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Thousands march through Sri Lankan capital to mark anniversary of truce with Tamil Tiger rebels
Associated Press,
Sat February 25, 2006 11:22 EST .
BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI - Associated Press Writer - COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - (AP) Thousands of people paraded through the streets of Sri Lanka - 's capital on Saturday to mark the fourth anniversary of a truce that halted the island's civil war. Violence in Sri Lanka - 's volatile north has killed some 150 people since December and raised fears that the country was on the verge of returning to civil war. Yet there are signs that tensions have eased in the troubled northern Jaffna Peninsula since the peace talks, with shops staying open at night and people remaining outside after dark, a rare occurrence before the two sides sat down in Geneva. ``We have been able to go about freely since the talks,'' said K. Balasingham, a 50-year-old three-wheeler taxi driver in Jaffna, a town 300 kilometers (185 miles) north of capital, Colombo. Others, however, feared that the peaceful atmosphere might not last. ``Although there is positive news these days, at times we doubt whether the two sides will keep their promises,'' said S. Soundararajan a newspaper vendor in Jaffna. The Tamil Tigers launched their violent campaign in 1983 to create a separate state for ethnic minority Tamils, accusing the majority Sinhalese-dominated state of discrimination. The fighting claimed about 65,000 lives before the cease-fire was signed. ---- Associated Press writer Vincent Jeyan contributed to this report from Jaffna.
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Published: Sat Feb 25 12:52:40 EST 2006
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