Eelam War IV is the name given to the fourth phase of armed conflict between the Sri Lankan military and the separatist
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE; ta, தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகள், translit=Tamiḻīḻa viṭutalaip pulikaḷ, si, දෙමළ ඊළාම් විමුක්ති කොටි, t ...
(LTTE). Renewed hostilities began on the 26 July 2006, when
Sri Lanka Air Force
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) ( si, ශ්රි ලංකා ගුවන් හමුදාව, Śrī Laṃkā guwan hamudāva; ta, இலங்கை விமானப்படை, Ilaṅkai vimāṉappaṭai) is the air arm and the yo ...
fighter jet
Fighter aircraft are fixed-wing military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air superiority of the battlespace. Domination of the airspace above a battlefield ...
s bombed several LTTE camps around
Mavil Aru anicut
An anicut (Originated from Tamil language அணைக்கட்டு - Aṇaikaṭṭu and Kannada language ಆಣೆಕಟ್ಟು - Āṇekaṭṭu) is a masonry check dam
A steel check dam
A check dam is a small, sometimes temporary, ...
. The government's ''
casus belli
A (; ) is an act or an event that either provokes or is used to justify a war. A ''casus belli'' involves direct offenses or threats against the nation declaring the war, whereas a ' involves offenses or threats against its ally—usually one b ...
'' was that the LTTE had cut off the water supply to surrounding
paddy field
A paddy field is a flooded field (agriculture), field of arable land used for growing Aquatic plant, semiaquatic crops, most notably rice and taro. It originates from the Neolithic rice-farming cultures of the Yangtze River basin in sout ...
s in the area. Shutting down the sluice gates of the Mavil Aru on July 21 depriving the water to over 15,000 people - Sinhalese and Muslim settlers under
Sri Lankan state-sponsored colonisation schemes
Sri Lankan state-sponsored colonization schemes is the government program of settling mostly farmers from the densely populated wet zone in the sparsely populated areas of the dry zone in the North Central Province, Southern Province , Uva Pr ...
in Trincomalee district. They were denied of water for drinking and also cultivating over 30,000 acres of paddy and other crops. The fighting resumed after a four-year ceasefire between the
Government of Sri Lanka
The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) ( si, ශ්රී ලංකා රජය, Śrī Lankā Rajaya; ta, இலங்கை அரசாங்கம்) is a parliamentary system determined by the Sri Lankan Constitution. It administers the is ...
(GoSL) and LTTE. Continued fighting led to several territorial gains for the Sri Lankan Army, including the capture of Sampur, Vakarai and other parts of the east. The war took on an added dimension when the LTTE
Air Tigers
The Tamil Eelam Air Force or Sky Tigers (Tamil: வான்புலிகள்) was the aircraft, air-wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who used it against the Government of Sri Lanka. They also called themselves the Tamileel ...
bombed
Katunayake
Katunayake ( si, කටුනායක, ta, கட்டுநாயகம்), is a suburb of Negombo city in Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is the site of Bandaranaike International Airport or Colombo Airport, the primary international air g ...
airbase on March 26, 2007, the first rebel air attack without external assistance in history.
Eelam War IV ended on 18 May 2009 with the Sri Lanka Army gaining control of the last bit of territory held by the LTTE and with the death of the LTTE leader
Velupillai Prabhakaran
Velupillai Prabhakaran (; ta, வேலுப்பிள்ளை பிரபாகரன்; , (26 November 1954 – 18 May 2009) was a Sri Lankan Tamil guerrilla and the founder and leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ...
. The final few days of the war near
Nandikadal Lagoon
Nanthi Kadal ( ta, நந்திக்கடல் Nantikkaṭal) is a lagoon in Mullaitivu District, north-east Sri Lanka. The English translation of Nanthi Kadal is "the sea of conches".
The lagoon is fed by a number of small rivers, includi ...
in the north east of the island saw very heavy fighting and led to Sri Lankan forces being accused of war crimes, which were denied by the government. Some 300,000 Tamil civilians who were trapped inside the war zone and prevented from escaping by the LTTE were caught in the crossfire during the final phase of the war.
