PARENTS, spouses and guardians of four hundred and twenty five ex-LTTE combatants assembled at the Veerasingham Hall in Jaffna on Tuesday (18.05.2010) to take their loved ones home after a lapse of many months when the Bureau of Commissioner General Rehabilitation (BCGR) released them on completion of government’s rehabilitation programme at a brief but pompous ceremony.
During the ceremony attended by nearly one thousand and five hundred next of kin, some beneficiaries were symbolically handed over to their relatives by dignitaries who graced the function as invited guests.
Among the latest group of released beneficiaries were one hundred and eighty nine school children who had been following formal education at Ratmalana Hindu College under the supervision of BCGR and seventy two youngsters qualified to pursue university education. In addition to academic subjects, those school students had been engaged in extracurricular activities at the Hindu College. Out of today’s released batch of school children there were thirty eight girl guides and forty scouts who performed on the stage during the cultural show of rehabilitated children that preceded the main ceremony.
On initiative of His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the ex-LTTE members at Protective Accommodation and Rehabilitation Centres (PARCs) were given vocational training on various fields according to their choice and talents in order to ensure a stable economic background after reintegration with society.
Those young and elderly people received their vocational training at PARCs in Vavuniya, Welikanda, Ratmalana, Thelippalai, Kakesanthurai and Kaithady under BCGR before they reunified with their families.
However, school children, on their wish, are offered with option to find their admission again to Ratmalana Hindu College until they complete formal education, revealed BCGR officials.
Priests of the four main religions , Minister Douglas Devananda and Parliamentarians representing Jaffna, Governor Northern Province Major General (Retd) G.A. Chandrasiri, Commander Security Forces Jaffna Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe, Commissioner General Rehabilitation Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe, Government Agent Jaffna Mr. K Ganesh, Government Agent Mannar Mr. Nicholas Pillai and Mayoress Jaffna Ms Pathgunaraja were among the invited guests present.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
