I fully agree with fellow K Narayanasamy on the violence of the LTTE. But I cannot agree with the concept of "in order to defend yourself, you need to be defenceless".

This could be apply if the world community or the UN immediately interferes the moment any atrocity is committed on minorities of a country but that is not the way now. Many countries just say these atrocities are their domestic affairs. Which country will listen to outside voices?

The world watches from the outside till thousands of people killed and then only will they start to act. We shall not need to look very far away, the examples of East Timor (Timor Leste) and Aceh can suffice. Where were all the countries and world bodies at that time? How did they defend the innocent minority women and children? The answer is they didn't.

I do not condone violence by any party but what means do certain people have to bring their plight to the attention of others? How many lives have to be sacrificed and for how many years do they have to fight for their rights in the countries in which they were born?

Trust me, lots of people know how it feels to be treated as a third-class citizen in their own countries.