Rajiva Wijesinha

“ I realize there is not much room for optimism. Given the intransigence of the LTTE leadership when peace at almost any price seemed the policy of the Sri Lankan government, a change is not likely when genuine compromise is necessary. However where Mr Thamilselvam was not in a position to give his leader the hard political advice that was essential, and sacrificed both his position and the Peace Secretariat that worked under him to the intransigence at the top, his successor may have both the understanding and the ability to initiate change. ”

“ As a result, the admirable conduct of the Sri Lankan forces in conducting its clearing up operations in the East, conduct admired positively by the SLMM in private and negatively in its reports which do not record any violations in the course of operations - except with regard to Kathiravelli which I have discussed elsewhere – has been ignored by the world. ”

“ Since a child cannot voluntarily join the LTTE military force, all recruitment will have to be treated as abduction. He had also argued that looking at the history of the six rounds of talks, there is an acknowledgement that recruitment should not be continued, and that continued recruitment was extremely damaging to the image of the LTTE at the international level’. ”