Colombo:
Following are some of the major events of the Sri Lankan ethnic crisis:
- 1972: Ceylon changes its name to Sri Lanka and Buddhism given primary place as country's religion, which further antagonised the ethnic Tamil minorities, who already felt that they are being marginalised.
- 1976: Velupillai Prabhakaran forms Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
- 1977: Tamil United Liberation Front, a separatist party, wins all seats in the Tamil-dominated areas in Sri Lanka's north-east. Anti-Tamil riots leave more than 100 Tamils dead.
- 1981: Public library in Jaffna, cultural capital of the Sri Lankan Tamils, set on fire causing further resentment among the Tamil community.
- 1983: 13 soldiers killed in LTTE ambush, sparking anti-Tamil riots across the north-east leading to the deaths of several hundred community members.
- 1985: First peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and LTTE fails.
- 1987: Sri Lankan troops push LTTE back into northern city of Jaffna. Government signs accords creating new councils for Tamil areas in north and east and reaches agreement with India on deployment of Indian peace-keeping force.
- 1990: IPKF leaves Sri Lanka. Violence between Sri Lankan army and the Tamil Tigers escalates.
- 1991: Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi killed in a suicide attack near Chennai. LTTE accused of carrying out the killing.
- 1993: LTTE suicide bomber kills Sri Lankan President Premadasa.
- 1994: Chandrika Kumaratunga comes to power. Opens talks with the LTTE.
- 2002: Sri Lanka and LTTE sign a ceasefire agreement brokered by Norway.
- 2004: Tamil Tiger commander Karuna leads split in rebel movement and goes underground with his supporters.
- 2005: Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar killed by LTTE sniper.
- January 2008: Government abrogates the ceasefire.
- July 2008: Sri Lankan military says it has captured the important Tamil Tiger naval base of Vidattaltivu in the north.
- January 2009: Troops capture Tigers de-facto capital of Kilinochchi.
- April 2009: Troops capture the last town held by LTTE in the Mullaittivu district.
- May 16, 2009: President Mahinda Rajapaksa announces that the LTTE has been militarily defeated.
- May 17, 2009: LTTE concedes defeat.
