NPC launches Ammaachchi food court with CBK's participation in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 01 April 2018, 23:20 GMT]
Northern Provincial Council Chief Minister Justice C.V.Wigneswaran has launched another food court retaining the original concept and the name ‘Ammaachchi’ as conceived by the NPC ministry of agriculture. The new branch of Ammaachchi food court was declared opened by former SL President Ms Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (CBK) at Keerimalai on Sunday. In the meantime, the food court launched by the NPC at Thirunelveali three months ago, is still unable to use the name ‘Ammaachchi’ as the SL Ministry of Agriculture has been demanding the traditional food court concept promoted by the Northern Provincial Council to be Sinhalicised as ‘Hela Bojun’.



Former NPC Minister of Agriculture, Mr P. Aingaranesan conceived the traditional food court Ammaachchi with the funding from United Nations Development Programme.

The kitchen, driven by grassroots women groups, has been promoting war-affected women with livelihood opportunities and was serving traditional Tamil cuisine at an affordable price and good quality.

The food court, launched in Vavuniyaa became a success earning a good reputation, and the concept was expanded with a similar food court in Ki'linochchi as well.

But, the NPC Ministry was unable to secure independent funding for new branches.

When the move to launch a food court in Thirunelveali in Jaffna, the NPC ministry had sought financial assistance from the SL Ministry of Agriculture in Colombo.

After providing the funding, the SL Ministry in Colombo opposed the Tamil name ‘Ammaachchi’ and demanded the food court in Jaffna be named as ‘Hela Bojun’.

As a result of the controversy, the food court at Thirunelveali is functioning without a name board.



CBK is the chairperson of Colombo-based Office For National Unity And Reconciliation (ONUR), which has not lived up to its name as far as Tamils are concerned.

The latest visit by CBK should also be seen coupled with the trip by SL Minister of Finance and Media Mangala Samaraweera and the Governor of the Central Bank, Dr Indrajit Coomaraswamy, Tamil political circles in Jaffna commented.

The Tamil protesters, particularly the kith and kin of Tamils subjected to enforced disappearances, have been confronting SL President Maithiripala Sirisena. After being unable to win the hearts and minds of the Tamil people, the Colombo Establishment is now dispatching Samaraweera and CBK to sustain the collaborative line with the TNA, they further observed.

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