The ‘Kokavil Tower,’ South Asia’s tallest transmission tower that signals further promotion of intimate bonds of communication modes between the North and the South was commissioned Monday (6) morning by HE the President Mahinda Rajapaksa during a ceremony.
Sri Lankan Engineers and hundreds of Sri Lanka Army troops, led by experts in the Sri Lanka Signal Corps actively assisted the construction of this 174 meter high tower that cost Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) of Sri Lanka around Rs 350 million.
Soon after the President Rajapaksa was welcomed at Kokavil, he was accorded a Guard of Honour by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps. The President afterwards paid floral tributes to the memorial, built in honour of the War Hero, Captain S.U. Aladeniya and other War Heroes, perished in defending the old Kokavil tower in the year 1990. Secretary to President Mr Lalith Weeratunge, Secretary Defence Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya followed suit. Religious observances and plaque opening marked the occasion.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, accompanied by his Secretary Mr Lalith Weeratunge, Ministers, Governors, Secretaries, Secretary of Defence Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetillake, Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal H.D. Abeywickrema, Director General Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Mr Anusha Palpita, Security Forces Commanders for Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu and a host of other distinguished invitees commissioned the new Kokavil Transmission Tower afterwards at the auspicious minute.
President Rajapaksa taking a keen interest in the operation of newly installed telecommunication devices inside the tower complex, inquired into various aspects of its function from engineers, responsible for its installation and relaying.
President Rajapaksa addressing the gathering at the occasion said that the commissioning of this new transmission heralds a new era of information in the country since exchange of free flow of communication between north and south is the key to strengthening of communal harmony and understanding among different communities.
‘This tower will serve a basis for mutual understanding and friendship since all of you would have uninterrupted access to your TV and radio channels in the future,’ President Rajapaksa noted.
‘I would not give in to LTTE demands that stem from certain northern politicians, but would give all what people in the north want,’ the President added.
President Rajapaksa prior to his departure from Kokavil, took time off and shared a couple of thoughts with next of kin of the fallen War Heroes who had assembled there at Kokavil to honour their beloved ones. Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa also exchanged a couple of views with those Ranaviru relatives.
Sri Lankan Engineers and hundreds of Sri Lanka Army troops, led by experts in the Sri Lanka Signal Corps actively assisted the construction of this 174 meter high tower that cost Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) of Sri Lanka around Rs 350 million.
Soon after the President Rajapaksa was welcomed at Kokavil, he was accorded a Guard of Honour by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps. The President afterwards paid floral tributes to the memorial, built in honour of the War Hero, Captain S.U. Aladeniya and other War Heroes, perished in defending the old Kokavil tower in the year 1990. Secretary to President Mr Lalith Weeratunge, Secretary Defence Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya followed suit. Religious observances and plaque opening marked the occasion.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, accompanied by his Secretary Mr Lalith Weeratunge, Ministers, Governors, Secretaries, Secretary of Defence Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetillake, Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal H.D. Abeywickrema, Director General Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Mr Anusha Palpita, Security Forces Commanders for Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu and a host of other distinguished invitees commissioned the new Kokavil Transmission Tower afterwards at the auspicious minute.
President Rajapaksa taking a keen interest in the operation of newly installed telecommunication devices inside the tower complex, inquired into various aspects of its function from engineers, responsible for its installation and relaying.
President Rajapaksa addressing the gathering at the occasion said that the commissioning of this new transmission heralds a new era of information in the country since exchange of free flow of communication between north and south is the key to strengthening of communal harmony and understanding among different communities.
‘This tower will serve a basis for mutual understanding and friendship since all of you would have uninterrupted access to your TV and radio channels in the future,’ President Rajapaksa noted.
‘I would not give in to LTTE demands that stem from certain northern politicians, but would give all what people in the north want,’ the President added.
President Rajapaksa prior to his departure from Kokavil, took time off and shared a couple of thoughts with next of kin of the fallen War Heroes who had assembled there at Kokavil to honour their beloved ones. Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa also exchanged a couple of views with those Ranaviru relatives.
As the second leg of the day’s programme, the President gave away loans and grants to over one thousand Kilinochchi civilians, engaged in self employment projects and house constructions. The symbolic distribution was organized by Ministry of Reconstruction and Rehabilitation.
The old 100 meter high Kokavil Tower, erected in 1982 by Japanese engineers for relay of transmissions to Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation was captured by LTTE terrorists for their clandestine operations and was subsequently destroyed after terrorists overran the Kokavil Army camp that provided security to the Kokavil tower way back on 11 July 1990, despite the supreme sacrifices, made by Captain Saliya Upul Aladeniya and 52 other War Heroes.
However, Kokavil town and its surroundings were recaptured by the Army on 1 December 2008 during humanitarian operations as troops forged ahead.
Today’s commissioning of the new multi-purpose tower enables people in the north to receive information transmissions directly from the south with the innovations provided through the latest digital technology and the Digital Video Broadcasting T2 technology. It could also be used for communication operations of the Security Forces.
In 2009, under the ongoing ‘Uthuru Wasanthaya’ development programme in the north, the foundation stone for construction of the new tower was laid by Ministers, Basil Rajapaksa and Anura Priyadarshana Yapa. Work was carried out on the directions of Mr Anusha Palpita, Director General of TRC and Ministry of Telecommunications.
Kokavil, situated along A9 road close to Kilinochchi was used by terrorists in the past as a strategic attacking pad and relates a string of brutal LTTE attacks and massacres. Tiger terrorists on 19 January 1985 blasted the passenger train, ‘Yaal Devi’ as it was close to old Murikandi-Kokavil railway station and killed 28 unarmed soldiers proceeding on leave and 11 other passengers. Twenty more soldiers, six civilians and three Police constables suffered serious injuries in the terrorist act.
Similarly, troops at the Kokavil Army camp came under heavy LTTE attacks and were ordered to abandon the camp as reinforcements were not forthcoming. But valiant Captain Aladeniya did not give in, stayed back offering resistance and finally laid down his life since the majority of his troops were injured by then. He was the first to be nominated for the most prestigious, ‘Parama Weera Vibushanaya’ (PWV) Medal.
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