Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe praised India's support for his country amid the economic crisis at the opening of the Jaffna Cultural Centre (JCC).

"We appreciate the support extended by the Indian government to Sri Lanka to overcome the debt trap during the economic crisis," he said on Saturday.

The president highlighted the ongoing discussions between the two nations on economic development projects in the Northern Province, development projects in the Trincomalee Port, and the energy sector.

The Jaffna Cultural Centre, built with funding from the Indian government, was officially opened Saturday.

The event was attended by the Sri Lanka president along with India’s Minister of State for Information &amp; Broadcasting, Dr L Murugan—who is on a four-day visit to Sri Lanka from February 9-12—High Commissioner of India Gopal Bagalay, and other dignitaries.

President Wickremesinghe also pointed out the cultural similarities between the two countries.

"The Jaffna Cultural Centre is a common centre, and I always maintain that the cultures of our two countries cannot be separated. Sri Lanka and India are two sides of the same coin and our shared culture should be conserved and protected. This is why the JCC is such a significant gift," he said.

The Jaffna Cultural Centre features a museum, a 600-seat theatre-style auditorium, a 11-story learning tower, an exhibition gallery, a 100-seat conference facility, and more.

The foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Modi in 2015, and it was virtually inaugurated by External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar in 2022.

The Indian minister, on his part, spoke about India's "Neighbourhood First" policy, which guides their partnership with Sri Lanka.

He announced a special financial assistance program for 100 students from low-income families at the University of Jaffna. He highlighted India's numerous people-centric projects in the Northern Province.

The Jaffna Cultural Centre is seen as India's commitment to the people of Sri Lanka, including the Northern Province.

India's development partnership with Sri Lanka is worth $5 billion and covers various aspects of daily life, including infrastructure, education, health, housing, and livelihood development.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe praised India's support for his country amid the economic crisis at the opening of the Jaffna Cultural Centre (JCC). "We appreciate the support extended by the Indian government to Sri Lanka to overcome the debt trap during the economic crisis," he said on Saturday.

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe praised India's support for his country amid the economic crisis at the opening of the Jaffna Cultural Centre (JCC). "We appreciate the support extended by the Indian government to Sri Lanka to overcome the debt trap during the economic crisis," he said on Saturday. The president highlighted the ongoing discussions between the two nations on economic development projects in the Northern Province, development projects in the Trincomalee Port, and the energy sector. The Jaffna Cultural Centre, built with funding from the Indian government, was officially opened Saturday. The event was attended by the Sri Lanka president along with India’s Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting, Dr L Murugan—who is on a four-day visit to Sri Lanka from February 9-12—High Commissioner of India Gopal Bagalay, and other dignitaries. President Wickremesinghe also pointed out the cultural similarities between the two countries. "The Jaffna Cultural Centre is a common centre, and I always maintain that the cultures of our two countries cannot be separated. Sri Lanka and India are two sides of the same coin and our shared culture should be conserved and protected. This is why the JCC is such a significant gift," he said. The Jaffna Cultural Centre features a museum, a 600-seat theatre-style auditorium, a 11-story learning tower, an exhibition gallery, a 100-seat conference facility, and more. The foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Modi in 2015, and it was virtually inaugurated by External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar in 2022. The Indian minister, on his part, spoke about India's "Neighbourhood First" policy, which guides their partnership with Sri Lanka. He announced a special financial assistance program for 100 students from low-income families at the University of Jaffna. He highlighted India's numerous people-centric projects in the Northern Province. The Jaffna Cultural Centre is seen as India's commitment to the people of Sri Lanka, including the Northern Province. India's development partnership with Sri Lanka is worth $5 billion and covers various aspects of daily life, including infrastructure, education, health, housing, and livelihood development. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Indian support helped overcome debt trap, says Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe

Tamils were protesting across Jaffna as Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe visits the peninsula for Thai Pongal. The protesters were demanding justice for the families of Tamils who disappeared during the time of civil war.

