Read this article titled: Slaughter in Sri Lanka by Times Online.

I don't know how the educated author came to the conclusion, based on remote sensing, that the alleged mass graves are of civilians killed as a result of shelling by the GoSL and not

• civilians killed by the LTTE
• LTTE terrorists killed in combat, including women and children

Consult any professional cartographer or remote sensing expert and they will tell you that there are some geographical details that remote sensing cannot resolve. Often, field surveys are conducted to validate and correct data obtained using remote sensing.

I have been working with remote sensing and other GIS experts for the past 14 months on a government GIS project. Field surveys are conducted to validate and correct data interpreted using remote sensing. All maps of resolution greater than 1:10,000 are thus validated and corrected.

A cemetery is a mass grave. Rural cemeteries often do not have tomb stones as they are expensive. If remote sensing were used and thermal, IR and other images of a rural public cemetery are taken, then one can very easily interpret the cemetery as a mass grave.

Isn't it possible that the LTTE buried their dead in mass graves? Isn't it possible that the LTTE shot civilians who didn't comply or adhere to their brutality?

The UN estimated that 7,000 people were killed in the first four months of this year; the figure now appears to be at least 20,000. Thousands of these victims died as a result of the shelling by the Sri Lankan Army of the strip of coastline where the final remnants of Tiger resistance were trapped, along with at least 100,000 civilians.

From an estimated figure of 7,000 the educated journalist deduces the actual casualty figure to be around 20,000. This is based on his/her findings using remote sensing.

mass grave -> thousands of dead victims = 13,000

7,000* + 13,000** = 20,000

* UN estimated
** deductions based on remote sensing

Sri Lanka, now basking in its victory, may set the pattern for other nations battling against insurgencies.

I agree. If you take up arms and rebel against a democratically elected government using terrorism, don't expect be buried in a botanical garden!

But the UN has no right to collude in suppressing the appalling evidence of the cost.

Facts were presented for and against the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and they were debated. The council members voted in favor of the GoSL.

It seems like the author does not believe in democracy and doubts the abilities and competencies of the council members.

The truth must be told.

Esp. by a Times Online Journalist....