Whose truth? > A call to conscience > An offence is an offence

For Jeyaraj, the facts about the Tamil Tigers have become very disturbing, particularly its use of suicide killings and child soldiers.

"Child soldiers is not merely a moral issue, it's a crime against humanity, the same as sex with a minor," he says. "Even with his or her consent, it is no excuse. An offence is an offence."

To a Westerner, that point of view may seem obvious. But Jeyaraj says for many Tamils, it's not that black and white. He quotes a saying in the Tiger independence movement: "A hero or heroine from each household." Every Tamil family is expected to send a son or daughter to join the Tigers, something Jeyaraj says Tamils in Toronto don't like to talk about.

"The thing is like the three monkeys: see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. People just don't want to go into that question, because they think that the Tamil side must not lose ultimately in the war, and they don't trust the Singhalese state yet, so this is a necessary evil."

Human Rights Watch, a New-York based group, says the recruitment of child soldiers begins when they are 11 or 12. Even though the Tigers have signed a ceasefire with the Sri Lankan government, the rebel group continues to recruit children. Jeyaraj says it's also a class issue, with some Tamils in Toronto paying a lot of money to avoid having their children conscripted.

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