On Thursday, February 21, 2002 (Esfand 2, 1380), Western news agencies reported from Sri Lanka that the government of this country and the Tamil rebels have decided for the first time to declare an unlimited ceasefire to end the 18-year civil war. According to these reports, today the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka confirmed the ceasefire document prepared by Norwegian mediators. This historic agreement was also signed by Tamil negotiators. The agreement is set to take effect from Friday, when it will be officially announced in Oslo. Last week, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka stated that he believes the ceasefire agreement is inevitable and negotiations for a final peace agreement are likely to begin in March.
Ceasefire in Sri Lanka - February 22, 2002
The Sri Lankan government and Tamil rebels have announced an unlimited ceasefire to end an 18-year civil war, confirmed by the Prime Minister and mediated by Norway. This historic agreement is set to take effect officially on Friday, with peace negotiations expected to start in March.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The Sri Lankan government and Tamil rebels have agreed to an unlimited ceasefire to end an 18-year civil war, confirmed by the Prime Minister and mediated by Norway. The ceasefire is set to take effect officially on Friday, with peace negotiations expected to begin in March.
- The ceasefire is the first of its kind in the 18-year conflict.
- Norwegian mediators played a significant role in facilitating the agreement.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Sri Lanka has been embroiled in a civil war primarily between the government and Tamil rebels since 1983, driven by ethnic tensions and demands for autonomy.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%