Peace process 2002
The
elections held on 5 December 2001 saw a sweeping victory for the
United National Front, led by
Ranil Wickremasinghe
Ranil Wickremesinghe ( si, රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ, ta, ரணில் விக்கிரமசிங்க; born 24 March 1949) is a Sri Lankan politician who is the current president of Sri Lanka since 21 July 2 ...
, who campaigned on a pro-peace platform and pledged to find a negotiated settlement to the conflict.
On 19 December, amidst efforts by Norway to bring the government and the Tamil Tigers to the negotiating table, the LTTE announced a 30-day ceasefire with the Sri Lankan government and pledged to halt all attacks against government forces.
The new government welcomed the move, and reciprocated it 2 days later, announcing a month-long ceasefire and agreeing to lift a long-standing economic
embargo
Economic sanctions are commercial and financial penalties applied by one or more countries against a targeted self-governing state, group, or individual. Economic sanctions are not necessarily imposed because of economic circumstances—they m ...
on rebel-held territory.
Signing of MoU
The two sides formalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on February 22, 2002 and signed a permanent ceasefire agreement (CFA). Norway was named
mediator
Mediator may refer to:
*A person who engages in mediation
*Business mediator, a mediator in business
* Vanishing mediator, a philosophical concept
* Mediator variable, in statistics
Chemistry and biology
*Mediator (coactivator), a multiprotein ...
, and it was decided that they, together with the other Nordic countries, monitor the ceasefire through a committee of experts named the
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission
The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) was a multinational body that existed from 2002 to 2008 to monitor the ceasefire between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, also known as the ''Tamil Tigers'') during ...
.
In August, the government agreed to lift the ban on the LTTE and paved the way for the resumption of direct negotiations with the LTTE.
![Sea Tiger Fast Attack boat](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Sea_Tiger_Fast_Attack_boat.jpg)
Following the signing of the ceasefire agreement, commercial air flights to Jaffna began and the LTTE opened the key A9 highway, which linked government controlled area in the south with Jaffna and ran through LTTE territory, allowing civilian traffic through the Vanni region for the first time in many years. Many foreign countries also offered substantial financial support if peace was achieved and optimism grew that an end to the decades long conflict was in sight.
The much anticipated peace talks began in Sattahip Naval Base, Chonburi Province,
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
on the September 16 and 5 further rounds followed in Rose Garden, Nakhorn Pathom Province, Norway and
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
.
During the talks, both sides agreed to the principle of a federal solution and the Tigers dropped their long standing demand for separate state. This was a key compromise from the LTTE, which had always insisted on an independent Tamil state and it also represented a compromise from the government, which had seldom agreed to more than minimal devolution. Both sides also exchanged prisoners of war for first time.
[''BBC News'']
Timeline: Sri Lanka
/ref>
Beginning of the war
A new crisis leading to the first large-scale fighting since signing of the ceasefire occurred in 2006 when the LTTE closed the sluice gate
Sluice ( ) is a word for a channel controlled at its head by a movable gate which is called a sluice gate. A sluice gate is traditionally a wood or metal barrier sliding in grooves that are set in the sides of the waterway and can be considered ...
s of the Mavil Aru reservoir
A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation.
Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...
on July 21 and cut the water supply
Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavors or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes. Public water supply systems are crucial to properly functioning societies. Thes ...
