In the midst of the war, a revolt by militant Sinhalese nationalists was ruthlessly crushed by President Ranasinghe Premadasa.

That action set off an extremely violent reaction among radical Sinhalese nationalists in the south of the country, who - like the President himself - blamed India for having earlier armed and trained the Tamils.

There is a theory proposed by Sinhalese nationalists that points to the southern part of Sri Lanka as the capital of Ravana, hence the name Ruhuna came to existence.

Monks in Sri Lanka have joined or supported extreme Sinhalese nationalists who murdered thousands of "class enemies" in the 1980's.

In the late 1980's, a militant Sinhalese movement called the People's Liberation Front began a campaign of terror and assassinations intended to topple the Government and bring hard-line Sinhalese nationalists to power.

Sri Lanka's new president, Mahinda Rajapakse, who came to power with the backing of the southern ethnic Sinhalese nationalists, has, since his election in November, given a nod to continued Norwegian mediation.

Sinhalese ethnic nationalists in the South denounced the aid-sharing.

As funerals began taking place all over Sri Lanka today the Government has continued to reject calls for revenge from Sinhalese nationalists.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Army is in the south and center to quell attacks by Sinhalese nationalists also opposed to the accord.

Their presence was resented by Sinhalese nationalists.