British High Commissioner visits Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 August 2009, 17:24 GMT]
British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Dr. Peter Hayes, visited Jaffna Thursday on an invitation by Basil Rajapakse, Senior Advisor to the President and his brother, to visit the bridge being built at Changuppiddi-Kearatheevu causeway on A32 land route to Jaffna with British Government’s aid. After visiting the building site the High Commissioner participated in an event along with Basil Rajapakse, Minister Douglas Devananda and Northern Province Governor, G. A. Chandrasiri, where Sri Lanka Army (SLA) authorities officially handed over 1100 acres of paddy land in Thenmaraadchi back to the farmers for cultivation, sources in Jaffna said.

The paddy lands had been converted into High Security Zone (HSZ) by the SLA for nearly nine years and the owners of the lands were not permitted to cultivate them.

The above paddy lands are located in Koakilaakka’ndi and Thanangki’lappu areas in Thenmaraadchi.

The farmers ploughed their fields with ploughs pulled by bullocks as a mark of having got back their lands.

Basil Rajapakse and Minister Douglas Devananda too joined the farmers in the ceremonial event.

Saiva and Christian priests were present at the event.