His Excellency The High Commissioner for Sri Lanka
35, Avenue Road,
St John's wood,
London NW8

Dear Sir,

On Tuesday last, Americans were given the occasion to experience first hand, the effect of terrorism, which we in our country had been facing for the past twenty years. I hear from every direction, I see on every TV channel, nothing but developing new situations pertaining to the great American tragedy. I also hear about the hardships Israelis have to undergo in the hands of the 'Palestinian terrorists' from some Americans as well as the Israeli politicians who are exploiting the opportunity to the full by trying to draw parallels with the incident(s) in the US. The British, the French , the Russians, and the Spanish too have taken the chance to compare their own tragic experiences with the attack on US.

I am puzzled by the silence of our own people in prominence, when they could take up the opportunity to tell the world about the physical, social and economic suffering of our people due to similar terrorist activities. Why do they let the rest of the world believe, what we have in Sri Lanka is a freedom fight against an oppressive majority. None of our politicians has yet come forward even to call the Tamil terrorists, terrorists. Instead our own politicians too call them Tigers, giving them undue credence. Our problem has become so insignificant to the world community.

I am calling upon you to use your office to draw a parallel with the American tragedy and shout out to establish in the minds of all peace loving people of the world, that we in Sri Lanka too suffer from the ghastly after-effects of terrorism. Please do not let anyone run away with the idea that only Muslim fanatics can perpetrate such cruelty, but the Tamils do too. Please do not let them consider the terrorism in our country is any different to the terrorism America saw on Tuesday last. Please do tell them the pain our people felt after various explosions is exactly the same as the pain as any American felt after the attacks. The sense of loss the colour of blood and the agony they all are similar. There is a lot we can do to achieve this while the world's focus is active and a lot of us are ready to assist you and waiting for your call.

Please do your best to make us heard. You owe it to your country. We all do.

Jayaweva

C. Siri Anandagoda