In response to a couple of recent comments on this blog regarding my supposed bias in favor of Tamils or seduction by LTTE propoganda, I would like to emphatically state that I take absolutely no position on the conflict. I am neutral when it comes to government or LTTE, and I am wholeheartedly in support of all of the people of Sri Lanka. I just want peace.

I am an outsider not looking at the conflict from a Sinhalese or Tamil point of view; I am only looking at human rights. Yes, my work does lead me to talk more about human rights abuses committed against Tamils. I know both the LTTE and the government have committed human rights violations against all ethnic communities, and they both have an obligation to respect Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions regarding the protection of civilians.

However, this blog is a forum for me to discuss my experiences here in Sri Lanka, not an academic paper on the conflict. Since I haven’t been able to travel to LTTE-controlled territory (not for lack of trying; security at the government checkpoint would not let me through), I haven’t seen for myself the situation there and therefore don’t feel comfortable discussing it in detail. Furthermore, I don’t agree that discussing human rights abuse of Tamils and advocating their protection means that I am taking a political stand on the LTTE or somehow against the majority Sinhalese Buddhist population.

As for LTTE propopaganda, I don’t read or listen to it. Most of my information for blogging posts comes from listening to the people who have been the targets of abuse. See my previous post.