The Tokyo Co-Chairs (Norway, Japan, US and EU) Tuesday called on the Tamil Tigers to lay down their arms surrender to the Sri Lankan government if the civilians of Vanni are to be spared further death and suffering. The Co-Chairs said they would (thereafter) ensure an “inclusive dialogue” that will lead to lasting peace.

US President Barack Obama sent his “warmest greetings and wishes” to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse this week on the occasion of Sri Lanka’s Independence Day. The US President hailed the two countries’ “shared beliefs in democracy, liberty, pluralism, and respect for human rights” and suggested “our governments together can work to foster peace, prosperity, and stability throughout Sri Lanka.”

LTTE fighters staged a pre-emptive strike on Sri Lankan offensive units preparing for an assault on Puthukkudiyiruppu, killing over 150 SLA troopers and wounding more than 350.

Senior leader and special member of LTTE K.V. Balakumaran was seriously wounded by Sri Lankan military bombardment, according to media reports.

In well planned operation, LTTE fighters blasted off the Kalmadukulam tank bund using high powered explosives flooding a large section of A-35 between Paranthan and Visuwamadu and staged a water-bourne attack on the Sri Lankan forces deployed in the area, inflicting heavy casualties, according to media reports.

Sea Tigers attacked a convoy of Sri Lankan naval crafts patrolling the north-eastern seas sinking two Arrow boats, according to the LTTE officials.

The leadership of the LTTE has named Selvarasa Pathmanathan, a high profile representative of the movement, as the Head of a newly established Department of International Relations, sources close to the LTTE said on Saturday, January 31.

Britain announced that aid to Sri Lanka would be doubled despite the south Asian island’s government refusing to heed to international calls to halt the war it’s waging in which hundreds of Tamils have been brutally killed in the past ten days alone.

The Norwegian Foreign Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, in a statement issued on Tuesday, January 27 said his government condemned the ongoing war in Sri Lanka, which has caused "unacceptable sufferings to the civilians," in the country.

As the number of Tamil civilian deaths mounted inside the government proposed safety zone due to artillery bombardment by Sri Lankan forces, the co-chairs and India reacted with varying responses showing disarray within the international community on Sri Lanka’s ongoing civil war.

Backing Delhi's stand on Sri Lankan ethnic conflict, ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu on February 3 urged the Sri Lankan government to ‘extend its full cooperation’ to ‘work out a permanent solution which will ensure full devolution of powers and autonomy to Tamils living in northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka’ while washing its hands off the ceasefire demand saying the state government had no right to interfere in the internal affairs of a foreign country.

About a hundred thousand people, including college students from all over Tamil Nadu, cadres of various pro-Eelam political parties, women organizations, mediapersons and members of the public participated in the funeral procession on January 31 Tamil Nadu journalist Muthukumar, who burnt himself to death in front of the Shastri Bhavan, the Indian Central Government's Chennai Head office two days earlier.

More than 10,000 French Tamils participated in a demonstration protesting against the killing of several hundred civilians by Sri Lanka military in the past week, and urging Pakistan to stop military and other assistance to the Sri Lanka Government to prosecute war against Tamils, sources in Paris said

Over 50,000 Tamils took to the streets of Toronto, Canada, on January 30 to protest against the "genocide of innocents in Sri Lanka's conflict zone."