Ilankai Tamil Sangam
Association of Tamils of Sri Lanka in the USA
Published by Sangam.org
by Tamil Centre for Human Rights, March 2008
Rest of report to UN Human Rights Council
Proposed Solutions to Settle the Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka
Year | Talks between | Result | Reason/Consequence |
1927 | Sir Ponnambalam and Sinhala leader (Recommendations of Donoughmore Commission) | Failed | Tamils’ point of view ignored |
1957 | S.J.V. Chelvanayagam and Bandaranayke (In 1956 Sinhala Only act introduced by the PM Proposal for Regional Councils | Pact signed | ‘Banda-Chelva’ pact unilaterally abrogated by Prime Minister SWRD Bandaranayke |
1965 | Chelvanayagam and Dudley Senanayake (Proposal for Establishment of District Councils) | Pact signed | ‘Banda-Dudley’ pact unilaterally abrogated by Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake |
1971 | Tamil Leaders and PM Srimavo Bandaranayake (Amendments to Republican constitution) | Failed | Republican constitution was passed in 1972 without the support of Tamil parties |
1977-1982 | TULF and President J.R. Jayawardena (In July 1977 general elections Tamil people gave a mandate to the Tamil United Liberation Front - TULF, to exercise the “Right to Self-determination” in the North East) | Failed | The July 1983 riots followed, marking the beginning of Eelam War - I |
1985 | Tamil activists including the LTTE and GOSL (Thimbu talks under Indian facilitation) | Failed | GOSL rejected the Thimpu principle of Tamil homeland, Nationhood, Right to self-determination and Equal rights |
1986 | LTTE Leader and President J.R. Jayawardena (Talks mediated by Indian Prime minister in Bangalore, India) | Failed | Jeyawardena refused to recognise the right to self-determination and the homeland of the Tamils |
1987 | India and Sri Lanka (Accord) (under the guise of settling the Tamil ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.) Under this accord merger of North Eastern Province took place on 8 Sep.1988. But, after exactly 18 years, The Supreme Court delivered its political judgement on 16 October 2006, stating that the merger of these two provinces was invalid. |
Signed | Accord signed, without any consultation with Tamils, nor the LTTE, the main party to conflict. 95% Tamils didn’t support this accord. |
1989 | LTTE and President Premadasa (LTTE formed a political party and named it, “People’s Front of the Liberation Tigers -PFLT”. It was registered with the Election officials
of Sri Lanka.) |
Failed | GOSL prevented International Community knowing the support for the LTTE among the Tamils. |
1994 | LTTE and President Kumaratunga GOSL (President Chandrika and the LTTE signed an agreement for cessation of hostilities ) | Failed | Promised lifting of Economic embargo dragged on and on. Beginning of Eelam war-III |
2002-2004 | LTTE and PM Ranil Wickremasinghe (Under the facilitation of Norway a Cease Fire Agreement - CFA was signed on 22 February 2002 between the LTTE and government of Sri Lanka.) | The GOSL failed to implement the agreed outcomes of peace talks agreed outcomes of peace talks and the CFA. Several rounds of negotiations took place in Thailand, Norway and Germany | |
2005 | LTTE and President Kumaratunga
with the aim of ensuring equal
distribution of Tsunami aid to
the worst affected North East
(Post Tsunami Operational Management Structure – PTOMS was signed between he GOSL and the LTTE – 24 June 2005) |
Failed | By a political judgement from the Supreme Court, PTOMS was made null and void – 15 July 2005 |
2006 | LTTE and President Mahinda Rajapaksa (Talks in Geneva, Switzerland on Paramilitary activities) | Failed | GOSL failed to implement the agreed outcomes of Geneva talks in February 2006 April - Beginning of Eelam War – IV |
2008 January | Sri Lanka officially withdrew from the CFA on 3 January 2008 |
GOSL = Government of Sri Lanka
LTTE = Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
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