NorthEast Governor visits Kokkilai

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 February 2005, 11:27 GMT]
Governor of NorthEast Province, Mr Tyronne Fernando arrived Thursday morning in Kokkilai, a village resettled with Sinhala families from Negombo, to see the devastation caused by the tsunami, security sources said.

Mr Fernando ceremonially opened six temporary houses built for tsunami victims and participated in a tree-planting event in Kokkilai Elementary school.

Speaking to the villagers at the Kokkilai Church grounds, the Governor told the residents, "Tsunami has affected all communities in the coastal belt. The fact that the communities, including the Sri Lanka Army and the LTTE, helped each other during the disaster indicates that we can easily work together to reach permanet peace."

Tamil and Muslim residents of Pulmoddai, Ponmalai Kuda, Arisimalai and Thevadithivu, tamil villages in the district under the control of SLA, complained that Governor's visit underscores the neglect of Tamil families in the area by the Sri Lanka Government.

Vanni district Commander of SLA Major General Kulatunge, accompanied the Governor.

932 members of 234 familes reside in Kokkilai, said SLA sources.