Because of the MOU, intelligence sources estimate Tigers have now 30,000 armed men. Tigers' continuing postponement of talks means further Tiger consolidation. Meanwhile in London, Minister Moragoda and Balasingham and his wife Adele had discussed "key issues". Mr. Balasingham is the self confessed theoretician of a group who by any definition fulfills all criteria of terrorism and mass murder of non-combatants. Adele is the trainer of Tiger women (as documented in the British Independent). "Her women" spike little babies. Both, on British laws could and should be indicted. If in the US, and part of Al Qaeda, they would be now in jail expecting life sentences or death.

The story on London streets is that Tigers are still collecting funds. I do my own trek to separatist haunts in London. I go to Eelam House. When it opened Father Emmanuel famously proclaimed it the embassy of a future state. One of his other infamous statements: "I am first a Tamil and then a Christian". Who said the Christian hierarchy is not feeding separatism in the North (and the South).. At Eelam House, four CCTV cameras inspect. I have not seen CCTV cameras outside the President's House in Colombo - and people are making a fuss of her alleged security camera.. No entrance from the main street and as steel net fence with barbed wire strands on top indicate, Eelam House is not just another London house.

The gate is ajar as I walk in. There are three cars inside; including an aging Mercedes and one with windscreen smashed in. A motor cycle is parked. I ring the bell. No answer. Ring again, longer. A voice on the door intercom asks what I want. I ask, is this the "Tamil Information Center"; I add I was told it was. A thirty something Tamil, round glasses, balding, smooth looking grudgingly opens the door. I say I am on the way from New York to Colombo (a white lie, my direction is the opposite) and that I was told that I could get information on the cease-fire's working. He says he does not know anything about it. I repeat the question. He repeats the answer looking as if this is the first time he had heard the word cease-fire. I point out the large lettering "Eelam House" on the wall of the building. He says he does not know what that means. I ask again about Eelam House. He repeats he does not know. He stiffens visibly. The face hardens. I walk away.

Meanwhile in another part of London ....... The United Tamil Organization - a Tiger front - in its leaflets gives a Katherine Road address in impoverished East Ham. I walk up to the building. It looks deserted. There is a "No Parking" sign, wire mesh on the windows and the top part of the front door is boarded up - hardly normal security. No answer for repeated bell ringing. I ask around. A Lankan neighbor says that before the cease-fire there had been much activity here. Then there was a pause for months - up to two weeks ago.

Now again there is hectic activity at night. There are lights on till 2 to 3 AM. At times about 8 cars are parked. Something is clearly brewing. In my Sri Lankan flight's stop at Male, passenger identities were rechecked. A British tourist grumbles. The returning Tamil by my side adds to the complaints. I point out that the airline had been bombed by the most unscrupulous gang in the world. (The flight itself had a large share of Tamils returning from visiting Colombo using the cease-fire). The man on my right tells me that he had seen his father a retired Customs Officer in Kirulapone only after 12 years. He corrects that he had once seen him in Singapore. Obvious questions come to mind of why he had not come to Colombo.

I recall expatriate funds financing the bombing. And he had the audacity to object to extra checking in the plane. The fighting according to both sides' official figures cost 17,637 Tiger deaths and14,063 government ones. Ten government soldiers, war theory goes, are required for every guerilla . Deaths would be in the same ratio. If Tiger deaths were more than government ones, if "their" population has run away and if their claimed territory is devastated, then by any criteria Tigers have lost the war. Their genius has been frightening our leaders by targeting them. And these frightened "leaders", taking their logic from Kekille rajjuruwo are now suing for peace from the losing side.

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