WHILE the shift of focus is fast changing, Sri Lanka Army is earnestly determined to do its maximum by bringing about the reconciliation between Jaffna people and Security Forces serving the Jaffna peninsula.
Tuesday’s (9) ceremonial opening of the new Civil Affairs and Public Relations Office at Hospital Road, Jaffna by Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, on the invitation of Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe, Commander Security Forces Headquarters, Jaffna, (SFHQ-J) marked a milestone and further broadened Army’s new horizons and prospects on its march to reconciliation and redevelopment.
Sri Lanka Army in fact made history on Tuesday (9), as the cream of Jaffna society including Jaffna Bishop, Chief Hindu and Buddhist Priests, High Court Judges, District and Divisional Secretaries, Vice Chancellor at Jaffna University, Mayor and Provincial Councillors, Senior Administrators and a host of other religious and civil dignitaries assembled under one roof to join Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya in opening this first-ever twenty-four seven open Civil Affairs and Public Relations Office, giving pride of place to Hindu religious rites and rituals.
Lieutenant General Jayasuriya after the ribbon cutting ceremony launched the first-ever civil relations-oriented SFHQ-J managed Website www.cimicjaffna.com, through which interested people worldwide have access to a glimpse of the war-affected northern peninsula of historic and cultural importance and can learn about healthy relations being grown between its citizenry and military/Security Forces. This website also provides a catalogue of ongoing development projects and civilian oriented welfare projects in the peninsula.
The inauguration of the new office saw Commander of the Army ceremonially give away 100 new push bicycles to children from selected schools in the peninsula as a token of Army’s goodwill and a relief for their traveling purposes. As the next item on the agenda, the Commander gifted ten fiber glass fishing boats to fishermen in the area who are now able to go fishing without any time restrictions in the whole of the Jaffna sea lagoon. Appreciative of their swelling enthusiasm for sports, Lieutenant General Jayasuriya afterwards distributed a stock of sports items and accessories to seven cricket clubs in different schools in the area.
The next moment was rather solemn and moving as family members who recently lost two of their sons in Columbuthrai while they were unknowingly meddling with a 60 mm mortar bomb that has been left by Tiger terrorists, came forward to receive special but memorable gifts from the visiting Commander of the Army. This was the first tragic incident that was reported after the War ended in May, last year. All three remaining children, two girls and one boy in the family were exceptionally lucky at the occasion to receive three brand new push bicycles plus some separate gift parcels from the Commander. Parents, the only brother and sisters present at the occasion burst into tears as memories returned when the Commander gifted them with those valuables on the occasion.
This community project seen as a long- felt need in the peninsula is able to reach hearts and minds of the people since anybody, burdened with any sorts of civil grievances, be they are of administration, welfare or any other civic matter is now able to seek redress from this special office, open round the clock. Tuesday’s ceremony was attended by senior officers and police personnel.
In the meantime, as part of a gigantic welfare project, SFHQ-J has already launched a project for construction of 680 new houses for displaced civilians who have now returned to the peninsula. The Army’s enthusiasm has deepened further as scores of Jaffna based donors and philanthropists have volunteered to help the Army by way of donating building materials and other essentials for this praiseworthy cause.
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