to 15,000 villages in government controlled areas. After initial negotiations and efforts by the SLMM to open the gates failed, the Air Force attacked LTTE positions on July 26, and ground troops began an operation to open the gate. Palitha Kohona
Palitha T. B. Kohona, a Sri Lankan born diplomat, was the former Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations (UN). , a government spokesman, stated that the government remained committed to the cease-fire. Likewise, the LTTE also claimed that they were committed to the ceasefire
The sluice gates were eventually reopened on August 8, with conflicting reports as to who actually opened them. Initially, the SLMM claimed that they managed to persuade the LTTE to lift the waterway blockade conditionally. However a government spokesman said that "utilities could not be used as bargaining tools" by the rebels and government forces launched fresh attacks on LTTE positions around the reservoir. These attacks prompted condemnation from SLMM Chief of Staff, who stated "(The government) have the information that the LTTE has made this offer." "It is quite obvious they are not interested in water. They are interested in something else." The LTTE then claimed they opened the sluice gates "on humanitarian grounds".[''The Sunday Times Situation Report'']
Eelam war IV rages on several fronts
/ref> Eventually, following heavy fighting with the rebels, government troops gained full control of the Mavil Aru reservoir on August 15.[''Iqbal Athas, Janes Defence Weekly,']
Full-scale fighting flares in Sri Lanka
/ref>
War in east
The war between LTTE and Sri Lankan government started after the failure of Norway brokered cease fire on July 21, 2006, when LTTE cut off the water supply to the rice growing fields in the Mavil aru area in eastern Trincomalee district. The government military claimed the total control of the eastern province after capturing the Thoppigala (Baron's cap) on July 11, 2007 following nearly a year of fighting.
The TMVP contested Batticaloa district local council election on March 10, 2008 and won all 9 councils with a high majority 70% of votes. The party also contested in Eastern Provincial Council election May 10, 2008 under the ruling UPFA
The United People's Freedom Alliance (abbreviated UPFA; si, එක්සත් ජනතා නිදහස් සන්ධානය ''Eksath Janathā Nidahas Sandānaya''; ta, ஐக்கிய மக்கள் சுதந்திரக ...
banner and UPFA won the election. TMVP's current leader Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan sworn as the Chief Minister of Eastern Provincial Council on May 16, 2008.
Political situation in North and East
Karuna has also been accused of gross human rights violations such as forming death squads
A death squad is an armed group whose primary activity is carrying out extrajudicial killings or forced disappearances as part of political repression, genocide, ethnic cleansing, or revolutionary terror. Except in rare cases in which they are ...
,[Nine recommendations for improving the state of press freedom, Reporters Without Borders](_blank)
(July 19, 2004) harassing journalists, extrajudicial killings, abductions, and the use of child soldiers against the LTTE. Apart from that his group has split due to alleged financial corruption issues. Karuna, with the help of the Government of Sri Lanka, was smuggled into Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
for refuge. He was later arrested by British authorities for illegal entry
Illegal entry is the act of foreign nationals arriving in or crossing the borders into a country in violation of its immigration law.
Human smuggling is the practice of aiding people in crossing international borders for financial gain, often in ...
and is being probed for war crimes.
Sri Lanka pulls out of ceasefire
On January 2, 2008, The Sri Lankan government unanimously decided to formally withdraw from the ceasefire with the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, which had existed only on paper over the past two years. Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake had proposed that the cabinet annul the truce after yet another bomb blast went off on January 2 in the capital, Colombo, killing five and injuring over 28.
"The Government of Sri Lanka yesterday (3rd January 2008) formally notified the Norwegian Government of its decision to terminate the Agreement on a “Ceasefire (CFA) between the Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam” concluded on 22nd February 2002. This notification was in terms of Article 4:4 of this Agreement and will take effect 14 days from the date of this notice i.e. 16th January 2008.
Accordingly, the Status of Mission Agreement (SOMA) on the Establishment and the Management of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) dated 18th March 2002 between the Royal Norwegian Government and the Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka will also stand terminated with effect from 16th January 2008."
