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| 1995, Jan. 8 |
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| A truce went into effect in Sri Lanka between government and rebel groups. | 1 |
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| 1996, Jan. 31 |
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| Rebels bombed Colombo, the capital, killing dozens. | 2 |
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| 1999, Dec. 18 |
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| Pres. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga was injured by a bomb attack at a campaign rally three days before elections in which she won a second year in office. | 3 |
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| 2000, Aug. 8 |
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| Pres. Kumaratunga tried to pass a new constitution in hopes of ending the ongoing civil war by giving more autonomy to the minority Hindu Tamils. She postponed the referendum when it became apparent that the constitution would not receive the necessary two-thirds vote. | 4 |
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| Aug. 10 |
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| Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike, who in 1960 had become the world's first elected female prime minister, resigned from that position due to ill health. She died one month later. | 5 |
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| Oct. 10 |
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| In parliamentary elections the People's Alliance Party, backed by President Kumaratunga, was returned to power. However, the coalition did not secure the majority needed for passage of her Tamil autonomy plan. | 6 |
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