Over 175,000 visit as future minds ends:

President assures a ‘new spring’ to the North

Dhaneshi Yatawara in Jaffna

President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday assured the people of the Northern Province that he would restore all that was lost due to LTTE terrorism in the province and added that the kith and kin of the Tamil people trapped within the jaws of the LTTE in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu would soon be liberated to usher happiness to the peace loving citizens of the North.

Addressing the Northern population in Tamil, the first ever address by a Head of State and Government, President Rajapaksa said he was deeply moved by the sufferings of the Tamil people.

“Like that ‘New Dawn’ in the East, I assure you that there will be a ‘New Spring’ in the North soon,” an emotion filled President guaranteed. The President recalled the manner and role of Tamil leaders of the calibre of Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan in the battle against imperialists who attempted to divide our communities during freedom struggle against colonial rule.

These sentiments were expressed by President Rajapaksa in a message to the people of Jaffna in connection with the ‘Future Minds of Jaffna’ exhibition held over three consecutive days.

The exhibition attended by a record breaking crowd wound up on Monday. It was an exhibition of excellence with a mammoth participation in the peninsula ever witnessed after a period of two and half decades as the Jaffna peninsula was torn by violence till it was liberated by the Security Forces.

President Rajapaksa urged the people of the North to erase the painful history of the past from their minds and to be confident of the future.

“We shall take action to restore to the people of Jaffna and the North at large, all what they have lost in the past,” the President expressed confidence.

“Future Minds of Jaffna” exhibition was also recognised as the Jaffna Educational and Industrial Exhibition 2008, organised by the Sri Lanka Army in Jaffna. It drew over 200,000 people over the three days it was conducted.

Approximately 175,000 people have visited the exhibition on the final day.

The exhibition was held under the theme, ‘Education and Technology’, where educational stalls of schools, government institutes and the private sector were set up with over 100 trade stalls of business communities, local and Colombo based.

The finals of the ‘North Star’ singing competition was held on a grand scale with Social Services and Social Welfare Minister Douglas Devananda participating as the chief guest.

Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General G.A. Chandrasiri, High Court Judge R.T. Viknarajah, Jaffna District Secretary K. Ganesh, Northern Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Franklyn Fernando, Jaffna Town Sector Commandant Brigadier Ruwan Kulathunga and several other Government senior officials and high ranking Army and police officers were among the guests.

Ranjan Dhaarani, 27, became the ‘North Star’ wining the Rs. 1.5 million worth Maruti 800 car, courtesy of Associated Motor ways (Pvt) Ltd. Dhaarani, is a final year student of the University of Jaffna in the Faculty of Fine Arts. The first runner-up was Kulendran Jagadeesan, 24, a visually handicapped man. He won a Landmaster tractor, courtesy of Haleys Agro.

The second runner-up was Mahalingam Thayaparan, 22, from Chavakachcheri. Thayaparan won a motorbike, courtesy of Ceylon Biscuits (Pvt) Limited. He is a second year student of the Sociology Department, University of Jaffna. The other 10 finalists received Rs. 20,000 each.

People from remote areas like Vadamarachchi, Thennamarachchi and adjacent villages travelled the distance to view the exhibition.