Ethnic Reconciliation Programme launched in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Thursday, 25 September 2003, 02:31 GMT]
The Trincomalee District Development Association (TDDA), founded twenty years ago to provide relief to victims of 1983 violence in the district, Tuesday inaugurated an Inter Ethnic Reconciliation Programme (IERP)with the opening of a computer-training centre and a training hall with the assistance of the Canadian International Development Agency, sources said.

The District Programme Officer of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), Mr.S.Sivasothy, declared open the training hall named "Kalai Aruvi" and the computer training centre by Mr.S.Sivarasasekaram, a computer engineer, sources said.

Presiding over the event at the office of the TDDA, its president, Mr.S.Lukshmanan, said that the TDDA was formed in 1983 to assist the victims of violence in the Trincomalee district and providing relief. From 1990, the TDDA assisted in resettling the internally displaced families in their own villages and the IDPs were resettled in about ten villages. Later, the TDDA launched development projects in the rehabilitated villages during the period of war amidst much difficulty, sources said.

He added that no significant progress has been witnessed for the last nineteen months since the signing of the ceasefire agreement. "Peace could be achieved only through the contribution of the people."

He said the TDDA has now launched the Inter Ethnic Reconciliation Programme with the sole aim of resolving the misunderstanding and differences that has arisen between two communities in Muttur.

Under the project, fifty youths from Tamil and Muslim communities who have passed GCE ordinary and advanced level examinations have been selected for a six months computer training course.

DRC's District Programme Officer Mr.Sivasothy said that the basic tenet of the IERP is based on the social cohabitation of the communities.

At the commencement, Hindu and Muslim religious dignitaries blessed the event. At the conclusion, TDDA general secretary Mr.P.Kandasamy proposed the vote of thanks.



Danish refugee Council Trincomalee district programme officer Mr.Sivasothy declares open the training hall " Kalai Aruvi". TDDA President Mr.S.Lakshmanan (l) and Secretary Mr.Kandasamy are seen in the background.