Tamils protest holding Governor's Conference during Heroes' week

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 November 2004, 01:30 GMT]
Tamil residents of Trincomalee expressed anger and resentment that the Sixth conference of provincial governors in Sri Lanka is to be held in Trincomalee from November 26 to November 28 to collide with arrangements to celebrate the Heroes Day during the same period, civil sources said. Representations made to the northeast provincial council authorities to postpone the conference have been ignored, Tamil sources in Trincomalee complain.

The outgoing North-East Provincial Governor Major General (Retired) Asoka Jayawardene is hosting the conference before he assumes duties as the new Secretary of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on December 1, succeeding the Mr.Cyril Herath, sources said.

According to defence ministry sources Major General Jayawardene is likely to be promoted to the rank of General following the assumption of the post of MoD Secretary.

Provincial council sources said the governors' conference is to be held as a farewell function to the outgoing Major General Jayawardene.

The venue of the governors' conference is Club Oceanic Hotel, located in Allesgarden, about three km off north of Trincomalee. More policemen from other parts of the island have been deployed surrounding the venue to tighten the security following protest, sources said.