Associated Press,  Sun Mar 19 02:39:53 EST 2006

    BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI  -   Associated Press Writer  -              COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -  (AP)  Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels have abducted two teenagers in troubled eastern Sri Lanka - , the military said Sunday.        Sri Lanka - 's military and the U.N. children's agency have repeatedly accused the Tigers of forcing young people to become combatants.
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- The Academic

Why cannot the Government demand from the LTTE that International monitors should be allowed freely to check and ascertain  in the LTTE controlled areas as to how many children are under training  for armed conflict.  When the Government officials cannot go into their territory, how come the LTTE could go into Government held territory in the name of political work. Political work by the LTTE should begin only after reaching a solution and not before.

[quote="Sellam"]Why cannot the Government demand from the LTTE that International monitors should be allowed freely to check and ascertain  in the LTTE controlled areas as to how many children are under training  for armed conflict.  When the Government officials cannot go into their territory, how come the LTTE could go into Government held territory in the name of political work. Political work by the LTTE should begin only after reaching a solution and not before.[/quote]

It is a funny situation indeed.

They are fighting for a separate state. So it is to their benefit that the Wanni area mimics a separate state to the best it can. On the other hand, GOSL endeavors to drive home the point that the inhabitants of the Wanni land as citizens of Sri Lanka.

GOSL would like to have LTTE open the doors for free entry, so that a single country becomes a reality. On the other hand LTTE would love to see GOSL restrict their entry to govt. controlled areas, giving legitimacy to their separate state.

This is not unlike a married couple who have separated. One wants to go ahead with a divorce and legitimize the separation. The other wants to reconcile. The International Community is the judge and jury. Acts that enrage and drive the parties away from each other benefits the one who wants a divorce. Acts that bring the parties together benefits the one who wants reconciliation. Often this makes me wonder whose side the JVP is on.