Rajiva Wijesinha

“ We have to follow the example of a President who stood steadfast against terror whilst never swerving from his goal of a political solution to political problems. We have to respect the armed forces who resisted provocation to the end, and succeeded in rescuing a quarter of a million who had been taken hostage while the rest of the world ignored this manoeuvre. And we should salute too those Tamil politicians who resisted the temptation to cross over to terrorism, frightened though they must have been of the fate that befell so many of their number who dared to resist. ”

“ Though many Sri Lankans of all backgrounds have died, and not least members of the forces, who sacrificed so much in the last few weeks so that civilians could be saved, we must remember that it was Tamil children who were the most prominent victims of the terror, forced to die as well as to inflict death. ”

“ In our case, though there was inevitably happiness at the end of the terror that had stalked us for so long, there was also sobriety, because we had suffered for so long, and we know that the end of one problem can often lead to another. ”