http://www.dailynews.lk/2013/05/01/news35.asp

Ex-LTTE cadres on friendship tour to South

Mahinda P Liyanage, Galle Daily News correspondent

Three hundred and seventy one Tamil youths on a Friendship Tour from the North to the South organised by the Bureau of the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation of Rehabilitation and Prisons Reforms arrived in Galle on Saturday.

Galle Heritage Foundation chairman Parakrama Dahanyake addresses the Tamil youths at the reception

The Tamil youths walking along the ramparts of the historic Dutch Fortress. Picture by Mahinda P.Liyanage – Galle Daily News correspondent

On arrival in Galle, they were received by a group of Provincial Council members led by Southern Province Chief Minister Shan Wijayalal de Silva. They visited the Sivan Kovil in Kaluwella, Galle where the group participated in a special pooja administered by the high priest of the Hindu Kovil Rev Krishna Moorthi Kurakka.

The group of Tamils youths who were former LTTE cadres are being rehabilitated by the Bureau of Commissioner General of Rehabilitation following a court order.

They later visited the Historical Dutch Fortress, a world heritage site, where they visited a number of places of importance within the ancient citadel.

They were accorded a warm welcome by Galle Heritage Foundation officials on arrival to the Galle Fort.

Galle Heritage Foundation chairman Parakrama Dahanayake addressing the Northern youths gave a brief account on the historical back ground of the Galle World Heritage Site.

Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Brigadier Dharshana Hettiarachchi who accompanied the group told the media that the objective of the Friendship Tour was to dispel wrong beliefs and assumptions entertained by Tamil youths regarding the Sinhala community in the South.

He said for years, they had been misled by the LTTE and had advocated hatred against other communities in the country to achieve their terrorist objectives.

“They had been taught that the Sinhala people were a barbarous ethnic group born to destroy Tamils. However, during this trip they were able to learn how hospitable and fraternal the people of South are and they were able to witness for themselves the way Tamils in the South move with other communities in peace and harmony,” he said.

The Brigadier said the bureau had rehabilitated 11,500 such Tamil youths who at present had successfully linked up with the democratic social fabric of the country.

He said the present group would also be released to society after another one year of rehabilitation.

The friendship tour ends today after the youths visiting Kataragama Grand Kovil, Kiri Vehera and Sella Kataragama. They stayed in Deniyaya on Saturday night.

Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera together with ministry officials accompanied the Northern youths.