2001

Dec 05

The UNF Government led by Prime Minster Ranil Wickremesinghe wins Parliamentary elections on a pledge to open talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Dec 19

LTTE declares a month long unilateral ceasefire beginning midnight on 24 December 2001.

Dec 21

The GOSL reciprocates; a bilateral ceasefire in place.

Dec 27

PM officially requests the government of Norway to recommence its facilitator role

2002

Jan 01

LTTE leader writes to Norwegian PM, requests Norway to continue facilitating between the GOSL and the LTTE

Jan 02

Government relaxes movement of goods to Wanni area with effect from January, 15 2002

Jan 08

LTTE suggests India as a venue for talks

Jan 10

A three-member Norwegian peace delegation headed by Vidar Helgessen arrives in Colombo

Norwegian delegation meets President

“The ban imposed on the LTTE in Sri Lanka should be lifted immediately to facilitate the commencement of peace negotiations” -TNA tells Norwegian delegation 

Jan 12

Norwegian delegation leaves

Jan 15

PM orders the lifting of economic sanctions on rebel-held areas. The Tigers ease travel restrictions on civilians.

The Tigers ease travel restrictions on civilians.

Civilian movement to the Vanni allowed on all weekdays; Earlier civilian traffic was permitted only on two days of the week.

Jan 20

Govt, LTTE extend ceasefire till February 24, 2002

Jan 21

LTTE releases 10 prisoners as goodwill measure

Jan 22

“Govt. to consider temporarily lifting the ban on the LTTE”  –PM’s first policy statement to the Parliament

Feb 01

Civilians protest LTTE extortion, Trincomalee

Feb 04

Govt. opens Vavuniya-Trincomalee road after a decade

Feb 05

President expresses her deep concern at LTTE’s continued child conscription

LTTE rejects President's child-recruitment charge

SLA, LTTE conclude de-mining operations

Feb 22

  Ceasefire Agreement (CFA)

• Prabhakaran signs CFA copy given by Norwegian Ambassador (February 20, 2002, Vanni)

• Shown to the President Thursday, February 21, evening

• CFA Signed by PM in Vavuniya, Friday, February 22– PM visits Omanthai and meets SL Army Personnel

Feb 24

• SLMM arrives to monitor CFA

• Status of Mission Agreement [SOMA]– States conditions of SLMM Operations; not made public unlike the MoU

Feb 27

CBK writes to PM a 9-page letter with her observations on the CFA.

• Eleventh hour submission of CFA to the President

• Legality of document? Article 4.1 requires the signature of PM, LTTE leader and not that of the President.

• Certain Articles in CFA could impinge on national security

• The importance of addressing substantive issues in the talks. Do not make the CFA an end in itself.

• CFA should not continue indefinitely without a political solution being reached.

• Questions Article 1.2: “offensive naval operations”

• Article 1.3: “without engaging in offensive operations against the LTTE”, creates impression SLN prohibited from engaging LTTE boats, even if suspected of carrying arms.

• SLN should be given clear instructions as to their powers and duties regarding illegal arms shipment

• LTTE continues to violate assurances given to the UN on child recruitment

Mar 04

Parliament debates CFA

Mar 11

President, PM discuss CFA

Mar 13

CFA has no legal validity says lawyer H. L. De Silva, a leading constitutional expert and Sri Lanka’s former permanent representative to the UN.

Mar 27

President welcomes announcement of direct peace talks

Government and LTTE shop for talks venue
-India declines

Mar 29

Thailand agrees to play host for peace talks

Norwegian facilitators meet President

Apr 04

LTTE charges an entry tax to move beyond Ommanthai.

Apr 10

Prabhakaran holds International Press Conference in the Wanni

(First in 12 years he agrees to accept regional autonomy, but says the LTTE will not decommission until a final solution is reached.)