This was amidst the demands of the defense secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa
Lieutenant Colonel Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa ( si, නන්දසේන ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ; ta, நந்தசேன கோட்டாபய ராஜபக்ஷ; born 20 June 1949) is a former Sri Lankan military ...
on December 29, 2007. Donor countries such as the United States, Canada, and Norway have shown deep regrets on this decision by the Sri Lankan government. Neighboring India has also shown is dismay of Sri Lanka's abrogation of the ceasefire
War in north
Meanwhile, in the north of the country, some of the bloodiest fighting since 2001 took place after the LTTE launched massive attacks on Sri Lanka Army
ta, இலங்கை இராணுவம்
, image = File:Sri Lanka Army Logo.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of the Sri Lanka Army
, start_date ...
defence lines in the Jaffna peninsula on August 11. The LTTE used a force of 400 to 500 fighters in the attacks which consisted of land and amphibious assaults, and also fired a barrage of artillery at government positions, including the key military airbase at Palali. Initially, the Tigers broke through army defense lines around Muhamalai, and advanced further north, but they were halted after 10 hours of fierce fighting. Isolated battles continued over the next few days, but the LTTE was forced to give up its offensive due to heavy casualties.
Sporadic fighting in the North has been going on for months, but the intensity of the clashes has increased since September 2007. During clashes in the Forward Defence Lines, separating their forces, both sides exchange heavy artillery fire, after which military incursions follow. By December 22, 2007 the LTTE defences at Uyilankulama and Thampanai were lost to advancing troops of the Sri Lanka Army. On December 29, 2007 the Army overran the LTTE stronghold at Parappakandal, Mannar.
In an interview with the 'Sunday Observer' the Sri Lankan Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka said that the Army had occupied the LTTE's Forward Defence Lines and surrounded the Wanni LTTE bases from all directions. He also said that there are around 3,000 Tigers remaining and that the military targets to annihilate them within the first six months of 2008. A day later there were less optimistic statements by Army, Air Force and Navy Commanders. Lt. Gen. Fonseka's believed it was possible to defeat the LTTE in 2008.
The military of Sri Lanka claims that the leader of the LTTE Velupillai Prabhakaran was seriously injured during air strikes carried out by the Sri Lanka Air Force on a bunker complex in Jayanthinagar on November 26, 2007. Earlier, on November 2, 2007 S. P. Thamilselvan, who was the head of the rebels' political wing, was killed during another government air raid. The Sri Lanka Air Force has openly vowed to destroy the entire leadership of the LTTE. On January 5, 2008 Col. Charles, Head of LTTE Military Intelligence, was killed in claymore ambush by a suspected Sri Lanka Army Deep Penetration Unit according to a Pro-LTTE website.
Before the government offensive, the war in the Northern front was in a stalemate due to the unique topology of the two major Forward Defence Lines, The Nagarcoil FDL and The Muhamalai FDL.
Capture of Mannar District
On 2 August 2008 the Sri Lankan army captured the town of Vellankulam which was the last bastion of Tigers in the Mannar district
Mannar District ( ta, மன்னார் மாவட்டம் ''Maṉṉār Māvaṭṭam''; si, මන්නාරම දිස්ත්රික්කය) is one of the 25 districts of Sri Lanka, the second level administrative divisi ...
. This marked the capture of the entire Mannar district by the Army which took eight months.
Battles at sea
On March 22, 2008, a Navy fast attack boat was destroyed after it hit a suspected sea mine laid by Tamil Tiger rebels off the country's north-east coast.
As one of the turning point of the Eelam War IV, Sri Lanka Navy ships destroyed 8 LTTE floating warehouses which carried 100,000 each of 122, 130 and 155mm Artillery Ammunition and 60mm and 81mm Mortar Ammunitions. This was the first time Sri Lanka Navy conduct a mission in 4000 km deep into the International sea.
The air war
The battle in air is significant for both sides (GoSL and LTTE) in this phase of war. The Sri Lankan Air Force
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) ( si, ශ්රි ලංකා ගුවන් හමුදාව, Śrī Laṃkā guwan hamudāva; ta, இலங்கை விமானப்படை, Ilaṅkai vimāṉappaṭai) is the air arm and the yo ...
used its attack aircraft to carry out a bombing campaign against identified LTTE targets. The LTTE Air Tigers also used its light aircraft to carry out bombing on the Sri Lankan military.
