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A.J.N. Selvadurai says… Many Sinhala people including young writers are now putting the blame on the LTTE for starting the war. Some of them were not born, or too young to remember S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike’s disastrous "Sinhala only" language policy of 1956, which instantly divided the country on ethnic lines by the mere stroke of a pen.

He got the blessings of the Maha Sangha and the Sinhala majority because they were so elated and could not see into the future, beyond their noses. Many Sinhalese feel that they are the real victims of the LTTE forgetting the state terrorism created under President J.R. Jayewardene in 1983.

Instead of befriending the minorities, the biggest mistake they made was forcing the hitherto docile Tamils to take up arms and demand a separate state of Eelam. The GOSL pressed this self-distrust pattern and shot themselves in the foot.

Now they have abrogated the peace pact and declared war on the LTTE, determined to destroy them in order to bring about peace. It is like Chandrika’s disastrous "war for peace" which failed miserably.

Now they have started a completely new thing called "operation eviction," carried out against Tamil lodgers in Colombo, indicating the government’s polarised mind-set, which led them to categorise those Tamils as terrorist subjects.

In fact, a friend of mine in London who is a doctor and went on a short visit to Colombo, was one of the unfortunate ones to be rounded up. This is what the LTTE have been trying to prove to the world that there are two ethnic groups, namely Sinhalese and Tamil. The GOSL has now by its actions of thuggery only confirmed to the world the existence of two separate nations.

The LTTE has successfully trapped them into doing this. The world is now fully aware that the north and east is the homeland of the Tamils and that they should live there. What else do the Tamils need now to prove their case for secession?

The war of attrition in the LTTE not only affects the enemy but also its own people. It is clearly counter productive. The cost of living is rising and the people are highly demoralised to the extent that the Ariya Sinhala people are now in a rebellious mood. They have now formed their own "Sinhala Tigers" to fight the government.

Many Sinhalese now seem to think that it has been such a waste — aparadey — and that peace and co-existence with the Tamils is the only option they have instead of perpetual conflict.

I hope the UN and the international community now realise that there is no option but to stop this war and listen to the just demands of the oppressed Tamil minority. The GOSL is now not in a position to prove to the world that secession is not an option. The LTTE has proved that there is no other option.

Cuda Banda Ratwatta says… There is a cry by all manner of dubious organizations such as the OPA and some other persons to appoint the members of the constitutional council. I must say that, that is the prerogative of the President and not an issue about which civil or professional organizations can or should shout themselves hoarse. He must have a good reason for not making the appointments.

An executive President is a blessing for a country to both the minorities and the majority. Under parliamentary democracy, the minorities are ignored. They may be equal before the law and that is it. It is the right that the majority must rule with a degree of fairness to the minorities.

Their clamour to have a vice President for each minority is an absurd suggestion. Minorities must learn to live as minorities or go to a country where every minority has majority status like the UK. In our country much of the commerce and business is in the hands of the minorities. The gem trade is in the hands of a minority. Much of the Galle road frontage up to Bambalapitiya is minority owned. One minority group populates the Colombo district.

I believe that the country is well served when the President has the right to make these appointments and not as some members of parliament of various parties want it. I hope the President does not make these appointments as A, B, and C wants, but have the procedure to appoint the constitutional council amended so that he has a greater say in these -vital appointments like the IGP. As it is, what if these three appointees do as they please and do not please or serve the majority? After all we are a democracy, and the majority must have the final say.

Finally, when the President has greater authority we develop faster.

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