Sri Lanka eases Tamil Tiger embargo

Both the government and rebels are adhering to a ceasefire that began on December 25

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (CNN) -- Trucks filled with food and other essential supplies rolled into Tamil Tiger held areas of northern Sri Lanka Tuesday, part of newly-elected Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's efforts to ease tensions between the government and the rebel movement and pave the way for peace talks.

Diesel, petrol, cement and iron rods are being allowed into the regions controlled by the rebels, but only on a restricted basis as portions of a 20-year economic embargo against the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Elam (LTTE) were lifted.

But remaining in place was a ban on the import of arms, ammunitions, barbed wire, binoculars, as well as pen light batteries -- used to make homemade landmines.

The four categories are the only items that remain fully banned out of an original government list numbering more than 40.

Trucks were dropping supplies at a Tamil checkpoint where they were then loaded onto other transports for the journey into the heart of rebel-held territory, the Vanni region.

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The influx of supplies had already begun to lower the prices on essential goods, reports said.

As part of the first group of international journalists to visit Vanni in many years, CNN's Kasra Naji said it was evident life under the embargo was reduced to a basic level, adding it was like entering another country.

He said most residents used bicycles for transportation because of an embargo-caused fuel shortage.

According to Naji, locals looked surprised by the appearance of visitors.

Wickremesinghe said he received an overwhelming mandate from the electorate in the December 5 elections to bring peace to the country, ravaged by nearly two decades of war with the Tamil Tigers fighting for a homeland of their own in Sri Lanka.

More than 64,000 people have been killed in 18 years of conflict between government forces and Tamil rebels.

The war has also cost Sri Lanka a heavy economic price, driving away investors and holding back the development of key industries such as tourism.

Both sides are currently mid-way through a month-long ceasefire and hopes are high that the truce will be extended.

The Sri Lanka government is hopeful peace talks will begin by March and has asked the government of Norway to facilitate discussions between the Wickremesinghe administration and the rebels.

-- CNN's Kasra Naji contributed to this report.