Many Tamils seem to support the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) as they tend to believe that a truly Tamil-land (Tamil-Eelam) can be established where the Tamils will have complete self- governance. Tamils around the globe are donating funds generously towards this movement so that it could have the best military equipment to challenge the Sri Lankan army.

In any nation where more than one community live - especially with a majority-minority balance - there is bound to be some perception of bias. Solutions need to be found by peaceful means.

When a movement has decided to take the path of terrorism, it will not tolerate any party in its path. Moderate Tamil leaders have been murdered by the Tamil Tigers, and if there is 'peace' in the areas under its control, it is highly debatable whether this is not due to the 'fear' factor that has been clearly instilled into the hearts of the people there.

If the argument is that the Sinhalese leaders were uncompromising and that this stance had created the need for the Tamil Tigers to choose violence, then the two groups are going to be harder towards each other as is amply illustrated time and again.

In the meantime, young Tamils in the affected areas do not enjoy proper education and many - including the girls - are recruited as 'Tigers'. The scar on their lives is going to be profound with a feeling of hatred and unhappiness throughout their lives.

The LTTE leaders are always safe, leaving the recruits to do the 'valiant deeds'. And the funders are also happily living with their families in other countries.

Sri Lanka is a country, and its citizens - be they the Buddhist, Sinhalese or the Hindu-Tamils - must learn to coexist. This can't happen when one group is steeped in violence with suicide bombings here and there. The international organisations will not be able to play any meaningful role in such a state of conflict. Those living in other countries should not interfere by funding the feuding parties.

No matter how eloquently the supporters of LTTE present their views, terrorism as a means to achieve an objective will only generate more violence and there will be no end in sight. The poor people will continue to suffer.

The promise of a Tamil-Land (Tamil-Eelam) may be very enticing, but the use of terrorism means it will be built upon the skeletons of the thousands killed along the way.

Alternatives must be looked into, and sane leaders must emerge. For that to happen, support in terms of funding for the LTTE from overseas must stop.