Apr 19

Norwegian facilitators call on the President to discuss peace process

June 25

Tamil-Muslim clashes in the East (Muslims protest against alleged extortion by the LTTE and attacks on them by LTTE supporters)

July 10

Peace talks should begin soon-President

July 13

LTTE captures two Nordic monitors

July 16

SLMM claims this LTTE act violates CFA

July 19

Peoples’ Alliance calls for a revision of the CFA

July 22

UTHR accuses LTTE of child conscription

July 29

Moragoda meets Balasingham in London

Aug 12

Govt. approves sea route for LTTE

• A separate sea lane for LTTE vessels sailing off Vanni, to be used twice a week with a SLMM monitor on board, under SLN supervision

• Required to inform the Govt. 48 hours prior to sea movement

• Sea movement permitted only during day time, 6am-6pm

Aug 14

Norway announces dates for talks

Aug 16

President calls for report on Govt.-LTTE sea movement agreement

Sep 02

President against lifting ban on LTTE

Sep 05

President calls for report on GOSL-LTTE sea movement agreement

Sep 10

Govt. announces compositions of its delegation for talks.

Sep 13

Stop arms smuggling- President writes to PM

Sep 14

GOSL Peace team leaves for Thailand

Interim Admin – put on the back burner no such demand at 1^st round of talks 

Sep 16 - 18

The first formal peace talks between GOSL– LTTE Rose Garden, Sattahip, Thailand  Parties agree on…

Top priority for humanitarian challenges

        Step by step approach to peace 

Sep 25

Seven soldiers of the SLA abducted by the LTTE demanding the release of two cadres in Govt. custody

Sep 27

Abduction issue continues; SLMM says it will not intervene in law of the country

Sep 28

GOSL and LTTE swap 18 prisoners in Omanthai

Sep 30

President welcomes prisoner swap

Oct 02

President writes to PM on matters of National Security

Oct 04

Moragoda briefs President on Sattahip peace talks

Oct 07

EPDP write to SLMM  ‘What the LTTE could not achieve through war it is now achieving through the CFA’

Oct 08

Opposition calls for immediate release of detained soldiers

Oct 10

LTTE releases the 6 soldiers

Storming of a STF camp in Kanchirankudah, Batticoloa– 7 dead.Muslims fear their fate under LTTE control 

Oct 11

Tamil - Muslim clashes in the East again; Vallaichenai

Oct 16

Tamil - Muslim Clashes in Akkaraipattu

Oct 18

Release of Muslim civilians in LTTE custody has to be insisted-President writes to Defence Secretary

Oct 20

Norwegian delegation arrives in Colombo

Oct 29

Oct 31- Nov 03

President says, Joint Task Force should be legal

Colombo High Court sentences LTTE leader. Prabhakaran to 200 years imprisonment for 1996 Central Bank bombing.

Talks session II – Rose Garden, Thailand

Parties decide to set up sub committees: SIHRN, SDN, SPM 

Tigers agree to take up contentious political issues for discussion and enter mainstream politics. 

Nov 12

President briefed on second round of talks by Moragoda.

President proposes inclusion of LTTE in Commission for Peace 

Nov 15

Norway no longer impartial – Kadirgamar

Nov 18

Westborg meets Kadirgamar

Nov 21

Session III would be political round – GL

Nov 22

President reviews security in the North & East

Ensure law and order in the Delft- President directs Defence Secretary and IGP 

Nov 25

Norwegian Govt hosts a one-day Peace Support Meeting in Oslo

Tigers and the government have their first international outing, going before foreign donors in Oslo and winning up to 85 million dollars in aid to rebuild war-affected areas

President writes to PM urging him to discuss LTTE’s intolerance of political opposition at Oslo 

Nov 26

Tactics of terror can never achieve legitimate aspirations – Richard Armitage

Nov 27

Army detects at Omanthai checkpoint a stock of high-powered radio transmitters for Voice of Tigers (VoT) with a permit from the Defence Secretary.

Dec 02 – 05

Talks Session III, Oslo

Clashes within SLMC, Hakeem, GOSL negotiator and Leader, SLMC, makes hurried return (Dec 3) from Oslo.

