Prabhakaran may surrender if the Government assures that he will not be extradited to India, and no criminal charges will be made against him.

By Charles Perera

In view of the direction the retaliatory action of the Sri Lanka Security Forces against the terrorists is taking, it would not be long before the terrorists may surrender to the armed forces. But if it does not happen, it is because of one good reason, and that is that the terrorist leader Prabhakaran is a man sitting under the sword of Democles , which is the fear of being extradited to India to be tried for the murder of Rajiv Gandhi, imprisonment for life under the verdict that had been passed by a Sri Lanka Court of Justice, or tried for crimes against humanity by an International Court of Justice.

As much as the President of Sri Lanka and the Commander of the Army Mr.Sarath Fonseka would very much like to see the end of this unwanted unnecessary war that is taking away so many human lives whether those of the Soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army or the misled men and women under the direction of a terrorist, Prabhakaran may also at moments of mental relapses, regret the utter uselessness of those mostly young men and women so devoted to him dying to fulfil his Eelam dream. But unfortunately he is in the unenviable position of either carrying on his terrorist war to the last and die as a terrorist, or subject himself to the shame of being taken as a prisoner of war and tried as a criminal for crimes against humanity.

Therefore, if the Government is able to give him some sort of assurance that if he were to surrender now that he will not be extradited to the Government of India or any other Court of Justice, where he will be sentenced to be hanged for his crimes against humnity, there is a likely chance that the terrorist may lay down the arms and surrender to the Armed Forces of the Government.

In Uganda Idi Amin Dada when defeated found sanctuary in Saudi Arabia. The Shah of Iran fled to Egypt and died there. These are special cases, but if the government , in the case of Prabhakaran could come to some sort of arrangement to show him some benevolence, he may condescend to surrender and see an end to terrorism. He could even be allowed to leave Sri Lanka and live in Norway, provided of course he will not form an army assisted by Solheim and conquer Sri Lanka in style !!!