dissent

The abduction of activists and relief workers has undercut the message of compromise and reconciliation from the president of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, rights groups said yesterday.

The past few months have been one of the most challenging times to report from Sri Lanka, but this has never been a particularly easy war to cover.

The Tamil Tigers have now been pushed into a tiny corner of the country. But they have always ruled any areas under their control with an iron hand.

Dissent has never been accepted - and many Tamil critics of the LTTE have been murdered over the years.