SLA releases Vanni civilians from Thellippazhai Rehabilitation Centre, opens Clock Tower road

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 07 April 2010, 10:28 GMT]
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) released 106 Vanni uprooted persons including young men and women held in Thellippazhai SLA Special Rehabilitation Centre (SRC) and opened Clock Tower Road in Jaffna town Wednesday in a last minute attempt to support the government in the context of Thursday parliamentary election, sources said. Jaffna SLA Commander Major Gen. Mahintha Kathurasinghe presided at the official event held at Thellippazhai SRC Thursday morning and later officially opened Clock Tower Road which had been closed by SLA for the last 15 years. Jaffna Government Agent, K. Ganesh, Jaffna University Vice-chancellor Prof. Shanmugalingan, Commanding Officer of SLA 515th Division G. A. Jayasundara participated in the event at Thellippazhai.



106 uprooted civilians from Vanni including 41 undergrads of Jaffna University and 7 disabled persons were released Wednesday and officially handed over to their families.

The group released is only a segment of the total number held in the SRC, informed sources said.

Jaffna University VC said that the 41 undergrads can recommence their education activities.

Jaffna Clock Tower Road, which connects Stanley Road and Jaffna town, lies in the centre of Jaffna town where Gnanam and Subas hotels are located.

The above hotels had been converted into the SLA 512 Division in 1996 when SLA occupied Jaffna peninsula.

The increasing traffic congestion in Jaffna town is also a reason for the Clock Tower Road opening for public, the sources said.