Rehabilitation, Development discussed in Trinco conference

[TamilNet, Sunday, 22 December 2002, 05:27 GMT]
The political section of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) organized a conference Sunday to discuss proposed development and rehabilitation work in Trincomalee district and to establish a framework for the Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that promotes close coordination to avoid duplication of effort while facilitating the NGOs to function without any obstacles, sources in Trincomalee said.

Mr.S.Tilak, LTTE Trincomalee district political head presided. Heads of government departments in Trincomalee district, North East Provincial Council Chief Secretary and Secretaries also attended.

Mr.P.Ramanathan, Project Director, North East Integrated Agricultural Project (NEIAP) funded by the World Bank and S.Lankanesan, Project Director, North East Community Restoration Development (NECORD) financed by the Asian Development Bank, and representatives of international non-governmental organizations, local NGOs and school heads participated in the discussion.

Thamilini, LTTE

"The economy of the northeast province should be rebuilt in a way that will provide immediate and sustained economic benefit to NE people. The LTTE will only engage in constructive negotiations that would bring benefits to the affected people in the northeast province devastated by war," said Dr.Joy Maheswaran, member of the LTTE delegation now engaged in peace talks with the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL).

Dr.Joy Maheswaran further said, "during peace talks the LTTE delegation stressed that urgent priority should be on providing immediate relief to poverty stricken people in the war torn northeast province. The poverty in the northeast province is solely due to war where infrastructure facilities and properties and belongings of civilians in the northeast were deliberately destroyed by Government troops."

There is no time limit for peace talks. Peace talks would not come to an end within three and four months. Discussion would take place on each issue in detail, said Dr.Maheswaran.



(L-R) Mr.Thooyavan, NEPC Chief Secretary Mr.Rangarajah, Dr.Maheswaran and Mr.Tilak, LTTE Trincomalee political head

Mr.Tilak, political head of the LTTE in Trincomalee district in his speech said during recent hartal (general shut down) in Trincomalee town Tamils were shot dead by State armed forces. Buddhist Vihare is being constructed in a Tamil village Vilankulam in Trincomalee district in an effort to colonize a Tamil village with Sinhala people. Even after signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the GOSL and LTTE Tamils in Trincomalee district suffer harassment by armed forces, said Mr.Tilak

The Trincomalee campus of the East University of Sri Lanka is on the verge of closure due to the indifferent attitude of the higher authorities in the Ministry of Education. Resources and other facilities earmarked for the Trincomalee campus are being diverted to other universities in the South. Trincomalee needs a university that has facilities and standard of education that is in par with other quality campuses in the country, stressed Mr.Tilak.

Mr.S.Rangarajah, Chief Secretary of the NEPC, Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian Mr.K.Thurairetnasingham, Mr.Thooyavan, Head, Tamil Eelam Economic Development Organization (TEEDOR), Ms Thamilini, head of the LTTE Women Political Wing and Attorney-at-Law Mr.K.Sivapalan also spoke. Mr.K.Mathavarajah, District Organizer of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) proposed vote of thanks.



A section of attendees to the conference