operations. 

While the rebels announce that they are in favor of a long term truce, Sri Lankan nationalists are holding larger and larger demonstrations against what they see as attempts by Tamils to permanently partition the country. There has never been widespread, and sustained, enthusiasm for continued military operations against the rebel held territory in the north. These lands could become permanently Tamil controlled. But there is still a large Tamil population in eastern Sri Lanka that lives under government control. Rebels operate there, and would no doubt continue to do so after a truce and recognition of the Tamil controlled zone in the north. This sets up a situation for another round of civil war as the rebels attempt to "liberate" their "brothers" in eastern Sri Lanka.