People in Jaffna say the President is doing well despite the doubts they had in the beginning. The record of service so far is good, and we look forward to progress, they said with expectations of welcome change in the future.

The Jaffna youth welcome the Government’s plans to set up the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Jaffna. They also welcome the building of the Rs. 360, 00000 million international sports complex in Kilinochchi. “The President works with impartially; that is what we want”, they told a team journalists from the PRIU, currently reporting on developments in the North. 

Talking to Ruban (29) a trader at the Jaffna main market place said he is having good business selling lots of goods produced in Jaffna to both the locals and visitors of the South. “I am doing very well. My business is prospering after the war has been settled. We have no threats of violence”.

But, a young man from Verani, the little village of one of the seven island villages closer to Kayts s is not so happy. “Peace alone is not helping us. The President’s programmes are very good. But we request the President to make sure that the benefits reach the grassroots villages like ours. Our road has to be done. Electricity is not constant. We need drinking water. We know the Government has major plans for development in this area. The President is a good man. He is reaching out to us. We hope he succeeds in his efforts”.

Fisheries comprise an important sector of the economy and livelihood in Jaffna. The development of fisheries in the peninsula in the present context of opening of the Palk Strait and the costal belt for the Northern fishermen to exploit their own fishery resources has created increased opportunities for fisheries.  R. Arlapunoban, who described himself as a fish mudalali, said more fish is now landed every day. “I am trading big quantities daily. Fish Mudalalis like me transport between five and seven lorry loads of fish from Jaffna to Colombo every day. We have two wholesale fish markets. One at Sinnakaddai and the other near the central bus station.  I am just 30 years old. This is my family business.  I am happy the President wants the Tamil fishermen also to develop.  We owe him a lot for his efforts to assist us”,’ he said.

“Opening the sea for fishing is not enough. The fishing community youth need boats, fishing nets, ice and salt to do a good business. We don’t want government jobs. What we want is the Government’s support to develop ourselves. This is what we expect from peace,” was the view of a younger member of the fishing community; a youth entrepreneur, who wants the Government to have a positive attitude towards them.

“Lorries take fish in iced boxes to Colombo. There is plenty of traffic moving from Jaffna to Colombo beyond Muhamalai after the end of violence in the peninsula…if facilities for transport are improved more fish could be sent to the South, said one fisheries trader.

Sriwardan, the time keeper at the central bus station in Jaffna had his own thoughts of how President Rajapaksa could help the ordinary Jaffna man to make his travel to Colombo, Kurunegala, Trincomalee and Batticaloa easy, to do business, visit relations or meet family members at the airport returning to see their place of birth”. 

Sriwardan says there are four CTB buses going to Colombo in the night and one in the morning. “Each bus carries 40 people. But people are still standing and travelling in the bus to take their turn to go to Colombo. The ordinary Jaffna man does not feel comfortable in private buses. The charges are exorbitant. They cannot afford so much. This must be addressed by the CTB,” he said.

We also met many Jaffna people, who are aware of the development taking place everywhere; of road construction, highway construction and airport construction. “Providing a good bus service to the Jaffna man is also part of development. The Jaffna people want development. We support development. The President should also give us more buses,” they said. 

In addition to local elections in Jaffna but there will also be elections in 3 Pradeshiya Sabhas in Kilinochchi, once the stronghold of the terrorists, and a vibrant community now. “Shops and boutiques are having good business and the development programmes are showing results slowly but steadily” said S. Selvam, the manager of the restaurant run by the Karachchi East Multi Purpose Cooperative Society. He appreciates the Government’s programme to support and develop cooperative enterprises in the North. Cooperatives can be a source of creative employment for the youth. He feels that this approach by President Mahinda Rajapaksa is welcomed by the people of the North.

We noted the presence of many young and enthusiastic visitors from abroad, who are Tamils belonging to the North, mingling with the visitors from the South in the market places. Sabins Jeyasekara said  he is a member of the Sri Lankan Diaspora in Germany. A computer engineer and IT specialist, who had helped the Tamil refugees being a volunteer at the airport in Germany, sees the potential in how the Tamil Diaspora can contribute towards building the North, especially Jaffna.

“This is not a vision for me” he said. “This is my country, Sri Lanka. Jaffna is where I was born and bred. I have a lot of relations here. There are many youths who are unemployed. The question I asked myself is how can I help them?  When I knew that President Mahinda Rajapaksa is trying to develop the whole country, including the North, it was my decision to support his hand.

“Jaffna is getting a new 150 room five star hotel for which construction works has already started at Manipay…I have initiated a five million US dollar investment in this project. My friends who are from the Tamil Diaspora in Germany and who belong to the professional and academic community will be my co-partners in this project. A BOI approved enterprise it will be one of the most sophisticated hotels in my home town. In addition, we have already established two large poultry farms which have a capacity of 5000 birds”.

“The Tamil Diaspora in Europe and North America can contribute towards the uplift of our own people. If we can help the President I am sure he will help us,” he said with confidence.