WION Dispatch: Sri Lankan Tamils protest in Jaffna as President Ranil Wickremesinghe visits district

LPL 2022:&nbsp;The Lanka Premier League (LPL) has reached its business end. It is the final day of league matches with Jaffna Kings taking on Colombo Stars in the double-header Monday. Jaffna Kings come into the contest with five wins out of seven matches and sit pretty on the number two spot in the points table.&nbsp;

As for Colombo Stars, they are just behind their opponents at the number three spot in the points table. However, both teams come into the contest with contrasting fortunes. Jaffna Kings overcame Galle Gladiators by 16 runs in the previous match to emerge victorious while Colombo Kings received nine-wicket hiding at the hands of Kandy Falcons.&nbsp;

Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars

Jaffna Kings: 
Avishka Fernando, Ashan Randika, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Shoaib Malik, Thisara Perera (c), Dunith Wellalage, James Fuller, Maheesh Theekshana, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Zaman Khan

Colombo Stars: 
Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Angelo Mathews (c), Charith Asalanka, Ravi Bopara, Dinesh Chandimal, Navod Paranavithana, Karim Janat, Dominic Drakes, Suranga Lakmal, Jeffrey Vandersay, Naveen-ul-Haq

Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars full squad

Jaffna Kings Squad 
Thisara Perera (c), Shoaib Malik, Maheesh Theekshana, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ashan Randika, Praveen Jayawickrama, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dunith Wellalage, Hardus Viljoen, Evin Lewis, Shahnawaz Dahani, Binura Fernando, Tristan Stubbs, Suminda Lakshan, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dilshan Madushanka, Nipun Dananjaya, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Theivendiram Dinoshan

Colombo Stars Squad 
Angelo Mathews (c), Seekkuge Prasanna, Dinesh Chandimal, Jeffrey Vandersay, Charith Asalanka, Niroshan Dickwella, Dwaine Pretorius, Asif Ali, Naveen-ul-Haq, Dominic Drakes, Karim Janat, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Ishan Jayaratne, Muditha Lakshan, Lakshitha Manasinghe, Kevin Koththigoda, Chathuranga Kumara, Navod Paranavithana.

<h2>Where to watch&nbsp;Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match live?</h2>

Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars&nbsp;match can be watched on Sony Sports Network channels in India on TV. The match will also be live-streamed on the Sony LIV app and website. The match can be watched live on Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 1 HD, Sony Sports Ten 5 and Sony Sports Ten 5 HD TV channels in India.

Where will the LPL 2022 Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match&nbsp;be held?

LPL 2022 Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match will take place in Sri Lanka on December 19.

When will the LPL 2022 Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match&nbsp;start? – Date

LPL 2022 Colombo Stars vs Jaffna Kings match will begin at 3:00 PM IST on December 19, Monday.

What Time the LPL 2022 Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match&nbsp;will begin?

The LPL 2022 Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match will begin at 3:00 PM IST.

What is the venue of the LPL 2022 Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match? – Venue

LPL 2022 Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match will be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium.&nbsp;

LPL 2022: The Lanka Premier League (LPL) has reached its business end. It is the final day of league matches with Jaffna Kings taking on Colombo Stars in the double-header Monday.

LPL 2022: The Lanka Premier League (LPL) has reached its business end. It is the final day of league matches with Jaffna Kings taking on Colombo Stars in the double-header Monday. Jaffna Kings come into the contest with five wins out of seven matches and sit pretty on the number two spot in the points table. As for Colombo Stars, they are just behind their opponents at the number three spot in the points table. However, both teams come into the contest with contrasting fortunes. Jaffna Kings overcame Galle Gladiators by 16 runs in the previous match to emerge victorious while Colombo Kings received nine-wicket hiding at the hands of Kandy Falcons. Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars Jaffna Kings: Avishka Fernando, Ashan Randika, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Shoaib Malik, Thisara Perera (c), Dunith Wellalage, James Fuller, Maheesh Theekshana, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Zaman Khan Colombo Stars: Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Angelo Mathews (c), Charith Asalanka, Ravi Bopara, Dinesh Chandimal, Navod Paranavithana, Karim Janat, Dominic Drakes, Suranga Lakmal, Jeffrey Vandersay, Naveen-ul-Haq Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars full squad Jaffna Kings Squad Thisara Perera (c), Shoaib Malik, Maheesh Theekshana, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ashan Randika, Praveen Jayawickrama, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dunith Wellalage, Hardus Viljoen, Evin Lewis, Shahnawaz Dahani, Binura Fernando, Tristan Stubbs, Suminda Lakshan, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dilshan Madushanka, Nipun Dananjaya, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Theivendiram Dinoshan Colombo Stars Squad Angelo Mathews (c), Seekkuge Prasanna, Dinesh Chandimal, Jeffrey Vandersay, Charith Asalanka, Niroshan Dickwella, Dwaine Pretorius, Asif Ali, Naveen-ul-Haq, Dominic Drakes, Karim Janat, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Ishan Jayaratne, Muditha Lakshan, Lakshitha Manasinghe, Kevin Koththigoda, Chathuranga Kumara, Navod Paranavithana. Where to watch Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match live? Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match can be watched on Sony Sports Network channels in India on TV. The match will also be live-streamed on the Sony LIV app and website. The match can be watched live on Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 1 HD, Sony Sports Ten 5 and Sony Sports Ten 5 HD TV channels in India. Where will the LPL 2022 Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match be held? LPL 2022 Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match will take place in Sri Lanka on December 19. When will the LPL 2022 Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match start? – Date LPL 2022 Colombo Stars vs Jaffna Kings match will begin at 3:00 PM IST on December 19, Monday. What Time the LPL 2022 Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match will begin? The LPL 2022 Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match will begin at 3:00 PM IST. What is the venue of the LPL 2022 Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match? – Venue LPL 2022 Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars match will be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

