ABSTRACT
The separatist War in Sri Lanka evolved from a very low-intensity conflict in the Jaffna Peninsula into a major conflagration that engulfed the entire country and devastated much of the North and the East of the island. The long military contest between the Tigers and the government can be reduced to one of simple objectives. The Tigers wanted to dominate and rule the north and the east, and the government wanted to prevent that. The military operations were a means of achieving these objectives. The escalating war posed the Sri Lankan Security Forces a serious challenge. Civilians came in for severe punishment due to the lack of professionalism as well as the backwardness of resources. With the struggle for territory, the nature of the conflict also changed. The ultimate military defeat of the Tamil Tigers was part of a long process that gradually weakened the rebels militarily as well as diplomatically and strengthened the Sri Lankan Security Forces and government.
