Northern development and dialogue need to go together

There is a renewed energy visible in the North. Government officials from the North affirm there is reason for cautious optimism. Development activity is more visible now than at any point since the end of the war. A government officer remarked that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake obtained around 27,000 votes in the Jaffna district during the last presidential election, but if he were to contest again today, he might receive 200,000. This may be one person’s opinion but it reflects a positive response to gestures of inclusion and practical delivery of services long denied. It also reflects a rising confidence in the president due to his policies that speak of equal treatment and its rejection of ethnic division as a tool of politics.

- BY JEHAN PERERA

The development of the Myliddy fisheries harbour is widely regarded as a long overdue corrective and development that targets the less affluent in keeping with the government's pledges. Fisherfolk who were displaced for years due to military occupation are now able to return to their livelihoods. The opening of a passport office in Jaffna has had a similar impact. Previously, even a routine passport application meant travelling to Colombo, often with overnight stays and additional expenses. Now parents visiting their children abroad, workers seeking employment overseas, and students applying for visas can complete their process locally. It signals recognition that the government sees the North is part of the administrative life of the country, not a distant outpost.

However, goodwill earned is not permanent. It must be maintained through consistency and consultation. The decision to establish an international cricket stadium in Mandaitivu brings this to the issue of consultation to the fore. Cricket unites Sri Lankans across communities, and bringing international sport to the North carries obvious symbolic value. Mandaitivu island is linked to Jaffna by a causeway, and hotels across the peninsula are ready to take in visitors. However, the choice of Mandaitivu is a debatable one in that it is an ecologically sensitive island with mangroves and shallow seas. The question is to what extent was the plan to build an international cricket stadium discussed with the community.

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