Again, not to say that 87-89 JVP insurrection is wrong analogy, just to point out that there are more and varied examples…

and

One makes choices in life

The reasons for LTTE’s existence are no longer valid. India can no longer support terrorism in Sri Lanka, which is how this all started, and the Tamils don’t face any discrimination except for being suspected as potential terrorists, which is LTTE’s fault. It only remains as a personality cult built around the demi-god VP, funded by his followers (=devotees) in the Tamil diaspora. Once he’s gone along with Pottu Amman, the LTTE will crumble, and the guns will fall silent.

Guns can also fall silent by Negotiations as in South Sudan or by International intervention as in former Yugoslavia.

Conversely they can still keep going even after your definition of ‘defeating’ the enemy as Saddam found to his detriment in Kurdistan and Israel is continuously grappling with it in Palastine (didn’t they take out the Hamas Leader?)

Worse still the Guns can return with a vengeance even after 50 years as in El Salvador – remember ‘La Matanza’ and Farabundo Marti. It was eventually settled by Peace Agreement.

While I am not knowledgeable enough to argue about your stylized depiction of Angola and Chechnya, I thought of pointing out that there are more ways in which the Guns can fall silent.

One makes choices in life….

I would like to ask whether all the above mentioned exists in the “Republic of Sri Lanka”? If it exists we would not have had so many abductions, extrajudicial killings, demanding ransom, killing of political opponents, killing of journalist happening. Worst thing is no investigation took place, if it did, never completed, or findings made public and the pepetrators are aided and abetted by the Government. Lawless has become the hallmark of Sri Lanka. They are too numerous to mention. It does not help to pretend as these things does not happen in our “beloved” country.

ps: Sanjana…I liked MOJU better…stay cool. (Groundviews is ok…ok COOL!)

a. The JR gov in ’77 granted all the demands on language etc of the Tamil political parties (but Prabakaran continued with LTTE)
b. In ’80s IPKF came and merged N & E and provided a framework, but LTTE waged war against IPKF and would have got annihilated if not for Premadasa
c. Premadasa invited LTTE for talks, but upon the IPKF departure LTTE re-engaged in terrorism and killed over 600 policemen, who surrendered to LTTE on Premadasa’s orders
d. Under Chandrika gov further constitutional proposal were made by Neelan Thiruchelvan, but he was assassinated by LTTE
e. Ranil made incredible concession with the 2002 CFA, but that was used to stock up arms, place sleepers, build the terrorist network etc

In turn,
i. Prabakaran has reduced LTTE active areas to Tamil prisons
ii. Reduce the reputation of Tamils globally
iii. Kill the next Tamil generation and have converted the remainder to terrorists with life lasting psychological damage; displaced countless others
iv. School principles, temple dignitaries, and other Tamil leaders such as Lakshman Kadirgama, Amirthalingam, Neelan Therichelvam, Alfred Duraippah etc killed. In fact the list of Tamils killed by LTTE far exceeds the list of Sinhalese and Muslims killed by LTTE

For those convinced that Prabakaran is the liberator, here’s a question:
Why with all these concessions over the years Prabakaran insisting on terrorism? Time and again, reasonal solutions could have be reached, but everytime, he killed the very proposer.

The interesting question for all is, where would Prabakran would be if not for his business of terror. Could he have given the same luxurious life he can afford his family now if he remained his family business of smuggling???

When combatting a precarious situation like terrorism, esp ones who have their establishments within civilian preimeters, when the existence of one is a threat to hundreds or even thousands, then to preserve HR to the last letter is impossible. This is not a situation unique to SL, but during WWII, after Perl Harbor bombing, all the Japanese living in US were herded out of their homes and into horse stables…

When the JVP were a terrorist group, Sinhalese (youths as young as 14 yrs) were rounded up and almost a decade later the plight of many are unknown. If this terrible deed that had to be done were not done when it was needed to be done, then SL would be plagued with the same menace it is with LTTE. Why this problem has lived for so long and has taken so many lives is because GOSL (Gov of SL) didn’t take the proper measures it should to counter terrorism.

The writer, who claims to be a reporter, should not get emotionally carried away, but impartially report the truth. The truth is, yes, there are ‘disappearances’ – but not in the scale when JVP was persecuted, yes, people are been dtained, but definietely not in the conditions LTTE is keeping its detainees and yes, children are witnessing horror beyond description, but so many more are been forced out of their families into committing terrorism. Children as young as 10 – 12 are been forced to face a professionally trained security force. They die screaming for their mothers.

What the writer in his brief visit has not seen is the humanitarian efforts by the very Security Forces (SF) that he is blaming on – no other SF does the amount of humanitarian relief as the SLSF. If in doubt, then ask why is it before an impeding attack and even during a confrontation and then afterwards, the Tamil people move to areas under SF domination and not vice versa.