Northern awakening

The North is awakening after its long neglect and isolation. The signs are all too evident from the hive of activity that is now continuing unabated.Each day we hear of some new project or about a restoration job. Civilian life too is slowly but surely stirring from its long apathy. The destroyed livelihoods are gradually being restored. Community life which was in tatters and disarray is beginning to pick up .

The wheels of development are on track and keeps on grinding as is evident from the multifarious activities that are reported daily. A new beginning beckons the North spelling sun shine to this once accursed and isolated landscape. The transformation has also perceptibly changed the lives of its people as can be seen by their enthusiasm in participating in the Government's development drive. These are folk who had been long living under the gun of a ruthless band of terrorists.

They have been delivered from their long ordeal. They are now ready to reap the fruits of peace.

Kilinochchi which was in the news not very long ago as the epicentre of LTTE terrorism is today rapidly transforming landscape with the end of the war. There is surge of development activity as if to make up for the lost years. Long stripped of all dignity and honour and denied the opportunity of a decent living, its people too are now being given a taste of the life they had not known existed. Long exposed to cruel barbarism, they are now all brought into the realm of a civilized society and inducted into mainstream life.

This one time Tiger capital is today a development hub. Under Uthuru Vasanthaya, roads, railways, bridges are being constructed at a rapid pace. Public transport is streamlined and functioning smoothly. Hospitals, schools and Government buildings are being stripped of their forlorn and abandoned facades and brought back to life. All structures and institutions that regulate a normal civil society is now being put in place.

Today marks another significant day for Kilinochchi when multiple projects launched on the directions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa will be commissioned under many Ministries. These projects which have direct bearing on the livelihoods of the people, no doubt will be a precursor for a massive development drive in this war ravaged outpost. Among the utility services to be opened, will be a Ceylon Electricity Board Office to facilitate the electricity supply to a community who had both literally and metaphorically speaking lived in darkness all these years.Emphasis has also been paid to youth activity with the setting up a National Youth Services Board not to mention the steps taken in the area of skills development, through the setting up of a Vocational Training Centre in addition to a NAITA Training Centre.

The transformation is witnessed across the board in all areas that were once under seige. On Sunday, a jetty was declared open by Namal Rajapaksa MP in Pooneryn, one time Sea Tiger base, marking the commencement of the Pooneryn-Jaffna ferry service after 15 years. This would now cut down travelling time to Jaffna by two hours from the overland journey.

Not only that.The enthusiasm generated by the transformation has rubbed off on all sectors. Recently the SLCTB revealed that its highest income per kilometer came from buses operated in the North. And with the 24 hour Jaffna- Colombo service this is bound to increase further.

It seems that the North is all set to be integrated with the rest of the country which can only be richer by the experience.

Sports integration

The rapid transformation that is witnessed in the Northern landscape has proved to be infectious invading even the sports arena. As reported in our front page yesterday, for the first time in the 32nd year of Observer School Boy Cricketer contest, a school from the North was adjudged the Best Up and Coming Team in the island. This augurs well for the integration process for there is no better binding influence to foster national unity than sports. This is more than exemplified in the composition of our current national cricket team which has gone a long way to even sensitize the emotions of even the most die hard nationalist. The induction of the Northern schools into the mainstream of national sports could also bring positive dividends in terms of the pool of talent.

Time was when the North threw out brilliant sportsmen some of whom even went on to don national colours. Unfortunately the war situation completely cut off the North from the reckoning in any competitive sports and as a result, we would never know if we had lost another Muralitharan. It is hoped that with the new beginning, sports in the North will gain its due share of attention of the relevant authorities where we could see a rich blend of talent fronting up to the rest of the world in the sports arena.