Jaffna appropriately honoured

The decision by the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) to launch its series of provincial-level medical conferences in Jaffna is both timely and far-seeing. At a time when the once war-ravaged Northern Province needs to be increasingly integrated into the mainstream of life and enabled to contribute its wealth of knowledge and wisdom to the common weal, this is indeed a praise-worthy decision.

Jaffna was renowned for its medical knowledge over the decades and progressive sections of this country could be glad that moves are now being made to tap this vast store house of Northern expertise. For very understandable reasons this could not have been done to the fullest over the past 30 or more years but with stability having been established in the province, the way has been paved for continuous interaction between the regions of the land and we believe it will be in the national interest for cooperative links to be forged in every conceivable important field between the North and the rest of the country.

The strengthening of links between the North and the rest of the country is part and parcel of the process of nation-building.

One of the most distressing consequences of the Tigers' terror campaign was the distancing of the North, emotionally, from the rest of Sri Lanka. It also, of course, resulted in the material deprivation and the general retrogression of the province. This was of nearly 30 years' duration and it is now the state's obligation to ensure that the North is not only fully developed but that the region is completely integrated into the rest of the country.

Accordingly, it is most heartening that the country's medical community is going more than the extra mile to strengthen ties between the medical professionals of the North and those of the rest of Sri Lanka through a sharing of knowledge and expertise in matters that touch deeply on the public interest. In other words, all sections of the polity are being encouraged into identifying with the national interest and are being made stakeholders in a stable and materially advanced Sri Lanka and this is certainly the way to go. These are important paths to nation-building which ought to be continually explored.

It was only yesterday that we quoted External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris as saying that a sound start has been made to the implementation of the LLRC recommendations. The efforts made by professional bodies, such as the SLMA, to improve connectivity and collaboration in joint projects between the South and the North could be supportive of the LLRC's aims and lay the ground work for the steady implementation of the principal recommendations of the LLRC.

We call on the other professional organizations of the land to emulate the SLMA. People-to-people contact is an important part of nation-building and there is no doubt that the numerous professional and civic organizations of the country could contribute greatly towards the noble cause of building a united Sri Lanka by helping to establish fraternal ties among our numerous population segments.

The most important message the people of this country need to convey to each other is that they truly care for one another. This is the principal theme of post-conflict Sri Lanka. The state should lead from the front in this regard and one could be glad that the state is in the forefront of building these bridges of friendship among our communities.

State agencies need to be forever active in the North and we are glad that this is happening. For instance, Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena was at the inauguration of the SLMA conference in Jaffna. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has, of course, made it very plain that this land belongs to all its communities.

While material empowerment is of principal importance to the North and East, a coming together of minds between the North and South is a sure way of deepening the links among our communities. Sharing knowledge and pursuing it together through joint research ventures in the health field could prove an important catalyst in forging a solid sense of unity among our people.