Sri Lanka rebels declare monthlong cease-fire

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) -- Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels declared a monthlong, unilateral cease-fire Wednesday, saying it was a goodwill measure to advance the peace process.

The leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Velupillai Prabhakaran, has issued orders to its combat units to "cease all hostile military actions against the Sri Lankan armed forces" starting midnight Dec. 24, said a statement faxed to news agencies from northern Sri Lanka.

The Tigers have been fighting since 1983 for an independent homeland for minority Tamils in the northern and eastern parts of the small island-nation off the southern coast of India. More than 64,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

The new government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, elected to power on Dec. 5, has promised to end the civil war, and is seen as more acceptable to the Tamil rebels than the previous government of President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

Wickremesinghe has said he would hold talks with the rebels, while Kumaratunga moved toward an all out military offensive.

"We fervently hope that the new government of Sri Lanka will reciprocate positively," the rebel statement said.

The rebels said they were prepared to extend the cease-fire.

There was no immediate reaction from the government.