Sri Lanka
The Tamil Tigers, a fierce rebel group, said this week they would seek self-determination, not full independence—effectively ending Sri Lanka’s 19-year civil war. The statement came after three days of talks at a Thai naval base. During the war, the Tigers sought complete independence for the Tamil minority, and 64,000 people were killed—many in brutal attacks on civilians who didn’t support the rebels’ goal. With a cease-fire in effect, aid organizations stepped up efforts to bring relief to refugees. Negotiations for setting up a Tamil minority homeland within Sri Lanka are scheduled to begin in October.
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