Reconciliation cannot be achieved with brick and mortar and cement. It will not go into the hearts and minds of Jaffna people. I can tell you with responsibility, our reconciliation programme will be a failure unless we implement proposals at the grassroots level.
However, the Jaffna people do enjoy the best of both worlds unlike the people in the south. They want their bread buttered on both sides.
Jaffna people will take whatever the government gives and has no gratitude for it. The reason is our politician and government officers have not been able to articulate that our intention is to help and enhance the quality of life of Jaffna people in general.
It is imperative to set up elder care homes, nursing homes for active retirees. Home care visits by nurses to check the patients’ progress after discharged from hospitals. An insurance programme has to be introduced to cover the expenses of elders’ so that they can live in dignity.
English knowledge is an absolute necessity even for adults, graduates, undergraduates, teachers, nurses, and government officers.
Job creations and employment are other opportunities, we must work towards. We can improve tourism as an important destination for foreign tourists.
This will create many jobs in related fields. Healthcare, Housing construction, Agriculture, Marketing of the products, and manufacturing are the other ways to create jobs.
With my experience overseas and Sri Lanka, I can make a major contribution to achieving success in the above programmes. This cannot be done on remote control from Colombo.
The Lake House group, being a national organisation, can make a contribution with regard to creating reconciliation. We can enlist the assistance and support of many volunteer organisations and individuals and some educated retired people to implement our proposals at the grassroots level.
I have already contacted some old girls’ associations and old boys’ associations for their suggestions to bring reconciliation and harmony between north and south.
It can be done in a two year period to achieve some basic results if it is carefully planned and organised. Cultural activities and production of teledramas and musical programmes should be done jointly which can create harmony and improve friendship among individuals of north and south.
Increase the number of women constables who should visit homes routinely for the Jaffna people to feel that we care about their well-being.
The present situation is I feel that I’m living in a different country.
The only advantage is I can enter Jaffna without a visa. We must show them we are the people of one country and care about to entire nation. Sinhala Only law introduced in 1959 or thereabout has created some resentment in the hearts and minds of Jaffna people.
“Enterprise Sri Lanka” the financial assistance programme that government created, will be a tremendous help for Jaffna people. I hope the bank officials of People’s Bank and Bank of Ceylon will help the customers without being too harsh on them, without asking for the shirt on their back as security for the loan.
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