Asia home page | Asia Breaking News

Visit our special sections for latest developments and analysis:

Sri Lankan road opened to help peace process

A strategic road in Sri Lanka known as the "Highway of Death" has re-opened as the government and the Tamil Tiger rebels say they are close to signing a deal for an indefinite ceasefire.

The A-9 highway runs from central Sri Lanka to Jaffna peninsula in the north, cutting through a huge area of rebel-held jungle.

The road was dubbed the "Highway of Death" during 1997-98 when the military conducted a major offensive which claimed the lives of more than 3,700 rebels and troops.

The re-opening is the latest in a series of confidence-building measures implemented since the election of a new government in December on a peace mandate to end the civil war.

The government and Tamil separatists are on the verge of peace talks brokered by Norway.

16/02/2002 00:08:58 | ABC Radio Australia News

More Asia Breaking News 17/05/2002 23:45:20 East Timor Bishop sees the negative side of reconcilliation 17/05/2002 23:45:20 East Timor bustles with crowds 17/05/2002 23:45:21 Australia and British troops kill al-Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan 17/05/2002 23:45:22 Burmese opposition leader hopes for new talks with junta 17/05/2002 23:45:22 Australia to tell China it would be a more reliable supplier of gas 17/05/2002 23:45:20 East Timor to receive 90 percent of oil and gas from Timor Sea Treaty

Back

Related Stories

15/02/2002 05:40:25
Sri Lanka Muslims protest rebel abductions

12/02/2002 05:33:11
Sri Lanka lifts restrictions on travel

08/02/2002 05:03:29
Norwegian peace brokers begin work in Sri Lanka

08/02/2002 05:03:11
Tamil Tigers and Sri Lankan gov't to begin talks on troops

Related Sites

World News from Radio Australia
News across Asia, the Pacific and beyond.