Promising future for North, South relations - Maj Gen Hathurusinghe

Sandasen Marasinghe

The promising future of strengthened cordial relations between the people of the North and South was clearly evident with the successful completion of the Yapa Patunai Daham Amavai, three day grand Vesak Festival organized in Jaffna for the third consecutive year, said Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe.

He said over 100,000 people from the North and South visited the Vesak Zone organized by the Army in the area around Jaffna Public Library ushering sustainable peace to the island through religious harmony.

He added that it was an immense success to see Tamil youths and children from Dhamma Schools in the area singing Sinhala Bakthi Gee while soldiers sang Tamil Bakthi Gee.

The students of Uduvil Nandarama Tamil Buddhist Dhamma school and soldiers sang Vesak Bhakthi Gee.

The Jaffna Commander said each day around 11,000 people had their meal at the dansela organized at the Vesak Zone and the youths in the North are aware of the cultural values of the South which upholds the Maithree, Karuna, dana etc.

Attractive Vesak lanterns, pandals with Jataka stories, large models of heavens depicted in Buddhism and Hinduism, a horror house and other items attracted large crowds. The Navy, Air Force and the Police also contributed by presenting lanterns to the SF-(J) organized Vesak Zone.

Governor Northern Province Major General (Retd) G. A. Chandrasiri opened the first day of the Vesak Zone while Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe opened the second day.

Jaffna Mayor Yogeswari Pathgunarsa opened the festival illuminating the Vesak Zone from the entrance close to the Durayappah Stadium on the third day.

Gifts were presented to students of Nandarama Tamil Buddhist Dhamma school and the best creations of the Vesak Zone.

Ven Meegahajandure Sirivimala thera of Sri Naga Vihara, Bishop of South Indian Church Rev. Fr. Dr. Daniel Thiyagaraja, government officials and officers from the security forces and Police too participated in the festival.

Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. (Lake House), with the sponsorship of the Northern Governor published a special supplementary in Budusarana newspaper in Tamil at the request of Headquarters SF-J to be distributed among the visitors to the Vesak Zone.