Sri Lanka's top international donors are warning that the island's peace process could be in danger.
The European Union, the United States, Japan and Norway Tuesday called on Colombo and Tamil Tiger rebels to take immediate steps to halt the violence on the island. They said the wider peace process would be gravely jeopardized and international support eroded if the ceasefire agreement collapses.
Tamil rebels have warned that the three-year-old ceasefire is in jeopardy because of recent attacks on its forces. Rebels have demanded safety assurances from the government, but Colombo says it has already taken the necessary steps.
Tensions have also risen after the Supreme Court recently struck down an illegal government plan to share tsunami aid with the rebels. The agreement had been seen as a confidence-building measure toward a possible resumption of peace talks on hold since April 2003.