Symbolic meeting

Kilinochchi which was in the limelight as the heart of LTTE operations and the capital of the self proclaimed Eelam of Velupillai Prabhakaran not long ago is today in the news for quite a different reason. Where there was death, devastation and mindless bloodletting, it is today a changed landscape with civilian rule entrenched. Reinforcing this view the Government decided to hold a Cabinet meeting in this once blood drenched backwater of Tiger supremacy.

If someone were to predict five years ago that Kilinochchi would be visited by a Sri Lankan Head of State some day that someone would have been deemed to have taken leave of his senses. Such was the hold that the Tigers had on its headquarters.

It was to this Tiger citadel that foreign dignitaries visited for conclaves with the Tiger leadership. It was to Kilinochchi that Eric Solheim frequently shuttled carrying messages from leaders of this country to Velupillai Prabhakaran - messages of appeasement and compromise. And it is from here that the outfit communicated with its international network and kept in touch with the outside world. Therefore Kilinochchi for all intense and purposes was the chief bastion of the LTTE which was deemed impenetrable. It was symbolic of the LTTE might and power.

All newspapers yesterday carried as their main picture the image of President Mahinda Rajapaksa presiding over the historic Cabinet meeting in Kilinochchi, at the very Headquarters complex where the Tiger leader ruled the roost. It was here that Velupillai Prabhakaran sat not many moons ago issuing his deadly orders to his cadres that spelled death, mayhem and carnage.

It is from here that he ordered the forced conscription of child soldiers to the Tiger army and ordered the assassination of many leaders both Sinhala and Tamil. It is from this very location that he ordered the elimination of rivals and made many other decrees that bought so much anguish and misery to the Tamil people.

But Wednesday’s scenario was different. Here was the Head of State of a sovereign nation issuing orders and directives to his Cabinet that would bring succour and solace to a long suffering people. No sooner the Cabinet meeting was over the price of fuel in the Jaffna peninsula was slashed. Other directives too were issued by the President that brought tangible benefits to the people of the North.

The occasion was symbolic depicting the unification of a once fractured nation. Who would have thought five years ago that a Head of State of Sri Lanka would ever set foot on the epicentre of LTTE power let along sit at the very same location where the Tiger leader held court. A beaming President told the Ministers that Sri Lanka is today a truly united country. There was no better way to depict this than hold foremost Government forum at the very location that was once the hub of separatism.

This may also herald a new chapter for the people of the North who were distanced from the rest of the population for over three decades. It is a strongly symbolic occasion that goes to portray the one nation concept. It is also appropriate that the President chose the LTTE headquarters for the occasion for it is here that saw the most devastation during the war. It speaks of the purpose of the President to begin from the ashes.

Many of those who criticize the move had lost sight of the significance of the occasion. For one thing it will portray a forceful picture to the outside world that Sri Lanka is now one nation and its people whatever community they belong to are under one banner.

Leaving aside the symbolic aspect there is no gainsaying the benefits that would accrue to the people of the North by such an exercise. Several development projects were initiated in the North in the days leading up to the Cabinet meeting. A progress review meeting too was held on the on going and planned development activities with the participation of relevant local officials and Ministers under the patronage of the President.

This also provided a good opportunity for the Ministers to have a feel of the landscape at a personal level and better identify the needs and aspirations of the people. We say this because not many Government Ministers have had the opportunity to come into full contact with these people and such personal visits would help them obtain a first hand knowledge of the expectations of the people.

Addressing a public meeting the President said that Kilinochchi has received the largest financial allocation earmarked for the North. He also pledged to rebuild all the destroyed buildings, railroads and other damaged infrastructure by September.

It appears that killing fields of Kilinochchi are about to undergo a dramatic transformation that hopefully would help wipe out all traces of its horrible past.