFront(ENDLF),jointoformanewfrontTamileela Iykkiya
ViduthalaiMunnani(TIVM).
October19
Suspected LTTE cadres kill former Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Member of Parliament, Kingsley
RajanayagamatKalviyankaduareainBatticaloatown.
ALTTEsupporter,KathirgamathambyGaneshamoorthy killedbycadresofColonelKarunafaction
atIyankernyvillageinEravurdivisionofBatticaloadistrict.
October20
LTTE's political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan rejects the Sri Lankan government's latest proposals to
resumepeacetalks.
LTTE cadres kill a suspected member of the Colonel Karuna faction at Anpuvallipuram, a Tamil
settlement,threekilometeroffTrincomalee.
October23
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), in their report submitted to the Government, rules out the
reportsofanLTTEmilitarybuilduparoundTrincomaleeharbour.
October25
A suspected cadre of the Colonel Karuna faction killed and two others injured as unidentified
gunmenopenfireinthepredominantlyTamilsuburbofWellawatteinColombo.
October27
Anton Balasingham, LTTE ideologue and chief negotiator, says that Tamil Tigers have not abandoned
theirrighttosecededespiteagreeingtoexploreafederalsolution.
Japanese Special Peace Envoy to Sri Lanka, Yasushi Akashi commences discussions with the
Government on the current position of the peace process after meeting Prime Minister Mahinda
Rajapakse.
October29
October30
Sri Lankan Navy personnel inspect the Palampatar Santhiri jungles in Trincomalee and recover a
LTTEflag,twohandgrenades,aVHFsignalingantenna,a30metreantennacable,notebookswith
personaldetailsandsomeweapons.
November1
PresidentKumaratungaemphasizesthatthefinalsolutiontotheethnicquestionbasedonanyform
of power sharing should be through a constitutional amendment and fall within the framework of a
sovereign,undividedandunitedSriLanka.
November3
AntonBalasingham,chiefnegotiatoroftheLTTEinastatementstates"Thedonorconferencesheld
inOsloon25November2002andinTokyoon10June2003andtheresolutions adopted at these
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meetings cannot bind our liberation organisation to a particular framework of a final political
settlement."
November4
A former member of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), Velayutham
DayalakumarkilledbysuspectedLTTEcadresataColombosuburb.
November5
Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Petersen stated in Colombo that he has no high
expectationsfortheresumptionofpeacetalksbetweentheSriLankangovernmentandtheLTTE.
November8
November10
November11
November14
November15
A civilian is injured in a grenade attack by suspected LTTE cadres on two Eelam Peoples
DemocraticParty(EPDP)cadresinValaichenai,32kilometresnorthofBatticaloa.
The New Yorkbased Human Rights Watch in its report accuses the LTTE of continuing to enlist
boysandgirlsbelowtheageof18yearssincetheOslobrokeredtrucewentintoeffectinFebruary
2002.
President Kumaratunga met the Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen and assured the
Government's total commitment for the early recommencement of talks with the LTTE within an
agreedframework.
The LTTE political wing leader, SP Tamilselvan, in the Virakesari Illustrated Weekly, stated that
Indiashouldconsulttheoutfitbeforeundertakingstrategicallyimportantinfrastructureprojectsinthe
NorthEasternProvince(NEP)ofSriLanka.
Defence Ministry informed the SLMM to inquire further into the LTTE military build up around
Trincomalee harbour since the Ministry cannot agree with the report submitted by them in this
regard.
November16
President Kumaratunga called on the LTTE to inform the Government whether it was prepared to
resumepeacetalkswithinthismonth.
November17
ApoliticalworkeroftheLTTEwasshotdead byunidentifiedgunmenatValaichenai,32kilometres
northofBatticaloa.
November18
SuspectedLTTEcadresshotdeadanarmyintelligenceofficerandaTamilcivilianinPolonnaruwa,
85kilometresnorthwestofBatticaloa.
November23
PoliceinColomboarrestedthreesuspectedLTTEcadresneartheParliamentbuilding.
November25
November26
TwoSriLankanArmysoldiersattackedandseverelyinjuredbyLTTEcadres.
November27
The 'Leader' of the LTTE, Velupillai Prabhaharan in a statement issued on the occasion of Heroes'
Day, made an urgent appeal to the Government to resume peace negotiations based on the ISGA
proposals.Healsowarnedthegovernmentitwouldbe compelled to advance the freedom struggle
oftheirpeople,ifthegovernmentdelaysnegotiations.
November29
Curfew imposed in the Trincomalee district until November 30 morning following the killing of a
civilian,allegedlybytheLTTEcadres.
December2
Representatives of the Sri LankanArmy, Sri Lanka Police and the LTTE meet inTrincomalee and
agree, at a discussion held in the presence of SLMM monitors, to take steps to diffuse tension in
theeastporttownanditssuburbstorestorenormalcy.
December5
At the 50th year annual convention of the opposition United National Party held at the Colombo
Municipal grounds, former Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, says that "the United Peoples
FreedomAlliance(UPFA)Governmenthasnottakenanyforwardlookingstepstowardspeacetalks
ortofindingasolutiontoourpressingnationalquestion.SriLankaisinexorablydriftingtowardswar
withthecontinuedstalemateinpeacetalks."
December7
TheproLTTEwebsite,TamilNet,reportsthatunidentifiedpersonsthrewfourhandgrenadesatthe
Batticaloa town political office of the LTTE. However, no casualties were reported in the incident
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andtheattackersmanagedtoescape.
December8
Unidentified persons threw two grenades at the Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam
(PLOTE)officebuildinglocatedinfrontofJaffnaTeachingHospitalinsidetheHighSecurityZonein
thecenterofJaffnatown.However,nocasualtiesarereported.
December11
At least two persons are killed and 15 others sustain injuries during a bomb blast at the end of a
concertbyShahrukhKhan,anIndianfilmactor,inthecapitalColombo.
December12
Chandrakumar Rajan, an alleged LTTE supporter, is wounded when unidentified persons threw a
grenadeinsideabakeryinBatticaloa.
December15
S. P. Thamilselvan, chief of the Political Wing of the LTTE, tells Norwegian facilitators in
Kilinochchi that "the responsibility of resurrecting the stalled peace process is entirely with the
government in ensuring that its coalition partners reflect the thinking of the president, if she is in
factreallysincere,andhermilitaryrefrainsfromcoerciveandprovocativeactions."
December20
TalkingtotheBBC,Norwayspecialpeaceenvoy,ErikSolheim,saysthatrevivingthestalledpeace
talksis"difficultatthemoment".
December21
TheSriLankanGovernmentreportedlymakesanewproposaltorevivepeacetalkswiththeLTTE
amidintensepressurefromforeignaiddonors.
December22
A LTTE cadre is killed by unidentified gunmen at Pioneer Road, close to theArasady Junction in
Batticaloa.
December23
The LTTE rejects President Kumaratunga's new proposal, conveyed through Norway, to revive
peacenegotiations.
December29
LTTE chief, Velupillai Prabhakaran, appeals to the international community and the United Nations
togenerouslyassistthepeopleofthenortheastaffectedbytheTsunamidisaster.
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