Sri Lanka's new chapter

The authorities in the capital of Sri Lanka have declared the rebel leader of the Tamil Tigers, Vellupillai Prabhakaran, dead and the war over. Chris Morris reflects on the life of Prabhakaran and considers whether there can now be reconciliation.

I was somewhat sceptical when the letter dropped onto my doormat in Colombo.

A summons to the fourth floor of CID (Criminal Investigation Department) headquarters.

"We've been asked to question you," it said, "about the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi."

A few months after the former Indian prime minister was killed by a suicide bomber at an election rally, I had interviewed the man thought to be behind the murder - the leader of the Tamil Tigers, Vellupillai Prabhakaran.

I had asked him why he had Rajiv Gandhi killed, and he had denied any involvement. India did not believe him, and neither did I.

The fourth floor of CID headquarters had a bit of a reputation back then. Rumours of people falling from windows. But they were polite enough with me. We had tea and biscuits.

"Where did you meet Prabhakaran," they wanted to know. "What was he like?"

It was a house in the Jaffna peninsula, with bodyguards as big as palm trees.