Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Kilinochchi's fall

With the fall of Kilinochchi, the administrative and political headquarters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the resolute and uncompromising efforts of the Sri Lankan army have paid off. The victory is an extraordinary accomplishment for President Mahinda Rajapaksa. One can be sure that the LTTE, a terror group, is at last on its way out of Sri Lanka. The challenge before Colombo now is to restore the confidence of the Tamils in the island nation by ensuring equal rights to them.

S. Lakshmi,

Wayanad

The Sri Lankan government has indeed won a decisive victory against the forces of terrorism. President Rajapaksa deserves to be congratulated on achieving it. In a world where powerful nations pay only lip service to the `war on terrorism' and some nations actually encourage terrorism, Sri Lanka's contribution is invaluable. India should help its neighbour to sustain the victory in every way possible.

Bernard Thangasamy,

Coimbatore

The capture of Kilinochchi is a decisive victory for the Sri Lankan armed forces. It is also a victory for President Rajapaksa's support to the military.

Air Comdr V.V. Nair (retd.),

Manipal

The fall of Kilinochchi is a deathly blow to the Tigers. But the Sri Lankan army should not be blind to the LTTE's ability to strike back. Now that Kilinochchi has fallen, it should consolidate its grip over the troubled areas. India must step up its vigil across the Palk Strait to prevent the entry of LTTE cadres into its territory. Our politicians too should adopt a practical approach to the issue.

Salin Thomas,

Kottayam

While the LTTE's defeat in Kilinochchi is definitely good news, it raises some doubts. It may signal the presence of an alternative strategy to stun Colombo later in the day. Sri Lanka should be more cautious and alert than ever before as the Tigers, though beaten, are very much alive.

V. Chandrashekar,

Chennai

The LTTE's fall in Kilinochchi should come as a relief to all neutral observers who would like to see the end of the suffering of Sri Lankan Tamils. For a permanent solution to emerge on the ethnic issue, one must address the root cause which is the way the Sinhalese have perceived their historicity, particularly in the post-independence era.

In order to settle the issue, Colombo should launch an impartial study of the excavations of Tamil settlements and inscriptions. Unless the fundamental issue is sorted out, the Sinhalese will continue to perceive any concession to Tamils as unnecessary.

T.D. Nandakumar,

Bangalore

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