ABSTRACT
By 2001, the devastating outcome of the civil war waged since the mid-1980s had left its mark on the republic of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Neither side was able to bring the costly fighting to a decisive conclusion. Against this background, the United National Front party won the December 2001 parliamentary elections, replacing the People’s Alliance government. The decades-long civil war took a heavy toll on both parties. Both faced rising economic and political costs in continuing to wage war, and neither side was able to bring the costly fighting to a decisive conclusion and win a clear political victory. The rising costs of continuing the conflict and a perceived inability to win the war against the LTTE were key factors in spurring the government of Sri Lanka to consider the path of negotiation. In 2001, the Sri Lankan military was engaged in fierce battles with the LTTE and suffered heavy casualties.
