President pledges opportunities for youths in north

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday visited a former LTTE nerve centre for the first time and pledged more opportunities for the deprived northern Tamil youth. 

The president inaugurated a garment factory at Puthukuduyrippu (PTK), one of the most deprived areas in the northern province where the LTTE during their three-decade- long fight with the troops had established its military capital. 

The fall of PTK in January 2009 signalled the end of the LTTE resistance and four-months later they were completely crushed by the government troops. 

"I have been told of many problems faced by these youth. They complained of disappeared people, poor education facilities, lack of lands and release of long held prisoners. It is my intention to address all these problems," Sirisena said. 

Sirisena's government has eased some of the tough living and security conditions faced by the northern Tamils under the former regime of Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

The government has released lands held for military purposes, lifted travel restrictions to the northand released some of the Tamils detained for a long period of time. 

Tamils however complain that more needs to be done to give them relief including the de-escalation of the military presence in the former war battered regions.  A larger proportion of the Tamil minority backed Sirisena in the presidential election held in 2015 that ended Rajapaksa's decade-long rule. (PTI)