Jaffna residents demand back money, jewelry from Central bank

[TamilNet, Thursday, 02 July 2009, 16:30 GMT]
Representatives of civil organizations, NGOs, Traders’ Circle and other participants requested the President of Bank of Ceylon, Dr. Gamini Wickremasinghe, to expedite the return of all the money and jewelry belonging to Jaffna residents taken to the Central Bank in Colombo in 1996 for safe keeping, Wednesday evening at Uroville Hall in Muththirai Chanthai in Nalloor. Mr Wickremasinghe was presiding a seminar titled "The role of Bank of Ceylon in the Development of Northern Province," when the demand was made, sources in Jaffna said.

The representatives told the visiting President of Bank of Ceylon that they will not allow the belongings of the Jaffna residents to be misused in any way.

Meanwhile, commenting on the 19 member committee for the Development of North headed by Basil Rajapakse, appointed by the President Mahinda Rajapakse, the representatives pointed that not a single member in the committee is Tamil.

The much publicized development of the north made by the Sri Lanka government is only an eyewash, the participants said openly.

Dr. Gamini Wickremasinghe visited some of the IDP camps in Jaffna besides donating a consignment of medical instruments to Jaffna Teaching Hospital during his visit to Jaffna.