Major air strikes of SLAF
* On August 14, 2006 the SLAF bombed a facility in the rebel-held Mullaitivu area. The LTTE claimed 61 girls were killed, the SLMM stated they were able to count just 19 bodies. The government claimed that it was an LTTE training facility and that the children were LTTE child soldiers, although the LTTE claimed the victims were schoolgirls attending a course on first aid at an orphanage. A team from UNICEF
UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Devel ...
and the Swedish-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) visited the bombed site and said they had found no evidence to support claims the rebels had been using the facility as a military training centre.
* On May 7, 2007 at about 0725 supersonic fighter jets of the SLAF bombed a strategic LTTE base and a large fuel storage at Ramanatpuram East of Iranamadu
Iranamadu or Iranaimadu ( ta, இரணைமடு, translit=Iraṇaimaṭu, lit=Double-bund; si, ඉරණමඩුව, translit=Iraṇamaḍuva) is a military city in Kilinochchi District, Sri Lanka. It includes a lake that provides water to ...
.
* In November 2007, Thamilselvan, along with five other high ranking Tamil rebels were killed by a precision air strike carried out by the SLAF on an undisclosed location near the rebels's stronghold town of Kilinochchi.
LTTE air strikes
* LTTE air strikes occurred for the first time in history on March 26, 2007 on a SLAF base at Katunayake
Katunayake ( si, කටුනායක, ta, கட்டுநாயகம்), is a suburb of Negombo city in Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is the site of Bandaranaike International Airport or Colombo Airport, the primary international air g ...
, killing three Air Force personnel and wounding several.
* LTTE aircraft attacked Palali military complex by dropping bombs on April 23, 2007, killing six soldiers and wounding 13.
* The LTTE attacked Katunayake air base for the second time on April 26, 2007, one month after their first attack on the same location.
* in the early hours of April 29, 2007, LTTE aircraft bombed two fuel tanks at Kolonnawa
Kolonnawa ( si, කොලොන්නාව, ta, கொலன்னாவ) is a town located on the eastern boundary of Colombo District, Western Province of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, ...
and Muthurajawela close to Colombo
Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
.
;Palali raid
On April 23, the Air Tigers conducted their second raid. One aircraft flew toward the Palali Air Base near Jaffna, which is the main military complex in the region. Anti‐aircraft fire prevented the aircraft from bombing the runways, but it instead dropped its bombs on a nearby military bunker, killing six soldiers.
;Colombo raids
On April 26, Sri Lanka’s air defenses in Colombo fired into the sky following reports that unidentified aircraft had been spotted on radar. No attack was reported.
However, a few days later on the early morning of April 29, while the entire nation was watching the Cricket World Cup Final a Tiger aircraft bombed two fuel storage facilities outside Colombo. Chaos followed and electricity in the capital was shut off for nearly an hour. There were no casualties and minimal damage. The security forces were unable to bring down the aircraft prompting much criticism from the public and opposition political parties.
Although the government played down the attack, Shell's Sri Lankan country director, Hassan Madan, told the AFP "There was big damage to our fire-fighting facility and we estimate it will cost us in excess of 75 m rupees ($700,000) to put things back".
On October 22, 2007, Air Tigers launched a pre-dawn combined arms assault on a SLAF airbase at Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura ( si, අනුරාධපුරය, translit=Anurādhapuraya; ta, அனுராதபுரம், translit=Aṉurātapuram) is a major city located in north central plain of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central ...
, about north of the capital, Colombo.
According to the Ministry of Defence
{{unsourced, date=February 2021
A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...
, the assault started at around 3:20am, with LTTE ground forces attacking the airbase and overrunning key positions, including an anti-aircraft position, before Air Tiger ultralights dropped bombs on government positions. This resulted in the destruction of eight aircraft and damage to several others. The attack only affected the SLAF's training element.