GOSL-LTTE agrees to Explore Federal models to find a solution within united Sri Lanka. 

LTTE retains right to self-determination and will resort to secession as "last resort". 

Dec 19

JVP writes to President

-VoT equipment had arrived October 29, consigned to Norway’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Jon Westborg

-‘Why was the equipment imported in the name of the Ambassador?’ 

Dec 27

LTTE categorically rejects decommissioning…. [HSZ issue]

GOSL acknowledges granting a Broadcast License to the LTTE peace secretariat to run an FM radio station and arranged for the recent import of equipment

-License issued November 11, 2002, in terms of Section 44 of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Act No. 37 of 1966

-GOSL says request was made on October 18, 2002 

Dec 28

High Security Zone issue-President endorses Jaffna SLA Commander Sarath Foneska’s proposal, to disarm LTTE cadres before agreeing to the removal of the Jaffna HSZ

Dec 30

President writes to Norwegian PM on VoT issue

President writes to PM requesting a report on VoT issue 

Govt. requests Retired Lt. Gen Satish Nambiar, first UN commander in erstwhile Yugoslavia and retired Deputy Chief of Indian Army to prepare a report on HSZs.

LTTE rejects Nambiar’s recommendations  

Jan 03

PM replies to the President on VoT issue: "Be cautious to ensure continued Norwegian facilitation’’

Jan 06 – 09

Talks session IV, Nakorn Pathom, Thailand

Tigers and the GOSL in talks in Thailand, agree to appoint the World Bank as custodian of millions of dollars expected in foreign aid. 

Norwegian PM replies President - "The GOSL has already answered your concerns’’. 

Jan 21

Complaints of child recruitment and abductions continue

Jan 22

President and PM discuss progress in peace

Jan 23

Retired Maj. Gen Trygve Tellefsen – new head of SLMM

Jan 27

President directs Army and Police-“Stop LTTE abducting children”

Feb 14

Ceremonial re-opening of Jaffna Public Library opening postponed indefinitely under LTTE threat.

Mar 06

SLMM secure release of soldier and policeman

Mar 10

Sri Lankan navy sinks a Tiger`merchant vessel’ -arms ship, killing 11 cadres, making it the most serious incident since the truce took effect.

Mar 12

Helgessen meets President and PM

Mar 18- 21

Talks session VI, Hakone Japan

Chinese trawler attacked off Eastern coast (Mar 20). LTTE blamed but denies charges. 

Mar 26

LTTE is not the sole interlocutor of the Tamils – Anandasangaree, MP, President, Tamil United Liberation Front. 

Mar 29

Norwegian Ambassador, Jon Westborg bids farewell

Mar 31

Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) vessel attacked, soldiers attacked

Apr 01

SLN vessel, `Lanka Muditha’, attacked. Peace process will continue – President tells diplomats

Apr 07

President holds bilateral talks with Chief Minister Jayalalitha, of Tamil Nadu, India.

Apr 09

President dissatisfied with final report by SLMM on Chinese trawler issue

Apr 15

Armitage explains LTTE’s exclusion from Washington conference

Apr 21

LTTE unilaterally suspends peace talks, but says it is committed to peace. CFA intact.

Apr 22

President Kumaratunga places security forces on maximum alert as Tigers suspend talks.

LTTE pulls out of talks, President says better sense should prevail hopes talks would recommence 

Apr 25

Your reasons unconvincing, get back to talks – US tells LTTE

Opposition wants India’s intervention 

Apr 28

Opposition concerned over the suspension of talks

Apr 30

Peace Process back on track – GL

May 05

President expresses concern about killing of Intelligence Officers

“The Govt. promised us protection”-EPDP writes to President 

May 22

S.P. Thamilselvam, LTTE’s political wing leader makes clear LTTE’s demand for Interim Administration at press conference in Killinochchi 

Jun 02

PM offers Apex Body to LTTE instead of Interim Administration

Jun 04

LTTE rejects Apex Body offer