Jaffna Kings vs Colombo Stars preview: LPL 2022 JK vs CS live streaming & TV channel, playing XI prediction

China has been forced to cancel a solar power project in Sri Lanka.

Reports say there was pressure from India, others say the local population rejected it. China however has reacted with a publicity campaign.

The Chinese ambassador Qi Zhenhong&nbsp;toured Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka as he visited&nbsp;a library and met some fishermen. He even went bare-chested for a temple run.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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🇨🇳Ambassador Qi Zhenhong started his first visit to the Northern Province of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SriLanka?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SriLanka</a> 🇱🇰 from the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jaffna?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Jaffna</a> Public Library. 
 
Laptops and books were donated to enhance the capacity building and enlarge the collection of this well-known library in Asia.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CNLK65?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CNLK65</a> <a href="https://t.co/MoHFgFkKRS">pic.twitter.com/MoHFgFkKRS</a>
— Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka (@ChinaEmbSL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChinaEmbSL/status/1471172241220014082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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In the last two days, ambassador Zhenhong&nbsp;has been all over Jaffna. At the local library, he donated books and laptops and at the dock, he brought fishing nets and food parcels.

At the temple, he went bare-chested with a flower basket in an attempt to charm the locals.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas:&nbsp;Chinese envoy woos Lankan Tamils

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-shirt-off-veshti-in-chinese-envoy-woos-lankan-tamils-437793/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

China was contracted to build a solar network near Jaffna, however, the Chinese embassy earlier made an announcement saying: "The project to build hybrid energy system in three northern islands of Sri Lanka has been suspended due to 'security concern' from a third party."

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🇨🇳Ambassador Qi Zhenhong paid homage to the historic <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nallur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Nallur</a> Kandaswamy Kovil at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jaffna?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Jaffna</a> with full respect to the Hindu religious and cultural tradition. 
 
Amb. Qi also made a donation to the Kovil and shared pooja with the needy citizens outside after his visit.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CNLK65?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CNLK65</a> <a href="https://t.co/rAZwPLGLae">pic.twitter.com/rAZwPLGLae</a>
— Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka (@ChinaEmbSL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChinaEmbSL/status/1471366395841548288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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No one really knows about the "third party". However, China believes it is India. New Delhi has considerable clout in northern Sri Lanka as 70 per cent of the island's Tamil population lives in the area&nbsp;and traditionally they have backed India.

The Chinese ambassador had asked an Army official how far is India/Indian Ocean stretch and was told "it is exactly 30km from this point".

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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🇨🇳Amb. Qi Zhenhong had a fruitful discussion with 🇱🇰NP Governor Jeewan Thiagarajah this evening on how to enhance mutual cooperation and improve local Tamil community livelihoods. 
 
5 ROI water purification mobile plants have been donated by <a href="https://twitter.com/ChinaEmbSL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChinaEmbSL</a> to 5 districts in the NP. <a href="https://t.co/Ha8tubl2cf">pic.twitter.com/Ha8tubl2cf</a>
— Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka (@ChinaEmbSL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChinaEmbSL/status/1471175424998735873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The proposed solar project was just miles off the Indian coast. Officially, New Delhi has been silent over any form of protests, however, China does not want to take chances, so the Chinese Communist Party dispatched their ambassador to Jaffna to win over the Tamils.

Most Chinese projects are concentrated in southern Sri Lanka and the northern part is largely been ignored and the fact that it has ties with India makes it a complicated equation.

Beijing's strategy has been to throw money at the problem. China has donated goods worth $100,000 to fishermen in Jaffna giving away books and laptops but Tamils continue to be wary.

The ambassador's visit is also a sign of deteriorating China-Lanka ties. Earlier, Colombo had banned the import of Chinese fertilizers.

In response, China had blacklisted Sri Lanka's state bank but now Beijing's envoy is courting the Tamils.&nbsp;

China has been forced to cancel a solar power project in Sri Lanka. Reports say there was pressure from India, others say the local population rejected it. China however has reacted with a publicity campaign.

