Soosai readies for road opening

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 September 2002, 19:31 GMT]
The Liberation Tigers will push for immediate action to rehabilitate the Pt. Pedro-Maruthankerni Road on Jaffna’s southeastern coast and will promptly send teams to de-mine the blocked parts of the route, said Mr. Soosai, the commander of the Sea Tigers, addressing a gathering of more than 150 Sri Lankan government officials, representatives of local civil society groups, community leaders and local LTTE officials at the Maruthankerni Hindu School Thursday morning.

Large numbers of Sri Lanka army troops continue to occupy the important sectors of the Jaffna peninsula.

Mr. Soosai said the main road along the peninsula’s southeastern coast would be opened soon and that he will get more personnel from the Humanitarian De-mining Division of the Liberation Tigers to remove and defuse anti-personnel mines and land mines from the military positions which continue to block the coastal road at Nagar Kovil.

Mr. Soosai, the commander of the Sea Tigers, addressing the gathering at the Maruthankerni Hindu School, Thursday, 19 September 2002.

Fishermen’s Co-operative Societies in the region recently brought to his notice the growing number of foreign trawlers and fishermen that are continuing to harass them and disrupt their sole means of livelihood.

“The Liberation Tigers will have discussions with the Sri Lankan government about preventing foreign and southern boats from depriving the local fishermen of their livelihood in the seas off the island’s northeast coast between Nagarkoil and Naayaaru and would have positive results soon”, said Mr. Soosai, the commander of the Sea Tigers, addressing the gathering.

The Jaffna Government Agent, Mr. K. Shanmuhanathan, was also present at the discussion Thursday.

The commander of the Sea Tigers in Jaffna, Col. Soosai, instructed government officials as well as officials of the LTTE and other local NGOs, to review development work in their respective areas and to provide alleviation for the suffering of the people of the Northeast.