Sri Lanka

The situation there is chronic, burning and incisive. My views below. Since it has a long history - any incorrect assumptions here can be corrected:

1) Both the Indian central government and the TN state government are not interested in solving the problem. It is fine - just state that as a fact and step away. Do not use this kind of scenario for politics - please!

2) The situation is not a concern because tamilians are being killed, but because people are being killed.

3) LTTE is not the problem. LTTE is an outcome of the problem.

4) This is important: LTTE is not the solution either. Any perceived solution that is rooted on terrorism can never be the solution.

5) The Sri Lankan president is not the president of the country. Politically, may be. In spirit - no! He is only a president for a subset of the people. It will never work in running a country.

6) Tamilians are no longer a minority in the country. It is infeasible and unfair to treat them that way.

7) My understanding of the problem: There is a deep seated prejudice that tamilians are outsiders of the country. It is no longer true. In spirit, they need to be accomodated as part of the country. All priviliges extended out to people must be common without any demarcation.

8) There is only one solution. Removal of the prejudice. Stated in one sentence, but it is nowhere going to be easy. It at least needs to happen on paper from the president. If that is not feasible, there is no end to the problem. An alternate solution, at least on temporary basis, is to consider something like dual presidentship for the country, one representative from each side. I am tempted to laugh even as I type this.

9) A separate state is not a bad idea, but it is being requested out of prejudice. It will be a "no" at all times. If it is for cultural convenience, it may be fine (Think on lines of Kerala or Tamil Nadu for example). It is not a pressing necessity.

10) The current situation is only compounding the existing problem. "Peace will not come automatically" if LTTE is elimiated.

We are not viewing people as people. This problem will be non existent if that were the case! Where we are today, I don't see a solution in the near future and that is a very sad fact.