China has been forced to cancel a solar power project in Sri Lanka. Reports say there was pressure from India, others say the local population rejected it. China however has reacted with a publicity campaign. The Chinese ambassador Qi Zhenhong toured Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka as he visited a library and met some fishermen. He even went bare-chested for a temple run. 🇨🇳Ambassador Qi Zhenhong started his first visit to the Northern Province of #SriLanka 🇱🇰 from the #Jaffna Public Library. Laptops and books were donated to enhance the capacity building and enlarge the collection of this well-known library in Asia.#CNLK65 pic.twitter.com/MoHFgFkKRS — Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka (@ChinaEmbSL) December 15, 2021 × In the last two days, ambassador Zhenhong has been all over Jaffna. At the local library, he donated books and laptops and at the dock, he brought fishing nets and food parcels. At the temple, he went bare-chested with a flower basket in an attempt to charm the locals. Watch | Gravitas: Chinese envoy woos Lankan Tamils China was contracted to build a solar network near Jaffna, however, the Chinese embassy earlier made an announcement saying: "The project to build hybrid energy system in three northern islands of Sri Lanka has been suspended due to 'security concern' from a third party." 🇨🇳Ambassador Qi Zhenhong paid homage to the historic #Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil at #Jaffna with full respect to the Hindu religious and cultural tradition. Amb. Qi also made a donation to the Kovil and shared pooja with the needy citizens outside after his visit.#CNLK65 pic.twitter.com/rAZwPLGLae — Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka (@ChinaEmbSL) December 16, 2021 × No one really knows about the "third party". However, China believes it is India. New Delhi has considerable clout in northern Sri Lanka as 70 per cent of the island's Tamil population lives in the area and traditionally they have backed India. The Chinese ambassador had asked an Army official how far is India/Indian Ocean stretch and was told "it is exactly 30km from this point". 🇨🇳Amb. Qi Zhenhong had a fruitful discussion with 🇱🇰NP Governor Jeewan Thiagarajah this evening on how to enhance mutual cooperation and improve local Tamil community livelihoods. 5 ROI water purification mobile plants have been donated by @ChinaEmbSL to 5 districts in the NP. pic.twitter.com/Ha8tubl2cf — Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka (@ChinaEmbSL) December 15, 2021 × The proposed solar project was just miles off the Indian coast. Officially, New Delhi has been silent over any form of protests, however, China does not want to take chances, so the Chinese Communist Party dispatched their ambassador to Jaffna to win over the Tamils. Most Chinese projects are concentrated in southern Sri Lanka and the northern part is largely been ignored and the fact that it has ties with India makes it a complicated equation. Beijing's strategy has been to throw money at the problem. China has donated goods worth $100,000 to fishermen in Jaffna giving away books and laptops but Tamils continue to be wary. The ambassador's visit is also a sign of deteriorating China-Lanka ties. Earlier, Colombo had banned the import of Chinese fertilizers. In response, China had blacklisted Sri Lanka's state bank but now Beijing's envoy is courting the Tamils.

After suspending solar power project, Chinese ambassador goes on charm offensive in Jaffna

In what seems to be a damage control move by China after suspending the energy project in Sri Lanka, the Chinese envoy begins outreach in Jaffna.

After suspending the energy project in Sri Lanka, the Chinese envoy begins outreach in Jaffna

January 2 in History: From world getting its first air conditioner to Pathankot attacks

WION&#39;s exclusive interview with the first democratically-elected chief minister of Sri Lanka&#39;s Northern Province, Justice CV &nbsp;Wigneswaran

PRS: Justice CV Wigneswaran, it&#39;s a pleasure to see you again. You met with India&#39;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a dinner hosted by Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena last week. What was your impression of Mr Modi - anecdotal, personal, whatever else you can tell us?

CVW: Well, I had no occasion to meet and discuss, except to exchange pleasantries. But I have met him earlier when he came to &nbsp;Jaffna and I have very pleasant memories of that visit. I went with him to some of our temples and had the occasion to open &nbsp;certain housing schemes etc. But even earlier, I had the occasion to hear of PM Modi as chief minister of Gujarat from Gujaratis when I visited &nbsp;the state. They had a very high opinion of him. I have found that he is a very good administrator, focused in all that he is doing and &nbsp;a very disciplined person. As a Hindu, I am also taken up by the way in which he lives his life -getting up early in the morning, doing his yoga and so on. So my assessment of him is very very positive and I have no doubt that he will take India to great &nbsp;heights, both economically and otherwise.

PRS: Indian governments have so far focused on the religious and ethnic links between Indian Tamils and those in Sri Lanka. PM Modi is now addressing the majority Buddhists. He was in Sri Lanka for the biggest Buddhist festival: Vesak..

