Sri Lanka’s hardline Buddhist monks are opposed to any form of settlement with the Tamils, and the political party of monks walked out of the all party c

The security situation for civilians, especially youth in Jaffna has deteriorated to such a level that families have begun to flee the peninsula to seek refuge in Colombo and make an attempt to send their sons overseas.

 

The international ceasefire monitoring team (SLMM) in its latest assessment report focuses on concerns of the high prices on essential items, a general halt in the economy, increased difficulties to enter the

Sri Lanka's military has been unable to push into Tamil Tiger strongholds in the north due to the threat of monsoon rains and a lack of manpower, defence officials and analysts say.

In a significant shift of strategy and political alliances in the east, the Sri Lankan Government is believed to have virtually dumped the anti-Tamil Tiger Karuna paramilitary Group and is supporting a new Tamil front for local elections in the volatile east later this year, The Sunday Times reported.

 

The new front is led by the leader of the splinter Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), V.

Following the capture of Thoppigala in the East, the Police and more largely the Special Task Force (STF), is taking over responsibilities from the Security Forces. Thus, the Army will be relieved for deployment in areas in the Wanni. Contrary to Government claims that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighters have been driven away, groups do operate in the East.

As the international community eased off the limited constraints it had placed on Sri Lanka over its human rights abuses, analysts speculate that this, especially in the light of the government’s recent military successes, is an indication of not so covert support for the ongoing military effort.

 

Acknowledging the increasing human rights violations in Sri Lanka, the US Human Rights, Democracy and Labour Assistant Secretary nevertheless merely urged both sides to

Following the Sri Lankan government’s announcement of the ‘liberation’ of the east from the LTTE, the military activity and violence have intensified in the north.

 

The Sri Lankan military stepped up its operations, with direct offensives and Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) missions into LTTE controlled territory along the Mannar-Vavuniya border.