Sri Lankan Conflict: Timeline Of Major Events
Posted May 12, 2009 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It’s a complicated and emotional struggle, the roots of which date back far into the past. And for more than a quarter of century, it’s resulted in a war without end. For those not familiar with the current conflict in Sri Lanka, CityNews.ca has assembled this timeline of major developments over the past few years in the hopes of providing some clarity into what’s motivating both sides now.
Origins of the Sri Lankan conflict:
1975 – Formation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The group’s goal is a separate state for minority Tamils in the island’s northeast.
1983 – Civil war begins, pitting the government, dominated by the island’s majority Sinhalese population, against the minority Tamils.
1985 – First attempt at peace talks between the government and the LTTE fails.
1990 – Government of President Premadasa begins second attempt at peace talks with LTTE.
1991 – Tamil Tiger suicide bomber assassinates India’s former prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, at an election rally in southern India.
1993 – Tamil Tiger suicide bomber kills President Premadasa following failed peace efforts.
1994 – President Kumaratunge government comes to power and vows to end the civil war.
Aug. 1998 – Sri Lankan government imposes national state of emergency.
Sept. 1998 – Tamil Tigers agree to restart peace talks on condition of third party mediation, which government rejects.
1999 – Tamil Tiger suicide bomber attempts to kill President Kumaratunga at an election meeting. The leader survives but loses an eye.
2002 – Sri Lankan government signs a ceasefire agreement with Tamil Tigers ending 19 years of civil war, which left more than 65,000 dead.
Dec. 26, 2004 – Indian Ocean tsunami kills more than 35,000 Sri Lankans and leaves tens of thousands homeless.
June 2005 – Government and Tamil rebels at odds over sharing tsunami aid.
December 2005 – Tiger rebels launch first major attack since truce, killing at least 12 Sri Lankan sailors.
Feb. 2006 – Government and rebels meet for peace talks and agree to tone down violence.
June 2006 – Peace talks collapse after Tigers refuse face-to-face meetings with government representatives.
2008 – Six-year ceasefire agreement called off following bomb attack in capital of Colombo.
Early 2009 – Government forces gain upper hand over Tamil Tigers. At this point ethnic conflict has cost more than 70,000 lives.
Apr. 2009 – Reports suggest war may be near an end, as strip of land dominated by Tamils continues to shrink. Thousands of civilians killed in the conflict, including more than 500 children, according to an internal UN document. Army continues to advance, despite international calls for a ceasefire.
Sources: The Associated Press, BBC, The Economist
