Irangika Range, in Daily News, 3 July 2013 with title “Peace did not come on a Platters
Rebuilding the North after 30 years of terrorist conflict was no easy task. The government’s rebuilding efforts in the North which are in accordance with the principles of the Mahinda Chinthanaya programme has gained fruition within four years since the end of the conflict and the establishment of permanent peace. The four main areas which have been given priority are de-mining, resettlement, developing infrastructure facilities and the provision of basic needs for rural development. Security Forces personnel have become an integral part of the massive social and economic development drive in the North. Around 95 per cent of the area has been de-mined, while over 400,000 civilians have been resettled in their places of origin.
Q: How would you summarize the current situation in the North?
A: When we defeated terrorism four years ago, the situation in the North was a mess. The recovery and rebuilding process was no easy task, but, hard work has helped realise our goals. Today, life has returned to normal where devastation and hopelessness were the order of the day. Not only have we brought peace, but, we have given the province a new lease of life with the necessary infrastructure development. Roads, lakes, ports, airports, houses, schools, farms, health facilities have been built and reconstructed, advanced technology introduced to a province which had been bruised, battered and bloodied by three decades of terrorist conflict. Continue reading
