By: Bandula Jayasekara, 

One cannot compare the democratically elected government of Sri Lanka to a ruthless terrorist organization such as the Tamil Tigers (LTTE), which has killed thousands of innocent Sri Lankan Tamils, Sinhalese, Muslims, Malays and Burghers. The Tigers are also responsible for murdering democratically elected Sri Lankan Tamil leaders such as foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, deputy secretary general of the peace secretariat Ketheesh Loganathan, Jaffna mayor Sarojini Yogeswaran and minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle.

More than 60 % of Sri Lankan Tamils today live peacefully among the Sri Lankan Sinhalese. Democratic Tamil United Liberation Front leader V. Anandasangaree cannot even go to his constituency office since the Tigers threatened his life. Another Sri Lankan Tamil minister, Douglas Devananda, has escaped nearly 13 assassination attempts by the LTTE. It is not the Sri Lankan government that poses a threat to Sri Lankan Tamils, but terrorists who claim to speak for them and then resort to brutal violence when Sri Lankan Tamils dare to say otherwise.I totally and categorically deny Ms. Selvarajah's allegation that the government of Sri Lanka is responsible for widespread abductions and disappearances in the country.

Innocent Civilians killed by Tiger Terrorists

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa is a campaigner for human rights. It is the LTTE which is trying to do such things in the face of defeat and to discredit not only the government of Sri Lanka but the people of Sri Lanka as well.Sri Lanka will always stand by its people and will protect its citizens against all odds. The world must realize that Sri Lanka is fighting the most ruthless separatist group, one that pioneered suicide bombings and has used pregnant women to carry out such terrorist acts.In her column, Ms. Selvarajah does not mention the killing of Tamils by the LTTE and more recently the killing of Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, a Tamil Catholic priest.