Sri Lanka on high alert after rebels suspend talks

Both sides had been due to meet again in Thailand next week, and the move by the guerillas was a large blow to hopes of ending the 19 year insurgency soon.

“The president directed (the armed forces) to reintroduce immediately the security measures that were set up in 1995 to ensure the security and safety of the people,” Kumaratunga’s office said.

Earlier peace talks failed in 1995 after a 100 day ceasefire and the rebels attacked Sri Lanka’s navy, which was caught off-guard.

The statement did not say what measures would be taken, but in 1995 Kumaratunga ordered roadblocks set up around the country and increased military presence. There was no immediate sign of boosted security on the streets today.

The rebels, who have fought for 19 years for a separate homeland for Sri Lanka’s minority Tamils, signed a Norwegian-brokered ceasefire with the government in February last year.

Since then they have agreed to accept greater autonomy, instead of full independence, and a seventh round of peace talks had been scheduled to be held in Thailand next week.

But in a letter yesterday to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the rebels said they were temporarily suspending the peace talks because the government had failed to implement the truce agreement fully.

They accused the government of not doing enough to allow hundreds of thousands of displaced people, mostly Tamils, to return home, and of doing too little to revive the economy in the north-east, where most of the war was fought.

The Tigers, however, said they were still committed to a negotiated settlement and gave no indication they would restart hostilities – which have killed nearly 65,000 people since the insurgency began in 1983.

Either party is required to give 14 days’ notice if they wish to withdraw from the ceasefire agreement.