The conclusion of the war
On 19 May 2009, the Sri Lankan military effectively concluded its 26-year operation against the LTTE
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE; ta, தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகள், translit=Tamiḻīḻa viṭutalaip pulikaḷ, si, දෙමළ ඊළාම් විමුක්ති කොටි, t ...
. The 58 Division of the Sri Lankan Army led by Brig. Shavendra Silva
General Shavendra Silva, WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP ( si, ශවේන්ද්ර සිල්වා, ta, ஷவேந்திர சில்வா) is a Sri Lanka Army officer. He is the Chief of Defence Staff and former Commander o ...
, 59 Division led by Brig. Prasanna de Silva
Major General Prasanna de Silva, WWV, RWP, RSP is a retired Sri Lankan army officer. He served as the Commander of the Sri Lankan Army 56 Division, the Special Forces Regiment and the Commando Regiment. Currently, he is unable to leave Sri ...
and the 53 Division commanded by Gen. Kamal Gunaratne
General G. D. H. Kamal Gunaratne, WWV, RWP, RSP, USP is a retired Sri Lankan military officer. He is the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and the State Ministry of National Security and Disaster Management. A retired career officer of ...
, after having boxed in the remaining LTTE cadres into a small area of territory near Nandhikkadal lagoon, linked up and eliminated the remaining cadres. This final battle claimed the lives of several top LTTE leaders, including Jeyam, Bhanu, Lawrence, Pappa, Laxamanan, Balasingham Nadesan, Pottu Amman, Soosai and Velupillai Prabhakaran
Velupillai Prabhakaran (; ta, வேலுப்பிள்ளை பிரபாகரன்; , (26 November 1954 – 18 May 2009) was a Sri Lankan Tamil guerrilla and the founder and leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ...
who was reported to have attempted to flee. On the morning of the 19th, soldiers of the 4th Vijayabahu infantry regiment led by Lt. Col Rohitha Aluvihare claimed to have found the body of Prabhakaran, and so militarily ending a separatist war that had defined Sri Lanka's history for three decades.
On 22 May 2009, Sri Lankan Secretary of Defence Gotabhaya Rajapaksa
Lieutenant Colonel Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa ( si, නන්දසේන ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ; ta, நந்தசேன கோட்டாபய ராஜபக்ஷ; born 20 June 1949) is a former Sri Lankan military ...
confirmed that 6,261 personnel of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces had lost their lives and 29,551 were wounded during Eelam War IV since July 2006. Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara added that approximately 22,000 LTTE
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE; ta, தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகள், translit=Tamiḻīḻa viṭutalaip pulikaḷ, si, දෙමළ ඊළාම් විමුක්ති කොටි, t ...
cadres had died during this time.
Chronology of towns captured by the government of Sri Lanka
Killings of LTTE Leaders
* Velupillai Prabhakaran
Velupillai Prabhakaran (; ta, வேலுப்பிள்ளை பிரபாகரன்; , (26 November 1954 – 18 May 2009) was a Sri Lankan Tamil guerrilla and the founder and leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ...
was killed by government troops. His body was identified through DNA testing
Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, or ...
on May 19, 2009.
* Soosai
Thillaiyampalam Sivanesan ( ta, தில்லையம்பலம் சிவனேசன்; 16 October 1963https://web.archive.org/web/20070202013908/http://www.interpol.int/public/data/wanted/notices/data/2006/76/2006_57476.asp Thillayamp ...
, leader of the Sea Tigers
The Sea Tigers (Tamil: கடற்புலிகள் ''Kaţaṛpulikaḷ'') was the naval wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam during the Sri Lankan Civil War. It was founded in 1984. The Sea Tigers had a number of small but effectiv ...
, and Pottu Amman, head of the LTTE intelligence wing, were killed along with Prabhakaran.
* Charles Anthony was confirmed dead on May 18, 2009. SL Army has confirmed that the body found in Vellamullivaikkal is that of LTTE chief's son.
* Three bodies recovered by SL troops have been identified as those of Nadesan, Puleethevan and Ramesh on May 18, 2009.
