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Over 30,000 witness A-9 opening

Ranga Jayasuriya reporting from Muhamalai

Two separate ceremonies on both sides of the Muhamalai border between the Government and LTTE-controlled areas marked the opening of the Kilinochchi - Muhamalai section of the A9 Kandy - Jaffna highway yesterday.

Chief of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Maj. General Trond Furohovde officially opened the road from the LTTE side while Maj. Gen. Sisira Wijesooriya accompanied by John Seneviratne and Col. Sharminda Silva lifted the road barrier on the Government side.

Two LTTE high rankers Col. Banu and Deepan represented the LTTE. There was drizzling while the ceremony was going on and it turned out to be a heavy downpour as hundreds of civilians and media personnel crossed the border to enter the Government-controlled areas.

The Army at first did not give permission to the crowd to enter the Government controlled area. Maj. Gen. Wijesooriya said it was difficult to manage such a massive crowd since there were already 30,000 on the Government side to witness the ceremony.

The tense situation that arose was later calmed down when the Army officers and the LTTE high rankers shook hands in the middle of the no man's land to discuss the issue.

Fifteen cadres of the LTTE's political wing were the first to enter the Government-controlled areas. They were greeted by the people on the Government controlled areas.

Maj. Gen. Wijesooriya told the Daily News that more than anyone else, civilians will benefit by the road opening.

LTTE Col. Deepan said it would boost the peace process and build up confidence between the Government and the LTTE.

Jaffna Monitoring Officer Jagen Backlund said the opening of the road as scheduled in the Ceasefire Agreement shows the commitment of both parties to peace.

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