CVW: Well, Buddha is not foreign to Hindus. He is venerated as an avatar of Vishnu. So we don&#39;t feel any antipathy towards &nbsp;Buddha. Hon&#39;ble Modi visited the Northern Province so what is wrong with his visiting Dalida Maligawa (the Temple of The Tooth &nbsp;Relic in Kandy), on this visit? I don&#39;t think there is any shift in policy towards us Northern and Eastern Tamils. In fact it is good &nbsp;because the goodwill of the Buddhists (Sri Lanka&#39;s Sinhalese majority) is very necessary for the resolution of our conflict and he &nbsp;cannot be seen as partial towards only one section of the people in Sri Lanka. And don&#39;t forget, India stood guarantee for the &nbsp;Tamils during the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka peace accord of 1987. So they still have a responsibility towards us. I don&#39;t think &nbsp;there is any shift in India&#39;s policy from Tamil Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka to the Buddhist South..

PRS: In Dickoya, PM Modi gifted a 100-bed hospital to Sri Lanka&#39;s other community of Tamils: those who were brought to work on the tea estates by the British in the mid 19th century. Please describe the relationship between you Northern and Eastern &quot;Eelam&quot; Tamils whose origin lies in ancient South Indian kingdoms, and that ethnic group known as Indian Origin Tamils (IOTs)?

CVW: Politically, we do not distinguish between IOTs and North-Eastern Tamils. We look upon both the IOTs and also Muslims &nbsp;as Tamils of north-eastern Sri Lanka. &nbsp;Of course, there may be social differences but that is common in all societies and depends &nbsp;on one&#39;s station in life, the work one does and other criteria. Many IOTs became citizens of the Northern Province since 1977 or &nbsp;so. So they are now a part and parcel of the North-Eastern Provinces. &nbsp;They are our people and I don&#39;t see anything wrong with PM &nbsp;Modi visiting them. During the 30-year civil war, they too suffered a lot. Quite a lot of them belonged to some of the militant &nbsp;movements. So we don&#39;t think in any different way about them.

PRS: Nevertheless, are you concerned that this very obvious shift in India&#39;s focus away from Jaffna towards the Sinhalese-majority South may mean that India&#39;s support for the so-called Sri Lankan Tamil &#39;cause&#39;, which is essentially for greater autonomy &nbsp;and greater devolution, may be dwindling?

CVW: India stood guarantee on our behalf in 1987 and that responsibility still exists. Even more so now when reconciliation is &nbsp;forthcoming and India has to be acceptable to all communities in Sri Lanka. And if he could have come earlier to the Northern Province, what&#39;s &nbsp;wrong in his going to the IOTs Upcountry Tamils this time?

PRS: Sir, could you please enunciate how the Northern Province and all Tamils in Sri Lanka would like India to shape its relationship with Colombo and also with Jaffna from now on?

CVW: India is our big neighbour. Their economy is thriving. They need to help their neighbours. But they also have a geopolitical &nbsp;problem: the Chinese influence in the South Asian region. We would expect a country as close as India to help us. We have a &nbsp;number of projects which were drawn up earlier but which were either abandoned due to the war or discontinued for other &nbsp;reasons. We want those things to be brought back again especially with regard to the airport in Palaly, the Kankesanthurai harbour, &nbsp;the Dhanushkodi-Thalaimannar ferry service. These were all there earlier and it would now help both countries if they were &nbsp;resuscitated. Bringing them back to life will not only help the Tamils of the North and East but also the Sri Lankan government in &nbsp;Colombo. A regional airport and two harbours in the North and East - Kankensanthurai (KKS) and Mullaithivu on the north-eastern &nbsp;coast will be useful. At one stage, Mullaithivu catered to 1/3rd of the fishing needs of the entire island-nation. Reviving all these will be &nbsp;beneficial to India, Sri Lanka and the Tamils of the North and East. &nbsp;Both Sinhalese and Tamils want India to be a helpful big &nbsp;brother.

PRS: In one of your responses earlier, you used a word I found curious. The bloody separatist war is long over and yet you said you want India&#39;s help to resolve a &#39;conflict&#39;. Yes, I am aware that there is still a sort of an unseen divide between Colombo and &nbsp;Jaffna but what exactly do you mean by &#39;conflict&#39;? And given that it&#39;s a domestic matter, how could India help there?

