Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Army provides relief to Jaffna .[October 04 2017]

A project to provide relief to people facing water shortages in the Jaffna Peninsula has been mooted by the Sri Lanka Army in Jaffna. According to Army media, the project initiated by the troops of Security Force Headquarters -Jaffna (SFHQ-J) got off the ground last month (26th September) covering the Navatkuli and Kovilkandi areas.

The prevailing dry weather has resulted in people living in several parts of the Peninsula facing drinking water shortages. In order to provide much needed water, troops have placed water storage tanks in several locations and are continuing to supply water using water bowsers. This social responsibility initiative of the Army has benefitted more than 10,000 people in the region

While welcoming above news and initiative taken by the Army, Navy shall also join the fray in another way. Navy is occupying prime land and water front in Jaffna peninsula ,justifies the need to help all the people in the coastal belts ,There any many fishermen who are going through much hardships and sward wielding youngsters riding motor bikes doing nothing productive for the people or the national economy need help.

I visited Karainagar ex fishery harbour which was abandoned an destroyed by tigers and Navy many years back .I noted the potential the water front can offer to people

Government is constructing a boat building project with no private party involvement, I propose that the Naval ratings are used to operate with Private Public Partnerships and employ youngsters in the area to learn how to build fishing vessels and yachts etc. Roadway to Karainagar and the even Nagadeep are surrounded by shallow water fronts which are not used except for some shrimp farming.

Navy can build and operate with PPP partnership of cooperative societies can develop aqua farming in the area.

Foreign visitors who come Sri Lanka hardly go to Jaffna as there are no places for them to rest like in the south. Navy can build some water bungalows or floating restaurants with water sports and use local youngsters to manage, by doing so they can accelerate re conciliation process and raise the living standards of the people.

Wiggy has not done anything neither the front line Tamil politicians  have done nothing to the people .Minister of Northern Development has no clout do anything ,We have a Tamil Governor of CB who could persuade the treasury to release some funds to the Navy ( may be rather than buying a used Russian Frigate which can be burden to run ?)

We Sinhalese and some Buddhist monks who are ultra-nationalistic) I call them racists) are talking about plans to give autonomy to Tamils, but none of them talk about improving the living standards of the poor Tamils

Unless we divert the development to the North, I can assure that ugly face of terrorism will re appear.

President and the Governor shall hold mobile presidential office regularly in Jaffna and the north eastern part   and spearhead private sector to join with the Navy to develop the area.

Dr Sarath Obeysekera