Theacknowledgment of a Tamil right to self-rule in their own homeland marks a welcome evolution in US policy.

'The Tamils have already made the biggest concession of all by making a form of self-rule, rather than independence, their aim.”

Playing political football with child soldiers.

At some point in during the peace process, the international community assumed that it was no longer necessary to apply the concept of parity to resolving the Tamil question.

“There are reports that the Indian government is providing radars to the Sri Lankan government, which is waging an undeclared war on Tamils in the island nation and carrying out attacks on civilians.”

A lasting political solution means regional peace

“We call upon the Government of India and people of India to be magnanimous to put the past behind and to approach the ethnic question in a different perspective.”

Nothing has changed since the ‘War for Peace’ ended.

There is no sense that the international community actually understands what the Tamils themselves want. Or care to find out either.

Denying the Tigers legitimacy took priority over resolving the conflict - and has led to the brink of war.

"Army-backed paramilitaries and troops continued what international monitors have described as a ‘campaign of targeted killings’"

“Since April this year the Sri Lanka military has conducted several bouts of sustained air and artillery bombardment against our controlled areas in Trincomalee” - Mr. Elilan

A scorched earth policy is a military tactic which involves destroying anything that might be useful to the enemy while advancing through or withdrawing from an area.

LTTE forces escape SLA’s pincer move.