CVW: There is inbuilt suspicion and hatred between the North and the South of Sri Lanka.That has been brought about, I dare say, &nbsp;by the politicians. When Tamils asked for a federal system of government in the early fifties, Sinhalese leaders &nbsp;painted federalism &nbsp;as separation. In fact, federalism brings people together rather than separate them. So either they did not know or they did not &nbsp;choose to know that federalism is not separation. We are now trying to bring about a federal constitution because we have been &nbsp;discriminated against and because we should be able to live in dignity with each other, in camaraderie and also within the same &nbsp;country. So we are not asking for separation. The Sinhalese masses must be taught the benefits of power-sharing. The word &nbsp;&#39;federalism&#39; must be introduced into our constitution as a word because we have judges capable of saying that since &#39;federalism&#39; is &nbsp;not in the constitution, it means we are still under a unitary one. That is how the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka, &nbsp;which were merged, were unmerged by our judges. So if the Sinhalese masses can be re-educated about the benefits that will accrue &nbsp;by having maximum power-sharing in the North and East, I am sure it is possible for this country to live together as one country.

PRS: Still, what could possibly be India&#39;s role there? &nbsp;

CVW: That is precisely where India could help. India is acceptable to both communities so India would be in a position to do so. &nbsp;Further, India gave us the 13th Amendment (a Rajiv-Gandhi authored amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution that envisages &nbsp;maximum autonomy for Sri Lankan Tamils), India stood as guarantor for the Tamils when it signed the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord of &nbsp;1987. So there is responsibility on part of India as well as expectancy on part of all citizens of Sri Lanka - except the most extreme &nbsp;sort - that it is India that could forge a relationship between the two communities in order to give recognition, dignity, equality and &nbsp;equity for the people of the Northern and Eastern region.

PRS: Then that must have been quite an animated discussion you had with PM Modi at dinner the other night... 
CVW: No. I was at the far end of the table from him, so we had no occasion to discuss any politics. But we did talk about some &nbsp;of this when he last visited the Northern Province.

PRS: And what did he say?

CVW: Well, PM Modi is very careful. He doesn&#39;t share his preferences. But he was and is a keen listener. That&#39;s all I can say.

(WION) 
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Padma Rao Sundarji, WION's Senior International Correspondent interviews the first democratically-elected chief minister of Sri Lanka's Northern Province, Justice CV ?Wigneswaran