Assassinations
* Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar
Sri Lankabhimanya Lakshman Kadirgamar, President's Counsel, PC ( ta, லக்ஷமன் கதிர்காமர்; si, ලක්ෂ්මන් කදිර්ගාමර්, 12 April 1932 – 12 August 2005) was a Sri Lankan lawyer ...
, a Tamil who was highly respected by foreign diplomats and who had been sharply critical of the LTTE, was assassinated at his home on August 12, 2005, allegedly by an LTTE sniper. His assassination led to the marginalisation of the LTTE from the international community.
* The assassination of a well renowned Tamil diplomat, the Deputy Peace Secretariat General for Co-ordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) Kethesh Loganathan
Kethesh Loganathan (full name Ketheeswaran Loganathan, 1952–12 August 2006) was a Sri Lankan Tamil political activist, a Human Rights advocate and deputy secretary general of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP). He was ...
on August 12, 2006 at Dehiwala
Dehiwala is a suburban area in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It lies within the administrative boundaries of Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council. It is known for the zoo which houses thousands of animals and hundreds of species.
2019 Easter Sunday a ...
by shooting at around 9:30pm. He had been very keen to bring peace to the country and also participated in Thimphu
Thimphu (; dz, ཐིམ་ཕུག ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan, and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's ''dzongkhags'', the Thimphu District. The ancient ...
peace talks in 1980s. Rajapakse condemned the murder and blamed the LTTE.
* The assassination of the head Priest of the Santhiveli Pilleyar Kovil Selliah Parameswaran Kurukkal on February 7, 2007 in his home Batticaloa
Batticaloa ( ta, மட்டக்களப்பு, ''Maṭṭakkaḷappu''; si, මඩකලපුව, ''Maḍakalapuwa'') is a major city in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, and its former capital. It is the administrative capital of the B ...
. The LTTE and the Sri Lankan Government blamed each other for this murder. TULF
The Tamil United Liberation Front ( ta, தமிழர் ஐக்கிய விடுதலை முன்னணி, translit=Tamil Onrupattatu Viduthulai Munnai, si, ද්රවිඩ එක්සත් විමුක්ති ප ...
leader V. Anandasangaree
Veerasingham Anandasangaree ( ta, வீரசிங்கம் ஆனந்தசங்கரி) is a leading Sri Lankan Tamil politician, former Member of Parliament and leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front. He is commonly known as San ...
also blamed the LTTE
* UNP Parliamentarian T. Maheshwaran. Government paramilitaries were blamed
* A roadside bomb killed Non-cabinet Nation Building Minister D. M. Dassanayake on January 8, 2008 at Ja-Ela
Ja-Ela ( si, ජා-ඇල, ta, ஜா-எல) is a suburb of Colombo, located approximately north of the Colombo city centre. Ja-Ela lies on the A3 highway (Sri Lanka), A3 road which overlaps with the E03 expressway (Sri Lanka), Colombo – Ka ...
town, located 19 km north of Colombo city.
* A suspected LTTE suicide bomber killed cabinet Minister of Highways & Road Development Jeyaraj Fernandopulle
Jeyaraj Fernandopulle ( si, ජෙයරාජ් ප්රනාන්දුපුල්ලේ, ta, ஜெயராஜ் பெர்னான்டோபுள்ளே, 11 January 1953 – 6 April 2008) was a Sri Lankan politician ...
on April 6, 2008 at Weliveriya Gampaha
Gampaha (Sinhala: ගම්පහ ; Tamil: கம்பஹா ) is an urban city in Gampaha District, Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is situated to the north-east of the capital Colombo. It is the sixth largest urban area in Western Province, ...
district.
* The 12-year-old son of Velupillai Prabhakaran was executed in May 2009.
