Government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels today begin observing their first internationally-monitored truce in what could lead to a permanent end to a conflict that has claimed more than 60,000 lives.
Unarmed soldiers could been seen on the streets of the northern town of Vavuniya, which lies on the front line of territory held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), as guns fell silent across Sri Lanka in line with the Norwegian-brokered ceasefire.
The formal bilateral truce went into effect today, although the LTTE had been observing a unilateral ceasefire since Christmas Eve, which the government had reciprocated.
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Women fighters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) stand on the rebel side of a border crossing in Omanthai in north-central Sri Lanka. The crossing has been reopened as a goodwill gesture ahead. Photo: Reuters
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It is the first step on the road to negotiations between the government and the LTTE, which has been fighting for an independent Tamil homeland in the north and east of the Sinhalese-majority island.
The chief civil administrator, Mr K. Ganesh, said the ceasefire agreement, which envisages confidence-building measures between the government and Tamil Tigers, will help ease the suffering of civilians.
"People should feel a sense of normalcy with the ceasefire and that is happening now," Mr Ganesh said.
Representatives from Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland will arrive in Sri Lanka shortly to monitor the ceasefire.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told troops yesterday that the truce did not mean the end of the war but was a "small step" in the direction of peace talks.
A female army officer said: "We welcome the truce, but there is also a fear among many volunteers that they will be de-mobilised and be without a job very soon."
Her concerns were addressed to some extent by the prime minister who promised there would be no redundancies in the 120,000-strong military.
Mr Wickremesinghe's peace drive has received widespread international support with the Commonwealth, Britain, Canada, India, Japan and the United States all issuing statements backing the process.
AFP