Touring monks claim ‘commendable’ development in the east

By Poornima Ravishan Wijemanne
Two Buddhists monks, who concluded a tour to the recently ‘liberated’ Eastern Province, claim that contrary to slanderous reports circulating among the international community, there is commendable development in the region.

Addressing a news conference at the Government Information Department yesterday, Ven. Dr. Walpola Piyananda Thera and Ven. Maitipe Wilmalasara Thera reported the developments they have witnessed while on their tour to the Eastern Province and gave away VCDs documenting their tour.

“We went to Trincomalee, Muttur, Sampur, Lanka Patuna, Thoppur and Kattaparichchan. Life in these areas is much free, more secure and stable than before. There haven’t been any terrorist activities recently, but the people still have doubts about their security,” Wimalasara Thera said.

“We talked to school children from the Isuru College – Swami Vivekananda School, the Toppur Muslim School and the Trincomalee Sinhala School. Though there’s a lack of facilities in these schools, the environment is fit enough for education,” the Thera added.

Although the development process is admirable, the Theras said that some areas still require attention. They added that the resettling of the people in those areas needed to be more efficient and organised.

“People there need vocational training. Having been under the LTTE for sometime, they have no knowledge of any trade other than the weapons training the LTTE gave them. Also, if they cannot employ themselves, there might be a danger of these people returning to terrorism,” the Theras stressed.

They have also found that the Shaila Pabbatha Temple contains several archaeologically and culturally important rock carvings, which the government needs to take steps to protect.

Coordinating secretary ministry of mass media and information, mass media