Impact of war into civilian life
Amnesty International has also stated that increasing violence was forcing many Sri Lankans to flee the country and that more than 2,800 people had sought shelter in India this year. The state's failure to provide adequate security and to ensure that attacks against civilians are prosecuted has resulted in widespread fear and panic. Amnesty international also accused the LTTE of breaking the international law by using civilians as buffers against the army. A researcher for the organisation stated that there were cases where militants had forced people to stay in rebel-held areas to hamper army operations. The United Nations reported more than 20,000 civilians were killed in this recent war. CNN report
Since the upsurge in violence in April, nearly 40,000 people were displaced. This came amidst the government's air strikes on civilian areas in the East. Amnesty International quoted UN figures to say that a total of 39,883 people had been displaced in the north and east since April 7 adding that a total of 314,378 people were displaced by the conflict while around 325,000 people were estimated to have been displaced by the tsunami.
After the International Council of Red Cross, doctors and government officials left the war zone, only the Catholic priests remained with people until the end. One of the priests, Rev. Fr. Mariampillai Sarathjeevan who was leading the refugees to safety, also died in the war zone. The people and the priest did not have food for five days, and exhausted by months of hardship. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the priest was assaulted by soldiers when he approached them for help.
Stephen Rapp
Stephen J. Rapp (born January 26, 1949) is an American lawyer and the former United States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues in the Office of Global Criminal Justice.
Career
Rapp has been a lawyer in private practice, a Democratic mem ...
, the U.S. ambassador at large for war crimes issues, called for war crimes investigation on October 2009. His department submitted a detailed report to Congress about the incidents happened during the recent conflict in Sri Lanka. On October 25, 2009 The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations called for an independent, international investigation of possible war crimes committed during the last few months of the war in Sri Lanka. Internal Displacement Monitoring Center of the Norwegian Refugee Council reported that the government of Sri Lanka was holding nearly 300,000 displaced people in military-run internment camps under questionable humanitarian conditions.
See also
* Eastern Theater of Eelam War IV
The ''Eastern Theater of Eelam War IV'', the warfare started in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka on July 21, 2006, when the LTTE cut off the water supply to the rice fields in the Mavil aru area in the eastern Trincomalee district. The govern ...
* Northern Theater of Eelam War IV
The Northern Theater of Eelam War IV refers to the fighting that took place in the northern province of Sri Lanka between July 2006 and May 18, 2009.
Beginning of the war
A new crisis leading to the first large-scale fighting since signing of ...
*
*Eelam War I
Eelam War I (23 July 1983 - 29 July 1987) is the name given to the initial phase of the armed conflict between the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE.
Although tensions between the government and Tamil militant groups had been brewing since ...
*Eelam War II
Eelam War II is the name given to the second phase of armed conflict between Sri Lankan military and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The war started after the failure of peace talks between the Premadasa government and the LTT ...
*Eelam War III
Eelam War III is the name given to the third phase of armed conflict between the Sri Lankan military and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
After the period of 100 days cease-fire the hostilities broke out on 19 April 19 ...
*
References
56. Recapture Of Poonaryn by SL Army : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7730850.stm
External links
Ministry of Defence, Sri Lanka
Interactive Defence Map of Sri Lanka, explains current progress of the battle fronts visually.
GoSL Peace Secretariat
LTTE Peace Secretariat
Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission
Lanka Academic, news site sponsored by Sri Lankan academics worldwide
Sangam.org
Texts of key agreements in the peace process and an analysis of the process by Conciliation Resources
hWeb - Sri Lanka’s recent history of ethnic conflict and political crisis originates from its colonial legacy
NorthEast Secretariat report on Human rights 1974-2004
hWeb - Sri Lanka’s recent history of ethnic conflict originates from its colonial legacy
Peace&War: Humanity Ashore Pictorial
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eelam War Iv
Phases of the Sri Lankan Civil War
2000s in Sri Lanka
2000s conflicts
Counterterrorism in Sri Lanka
Guerrilla wars
Tamil Eelam
History of Sri Lanka (1948–present)
Military history of Sri Lanka
2006 in Sri Lanka
2007 in Sri Lanka
2008 in Sri Lanka
2009 in Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan Civil War