WION's exclusive interview with the first democratically-elected chief minister of Sri Lanka's Northern Province, Justice CV Wigneswaran PRS: Justice CV Wigneswaran, it's a pleasure to see you again. You met with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a dinner hosted by Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena last week. What was your impression of Mr Modi - anecdotal, personal, whatever else you can tell us? CVW: Well, I had no occasion to meet and discuss, except to exchange pleasantries. But I have met him earlier when he came to Jaffna and I have very pleasant memories of that visit. I went with him to some of our temples and had the occasion to open certain housing schemes etc. But even earlier, I had the occasion to hear of PM Modi as chief minister of Gujarat from Gujaratis when I visited the state. They had a very high opinion of him. I have found that he is a very good administrator, focused in all that he is doing and a very disciplined person. As a Hindu, I am also taken up by the way in which he lives his life -getting up early in the morning, doing his yoga and so on. So my assessment of him is very very positive and I have no doubt that he will take India to great heights, both economically and otherwise. PRS: Indian governments have so far focused on the religious and ethnic links between Indian Tamils and those in Sri Lanka. PM Modi is now addressing the majority Buddhists. He was in Sri Lanka for the biggest Buddhist festival: Vesak.. CVW: Well, Buddha is not foreign to Hindus. He is venerated as an avatar of Vishnu. So we don't feel any antipathy towards Buddha. Hon'ble Modi visited the Northern Province so what is wrong with his visiting Dalida Maligawa (the Temple of The Tooth Relic in Kandy), on this visit? I don't think there is any shift in policy towards us Northern and Eastern Tamils. In fact it is good because the goodwill of the Buddhists (Sri Lanka's Sinhalese majority) is very necessary for the resolution of our conflict and he cannot be seen as partial towards only one section of the people in Sri Lanka. And don't forget, India stood guarantee for the Tamils during the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka peace accord of 1987. So they still have a responsibility towards us. I don't think there is any shift in India's policy from Tamil Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka to the Buddhist South.. PRS: In Dickoya, PM Modi gifted a 100-bed hospital to Sri Lanka's other community of Tamils: those who were brought to work on the tea estates by the British in the mid 19th century. Please describe the relationship between you Northern and Eastern "Eelam" Tamils whose origin lies in ancient South Indian kingdoms, and that ethnic group known as Indian Origin Tamils (IOTs)? CVW: Politically, we do not distinguish between IOTs and North-Eastern Tamils. We look upon both the IOTs and also Muslims as Tamils of north-eastern Sri Lanka. Of course, there may be social differences but that is common in all societies and depends on one's station in life, the work one does and other criteria. Many IOTs became citizens of the Northern Province since 1977 or so. So they are now a part and parcel of the North-Eastern Provinces. They are our people and I don't see anything wrong with PM Modi visiting them. During the 30-year civil war, they too suffered a lot. Quite a lot of them belonged to some of the militant movements. So we don't think in any different way about them. PRS: Nevertheless, are you concerned that this very obvious shift in India's focus away from Jaffna towards the Sinhalese-majority South may mean that India's support for the so-called Sri Lankan Tamil 'cause', which is essentially for greater autonomy and greater devolution, may be dwindling? CVW: India stood guarantee on our behalf in 1987 and that responsibility still exists. Even more so now when reconciliation is forthcoming and India has to be acceptable to all communities in Sri Lanka. And if he could have come earlier to the Northern Province, what's wrong in his going to the IOTs Upcountry Tamils this time? PRS: Sir, could you please enunciate how the Northern Province and all Tamils in Sri Lanka would like India to shape its relationship with Colombo and also with Jaffna from now on? CVW: India is our big neighbour. Their economy is thriving. They need to help their neighbours. But they also have a geopolitical problem: the Chinese influence in the South Asian region. We would expect a country as close as India to help us. We have a number of projects which were drawn up earlier but which were either abandoned due to the war or discontinued for other reasons. We want those things to be brought back again especially with regard to the airport in Palaly, the Kankesanthurai harbour, the Dhanushkodi-Thalaimannar ferry service. These were all there earlier and it would now help both countries if they were resuscitated. Bringing them back to life will not only help the Tamils of the North and East but also the Sri Lankan government in Colombo. A regional airport and two harbours in the North and East - Kankensanthurai (KKS) and Mullaithivu on the north-eastern coast will be useful. At one stage, Mullaithivu catered to 1/3rd of the fishing needs of the entire island-nation. Reviving all these will be beneficial to India, Sri Lanka and the Tamils of the North and East. Both Sinhalese and Tamils want India to be a helpful big brother. PRS: In one of your responses earlier, you used a word I found curious. The bloody separatist war is long over and yet you said you want India's help to resolve a 'conflict'. Yes, I am aware that there is still a sort of an unseen divide between Colombo and Jaffna but what exactly do you mean by 'conflict'? And given that it's a domestic matter, how could India help there? CVW: There is inbuilt suspicion and hatred between the North and the South of Sri Lanka.That has been brought about, I dare say, by the politicians. When Tamils asked for a federal system of government in the early fifties, Sinhalese leaders painted federalism as separation. In fact, federalism brings people together rather than separate them. So either they did not know or they did not choose to know that federalism is not separation. We are now trying to bring about a federal constitution because we have been discriminated against and because we should be able to live in dignity with each other, in camaraderie and also within the same country. So we are not asking for separation. The Sinhalese masses must be taught the benefits of power-sharing. The word 'federalism' must be introduced into our constitution as a word because we have judges capable of saying that since 'federalism' is not in the constitution, it means we are still under a unitary one. That is how the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka, which were merged, were unmerged by our judges. So if the Sinhalese masses can be re-educated about the benefits that will accrue by having maximum power-sharing in the North and East, I am sure it is possible for this country to live together as one country. PRS: Still, what could possibly be India's role there? CVW: That is precisely where India could help. India is acceptable to both communities so India would be in a position to do so. Further, India gave us the 13th Amendment (a Rajiv-Gandhi authored amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution that envisages maximum autonomy for Sri Lankan Tamils), India stood as guarantor for the Tamils when it signed the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987. So there is responsibility on part of India as well as expectancy on part of all citizens of Sri Lanka - except the most extreme sort - that it is India that could forge a relationship between the two communities in order to give recognition, dignity, equality and equity for the people of the Northern and Eastern region. PRS: Then that must have been quite an animated discussion you had with PM Modi at dinner the other night... CVW: No. I was at the far end of the table from him, so we had no occasion to discuss any politics. But we did talk about some of this when he last visited the Northern Province. PRS: And what did he say? CVW: Well, PM Modi is very careful. He doesn't share his preferences. But he was and is a keen listener. That's all I can say. (WION)

Exclusive - A port, an airport, 2 harbours: Jaffna CM offers India a chance to checkmate China in Sri Lanka

The Government of Sri Lanka and the World Bank today signed a $55 million loan to Sri Lanka to improve urban services, preserve cultural and environment assets, and improve livability in Jaffna, adding the city to an existing project to develop Galle and Kandy. 
 
