Sinhala, Tamil classes for Trinco youth

[TamilNet, Friday, 19 February 1999, 19:21 GMT]
The National Youth Services Council, functioning under the Ministry of Youth Affairs, has launched a programme to conduct language class for the youth community of the country, to teach Tamil language to Sinhalese and Sinhala to Tamils.

This was announced by the Provincial Director of the NYSC, H.M.I.Abeyaratna at a news conference held in Trincomalee last Thursday.

He said that in Trincomalee district, six language classes would be conducted at Muttur, Gomarankadawela, Eechilampathai, Trincomalee, Morawewa and Tampalakamam. This programme will promote better understanding between the two major communities, newsmen were told.

The Trincomalee district office of the National Youth Services Council will be shifted to a place in the heart of the town, enabling Tamil youths to obtain the services of the institution without being harassed by the army personnel.

At present, the district office of the NYSC is functioning inside the Fort Frederick, which is in the control of the Gajaba Regiment of the Sri Lankan army.

Any one who enters the fort must surrender his or her national identity card at the army check point.

This restriction has caused fear among Tamil youths who are members of the youth clubs of the NYSC to visit the office to get assistance.

Provincial Director of the NYSC, Mr.H.M.I.Abeyaratne said at the news conference last Thursday that the head office had decided to shift the Trincomalee district office to a place outside the Fort Frederick to allay the fears of the Tamil youths.