Cacophony of voices in Lanka's delegation

The large Sri Lankan delegation that pitched camp in Geneva for its battle against the United States, which sponsored a resolution on Sri Lanka - was a motley group of people.

Apart from ministers, deputy ministers, parliamentarians and their support staff, there were officials from the External Affairs Ministry, the Attorney General's Department, the private bar and civil society members.

It is this last group which attracted Jamis Banda's attention, for it comprised people with conflicting view points. International Buddhist Forum President Douglas Wickremaratne who is known for his Sinhala-buddhist views exercised restraint when he spoke in public because the government's task at hand was one of reconciliation. So did Ira Wanigasekera, a Canada-based Sri Lankan activist.

Joining them were SLFP'S Batticaloa District organiser Arun Thambimuttu, son of former Tamil parliamentarian Sam Thambimuttu, who was killed by the LTTE in 1990, and Rajeshwari Balasubramaniam of Diaspora Dialogue, an overseas group that works for the welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils. Balasubramaniam, well known in the Diaspora circles as Rajeshwari Akka, however, expressed displeasure at ultranationalist politics and viewpoints. Thambimuttu says he welcomes Sinhala opinion that calls for national unity.

PRO-LTTE websites labelled the Tamil duo traitors. But they said they did not mind as their cause was to bring about a Sri Lanka where all communities would live like brothers and sisters.

Also in the team were Catholic Priest Fr. Kurukulasuriya, who works with Tamil fishermen in the north, and two top Muslim theologians - Jamiathul Ulama Chief Sheikh Rizwe Mufthi and the deputy, Sheikh Agar Mohamed. The trio were seen explaining Sri Lanka's case to diplomats of UNHRC member countries in the corridors of the UN.