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Tamil Tigers announce ceasefire

COLOMBO, Dec 21 (AP) — The Tamil Tigers today declared a month-long unilateral ceasefire, claiming that it was a “goodwill measure to facilitate the peace process”, a statement on their official website said.

The statement said the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Velupillai Prabhakaran, has issued orders to all units and combat formations of the LTTE army to “cease hostile military actions against the Sri Lanka armed forces from midnight 24th December 2000 to midnight 24th January 2001.”

The announcement comes after the government rejected the rebel demand for de-escalation of fighting before peace negotiations could resume.

The LTTE also said it was prepared to extend the “period of peace” if the Sri Lankan Government responded “positively by ceasing armed hostilities against our forces and takes steps to implement the Norwegian proposal of mutual confidence-building measures.”