http://www.dailynews.lk/2013/02/08/news11.asp

Workshops build strong North-South ties

Over 1,825 persons have been trained under the second Community Development and Livelihood improvement Project launched under the Economic Development Ministry’s special programme to strengthen mutual understanding and build friendship between the North and South. The project commenced in May 2012 under which 2,000 people were brought from the South to the North.

Launched on Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa’s advice the project covers 21 districts where over 52 training workshops for community resources building have been held.

Strengthening community leaders for national development, preparing resource builders for this purpose and forging strong bonds between North and South are the objectives of this project. Villagers in the North and South will appoint these community leaders, who in turn will arrange meetings between the two communities.

Accordingly people from the South will be guests in homes in the North where their hosts will serve meals and also give them presents.

This North-South friendship building will be an ongoing programme, according to second Community Development and Livelihood improvement Project Director Engineer S. Liyanage. He said that the project’s main target is reconciliation and to remove misconceptions caused by the LTTE which poisoned the minds of the Northerners against people of the South.

“The Southerners were welcomed very warmly and when they parted it was very emotional. They are very close to us and even tell us of their personal problems. Almost these young people had undergone training under the LTTE,” Project Director Engineer S. Liyanage added. “Today if somebody gives them a firearm and ask them to shoot Sinhalese they will never ever do so. They are so close to us now.”