In January and February the government held discussions with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), a party that was formerly viewed as having close links with the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, Tamil Tigers). Talks focused on constitutional changes that might help to bring about ethnic reconciliation and lasting peace. They also touched on the resettlement of people in high-security zones in the Northern province. TNA representatives voiced concerns that a number of tractors donated by India and meant for the Northern and Eastern provinces had ended up instead in the Southern province, a majority-Sinhalese region with close ties to Sri Lanka's president, Mahinda Rajapakse.

The government has stressed that it remains committed to returning Muslims displaced by the LTTE from the Northern province. Some 8,000-10,000 of the 70,000 people thought to have been forced from their homes during the purge of Muslims that the LTTE carried out in 1990 have already returned, according to the government. Most of the remainder are currently living in and around Puttalam, in the north-west of the island.