The Sri Lankan Separatists War was an armed conflict fought between the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, and the
Government of Sri Lanka, after the prelude of the
Sri Lankan Civil war between the
Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation,
Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front,
People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam and
Government of Sri Lanka, as the conflict came to an end with the Indo-Lanka accord (1987), where the armed groups made peace and they stopped fighting with the government in the late 1980s to early 1990s by aligning with the state. However, the radical extremist organisation LTTE was formed in demanding a sperate state, which emerged as the dominant armed force among extremist Tamil militants and transformed the struggle into a more organised and intense civil war, pursuing an armed campaign for a separate state. The 26-year conflict came to an end on 18 May 2009, with the total military defeat of the LTTE, and thus the day was marked as a day of celebration across the island. Celebrations of the first anniversary were presided over by President
Mahinda Rajapaksa, whose government was in power when the war ended. The day also recognises all civilians who died in the war. The day is a step towards reconciliation between all ethnic communities of the country.
Commemorations for the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam are not permitted. ==Anniversaries==