The Sinhalese press and the world media in chorus mourns the death of this "Moderate Tamil Leader". Some of the Indian press calls it the last nail in the LTTE coffin.

Any death, even two as in this case, is two too many. Neelan died because of his irresponsible politics. The other individual because he was prepared to make the supreme sacrifice for what he believes in.

Who has shed a tear for the over 60,000 civilians who have died-as confirmed by UNP M.P. Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena at the recent Ottawa Conference. Since Amnesty International says that only 2% of civilian deaths are non-Tamil, over 58,000 Tamil civilians have died for no reason other than being born Tamils.

The identity of the assassin has not yet been established although the media refer to him as a member of the LTTE suicide squad. Similar accusations in the past have been proved to be false in the courts. The story was that he came on the pillion of a motorcycle whose rider escaped on it while there were bodyguards, police escorts, and no doubt security forces and checkpoints in a high security area down the road where the Prime Minister lives. The new story is that the assassin walked up to the car. Again, how was it possible to do so in such an area?

Another matter for conjecture is how when such a powerful bomb exploded as can be seen from pictures of the scene, only two died with only injuries to the driver and the other bodyguard in the car, and to some in the police escort when this took place at a very busy junction around 9 a.m.

We can accept that Neelan was born a Tamil because his parents were. In what other way is he a Tamil. Did he think like a Tamil, act like one or even know what the Tamils want? Did he have any grassroots connections in Tamil areas? On the question of being a Tamil leader, has he ever contested any parliamentary seat in any part of the country, let alone in Tamil areas? True, he was a vice-president of the TULF, elected by the executive committee of the party made up of lawyers and others like him and nominated by them to the Parliament. It is because Tamils relied on "leaders" like him most of who had no grassroots connection to the Tamils that Tamils are in the present predicament. If the Tamil leaders had been firm and fought for our  rights, we would at least have had a Federal Constitution.

Sinhalese knew till very recently that Tamils were mere paper tigers and could be deceived as they have always been and bought over for a few crumbs of office. Mr. G.G. Ponnambalam Sr. voted to disenfranchise plantation Tamils and gave up Tamil demands in exchange for the Ministry of Industries. Before Neelan, his father Mr. M.Thiruchelvam compromised Tamil aspirations and pressured the Federal Party (FP) to accept District Councils, which never took off, so that he could become a Minister. He too was not elected and was rewarded with the Ministry of Local Government - the only FP member to be ever a Minister. Mr. Amirthalingam was mesmerized with the position of Leader of the Opposition (the only Tamil ever), and forgot the mandate requested from, and given by the Tamil people. The same TULF which refused to take oaths under the sixth amendment, were expelled, and ran away to India in exile, have now taken the same oaths and oftentimes vote with the government.

It is said that it was Neelan who introduced traitor and pseudo Tamil Kadirgamar, who with his songs for his supper and lies surpassing Goebells has damaged the Tamil cause internationally.

If the world believes in democracy, then at the last free and fair elections held in the Tamil areas in 1977 Tamils voted overwhelmingly for separation. Current Tamil members of Parliament were voted in during a non-election boycotted in Tamil areas, with 5 of the 9 MPs from the Jaffna district polling less than 10 votes.

If one wants to find out what the Tamils want and whom they want as their leaders, there should be a free and fair election in Tamil areas with a ceasefire under international supervision and armed forces confined to barracks. Unarmed members of the LTTE should be permitted to canvass and participate in the elections. Tamils displaced from Tamil areas since 1983, whether in refugee camps, other parts of the country or are refugees in other countries should be allowed postal votes.

If Neelan, as is now said, is the architect of the government's devolution proposals or has even indicated to the government that the Tamils will accept them, he is doubly guilty

The proposals are supposed to be "federal except in name". How many of those within the country and outside-leaders of other countries who make pronouncements that they are peace proposals and should be accepted by Tamils have read them in detail. The proposals even prohibit devolution! A thread of control by the center over the regions runs all the way throughout the document. There are a large number of provisions, which are ambiguous and confusing and will cause confrontations between the regions and the center. We all know who will win in such a case.

Having changed the demography of the Northeast province through state aided colonization with Sinhalese, it is now sought to trifurcate Tamil areas and attach them to other regions.

In short, the proposals do not meet the minimum aspirations of the Tamils. No wonder they all, including the Buddhist priests, the NMAT, and Sinhala Veeraya, call Neelan a moderate. They thought they could impose the proposals through him and the likes of him and continue the hegemony over Tamils. If he told them that the proposals are acceptable to the Tamils, he has not only betrayed the Tamils, but has also misled them.