Sri Lanka, April 11 -- Fifteen years ago, it would have been unthinkable for 35-year-old Thuraisinkam Mathanathas, known as Mathan to his family and friends, to talk to a fellow Sinhalese citizen from the South and narrate how 'nallam' (wonderful) it was to travel to districts, such as Nuwara Eliya and Kandy.

It would have been unthinkable because 15 years ago, he was gambling with death as a member of the LTTE, having joined the movement at the age of 20.

In his understanding, the Sinhalese were enemies. He was clueless about the existence of friendly citizens and districts of different geographical make up than North such as Kandy and Nuwara Eliya.

His visit to these two districts about six years ago had been as a family holiday with...