The credit agreement for the project was signed by Dr. R.H.S. Samarathunga Secretary to the Treasury, Ministry of Finance and Fran?oise Clottes, World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives. 
 
The credit will add development of rapidly urbanising Jaffna to the existing Strategic Cities Development Project (SCDP), which is supported by the World Bank and was originally approved in 2014. 
 
&ldquo;Well planned cities can be centers of innovation and job creation as experienced in many parts of the world and this is an opportunity for Sri Lanka to connect people to prosperity,&rdquo; said Fran?oise Clottes, World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives. &ldquo;There is substantial potential for economic growth in Jaffna, now that peace has returned. An improved urban environment is a favorable habitat for the developing enterprises that one day will become the engines of growth.&rdquo; 
 
A recent World Bank study, &ldquo;Sri Lanka: a Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD)&rdquo;, identifies Jaffna as a rapidly growing, single-city agglomeration in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. In the post-war era, the city has seen rapid growth and urban expansion and there are significant demands for improved municipal services. As communicated during recent consultations, the people of Jaffna see a priority in improving city functions and livability while preserving cultural heritage. 
 
Guided by consultations with Jaffna&rsquo;s citizens, the project will attempt to improve the road network and rehabilitate the drainage system while preserving the city&rsquo;s ponds, which have played an important role in flood management and which could be key to climate change adaptation. In addition, the project aims to preserve cultural heritage assets such as public spaces and parks as well as encouraging cycling. 
 
&ldquo;Building trust among citizens and service providers is a challenge and an outcome we hope to achieve through the additional finance support to Jaffna through this project,&rdquo; said Zhiyu Jerry Chen, World Bank Senior Urban Development Specialist and Task Team Leader of the project. &ldquo;A City Stakeholder forum will be used under this project for improved and continued citizen engagement to closely collaborate with the service providers in ensuring the project investments are put to profitable use for the people of Jaffna,&rdquo; he said. 
 
The credit for this project is provided by the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank&rsquo;s grant and low interest arm, with a maturity of 25 years that includes a grace period of 5 years. The Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development is the lead responsible agency for the implementation of this project with active participation from Jaffna Municipal Council and other implementation partner agencies. 
 
(Sourced from World Bank website) 
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World Bank study identifies Jaffna as a rapidly growing, single-city agglomeration in the Sri Lanka's northern province

The Government of Sri Lanka and the World Bank today signed a $55 million loan to Sri Lanka to improve urban services, preserve cultural and environment assets, and improve livability in Jaffna, adding the city to an existing project to develop Galle and Kandy. The credit agreement for the project was signed by Dr. R.H.S. Samarathunga Secretary to the Treasury, Ministry of Finance and Fran?oise Clottes, World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The credit will add development of rapidly urbanising Jaffna to the existing Strategic Cities Development Project (SCDP), which is supported by the World Bank and was originally approved in 2014. “Well planned cities can be centers of innovation and job creation as experienced in many parts of the world and this is an opportunity for Sri Lanka to connect people to prosperity,” said Fran?oise Clottes, World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives. “There is substantial potential for economic growth in Jaffna, now that peace has returned. An improved urban environment is a favorable habitat for the developing enterprises that one day will become the engines of growth.” A recent World Bank study, “Sri Lanka: a Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD)”, identifies Jaffna as a rapidly growing, single-city agglomeration in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. In the post-war era, the city has seen rapid growth and urban expansion and there are significant demands for improved municipal services. As communicated during recent consultations, the people of Jaffna see a priority in improving city functions and livability while preserving cultural heritage. Guided by consultations with Jaffna’s citizens, the project will attempt to improve the road network and rehabilitate the drainage system while preserving the city’s ponds, which have played an important role in flood management and which could be key to climate change adaptation. In addition, the project aims to preserve cultural heritage assets such as public spaces and parks as well as encouraging cycling. “Building trust among citizens and service providers is a challenge and an outcome we hope to achieve through the additional finance support to Jaffna through this project,” said Zhiyu Jerry Chen, World Bank Senior Urban Development Specialist and Task Team Leader of the project. “A City Stakeholder forum will be used under this project for improved and continued citizen engagement to closely collaborate with the service providers in ensuring the project investments are put to profitable use for the people of Jaffna,” he said. The credit for this project is provided by the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s grant and low interest arm, with a maturity of 25 years that includes a grace period of 5 years. The Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development is the lead responsible agency for the implementation of this project with active participation from Jaffna Municipal Council and other implementation partner agencies. (Sourced from World Bank website)

World Bank credits $55m to Sri Lankan government for urbanisation

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