This refers to the two letters of Ms. Manel Fonseka (Island 17th September) and Ms Manel Dunusinghe (Island 31st August). It seems to me that the controversy has arisen from a misreading of the statement: "He has killed so he deserves to die."

It obviously speaks against, not in favour of, killing a person who has killed. What it says is that such a person deserves to "die" like any other human being and not to be "killed" in retaliation. The sense of irony and cynicism comes from the pun on the word deserves.