“Time To Develop Abilities Of Jaffna Students"

- "The Minister pointed out that Sinhala/Tamil political leaders in the past had turned a blind eye to this aspect in order for them to gain political mileage."

(September 05, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Having received the students from Jaffna who had come to take part at the National Sports Competition 2008, at Isipathanaramaya, Colombo on the 04th of September 2008, Douglas Devananda, Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare addressing the media personnel stated that the lack of democracy in the North-East Provinces was one of the causes for continuation of the existent ethnic problem. His Excellency the President having discerned the fact, that the problems of the Tamil Speaking People were quite far apart from those of the Tiger Leadership, had resorted to bring about solutions accordingly, and inviting the students from Jaffna schools to participate at the All Island Sports Festival could deemed to be considered as a step in his line of thinking.

Speaking further, the Minister said that the language barrier too had immensely contributed towards the widening of the divide between the North and South and to rid of this, it was his view, that an endevour needed to be resorted to a language policy where the Sinhalese were to learn the Tamil language and the Tamils to learn the Sinhala language for creation of a well meaning society.

The Minister pointed out that Sinhala/Tamil political leaders in the past had turned a blind eye to this aspect in order for them to gain political mileage. Through the efforts taken by His Excellency the President for redeeming the Tamil Speaking People from the tight grip of terrorists and establish democracy, the schools destroyed by the war in Vanni were also needed to be renovated and developed along with educational and sports activities.

As a part of this programme, the Minister said that he made arrangements to get down the students who had obtained first places in Jaffna District Provincial Sports Meets to Colombo for participation at the All Island Sports Festival for the sole purpose of enhancing their abilities. As these students had never seen a train in their life he made it a point to bring them down to Colombo by train from Vauniya.

Rev. Kehembiye Vijitha thero, Chief incumbent of Isipathanaramaya also participated at this event.
- Sri Lanka Guardian