NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL DEAR REDIFF THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES US ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Sri Lanka lifted all travel restrictions to the island nation's northern regions, stronghold of the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, on Monday, ahead of a formal ceasefire agreement with the rebels.
The restrictions were imposed way back in 1987 after a pact between the J R Jayawardene government and the LTTE, under which India sent peace-keeping forces to the country, collapsed.
Now Sri Lankan nationals as well as foreigners, including diplomats, will be able to travel to LTTE-held areas without restriction, a defence ministry statement said. They will, however, do so at their own risk.
The government has also done away with the need to obtain clearance from the defence ministry before buying air tickets to the government-held northern town of Jaffna.
But foreigners travelling to Jaffna will need permission in writing from the Sri Lankan mission from which they have got visas to visit the island.
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