TNA parliamentarians boycott Governor's Jaffna visit

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 January 2005, 14:54 GMT]
Jaffna district Tamil National Parliamentarians Monday boycotted the first official visit of Mr.Tyronne Fernando, Governor of the Northeast Province in protest to the government's refusal to allow Mr.Koffi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations to visit Tsunami destroyed Northern coastal areas, including Mullaitivu district, TNA sources said.

The TNA parliamentarians were scheduled to attend the Governor's conference held in the Jaffna district secretariat, the sources said.

"My government did not prevent Mr.Koffi Annan from visiting North. But Mr.Koffi Annan decided on his own not to visit North," Mr.Tyronne Fernando said replying to a question by a Jaffna based journalist.

The sole EPDP parliamentarian of the Jaffna district Mr.Douglas Devananda who is also a minister in the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government also did not attend the conference.

Speaking at the press conference Mr. Tyronne Fernando said, "foreign army have come to the island to assist the government machinery in reconstruction of the Tsunami destroyed areas and they will not engage in any other activities.

Government security establishment has not taken over all Tsunami welfare centres in the Jaffna district. All such centres are now being managed by the Jaffna district secretariat, Mr.Tyronne Fernando further said. The Government Agent Mr.K.Ganesh and Major General Sunil Tennekon who were at the press briefing endorsed his remark, sources said.

He said all Tsunami foreign aids would be equally distributed to all parts of the country without any difference.

Mr.Fernando commended the work of the District Task Force, which is empowered by the central government to provide relief Tsunami victims.

Earlier Mr. Fernando attended a conference held in the Jaffna district secretariat with the Government Agent Mr.K.Ganesh in the chair.

Heads of government departments, state corporations and representatives of non-government al organizations and humanitarian organizations participated in the discussion. Jaffna area commander of the Sri Lanka Army Major General Sunil Tennekon and security and police officials also attended the conference.

He later toured the coastal areas that were destroyed due to Tsunami.