Jaffna Cultural Centre - A gift from India to Sri Lanka

Colombo, Mar 29: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday virtually inaugurated the Jaffna Cultural Centre constructed by Indian grant. In Colombo, both ministers witnessed the signing of an agreement on supporting Buddhist culture and heritage. They also virtually toured an ongoing camp in Jaffna on fitting 'Jaipur Foot'.

 

 

"Thank Prime Minister @PresRajapaksa for his gracious welcome. Our discussions were followed by some notable events: Witnessed the signing of an agreement on supporting Buddhist culture and heritage. Virtually toured an ongoing camp in Jaffna on fitting 'Jaipur Foot'. Virtually inaugurated the Jaffna Cultural Centre constructed by India," Jaishankar tweeted.

 

 

 

The purpose of the Jaffna Cultural Centre is to provide suitable social infrastructure for the people of the Northern Province, especially for the people of Jaffna, to help them to reconnect with their cultural roots as well as to the rest of the country and to rejuvenate and nurture the ancient cultural heritage of Jaffna.

 

 

The Centre will enable the people of Jaffna to enjoy various local and international cultural products. It would also serve as a delivery centre for training, instruction and education in a variety of cultural disciplines. The Centre is developed as an iconic building that will emerge as a cultural forum that embodies coexistence and cooperation amongst the various communities on the island.

 

Jaishankar arrived in Colombo on Sunday. He called on Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as part of his three-day visit. He reviewed various dimensions of India-Sri Lanka's close neighbourly relationship and assured Gotabaya of India's continued cooperation and understanding. "Pleased to call on President @GotabayaR of Sri Lanka. Reviewed various dimensions of our close neighbourly relationship. Assured him of India's continued cooperation and understanding," Jaishankar tweeted.

 

During the meeting, Sri Lankan President thanked Jaishankar for assistance in form of a USD 1 billion credit line. "Met with Indian Foreign Minister @DrSJaishankar today, and I expressed my gratitude to the Government of #India for the invaluable assistance provided recently via the line of credit, on behalf of the people of #lka," wrote the official Twitter account of The President of Sri Lanka.

 

 

Later in the day, he also held productive talks with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister GL Peiris and discussed a number of issues including the economic recovery of the island nation and fishermen's issues. "Concluded productive talks with Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris of Sri Lanka. Discussed economic recovery, our development partnership, mutual security, fishermen's issues and international coordination. Also witnessed the signing of many notable agreements," Jaishankar tweeted.

 

Jaishankar met a delegation from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) led by R. Sampanthan, Member of Parliament today during his visit to Sri Lanka. The TNA delegation briefed EAM on the latest developments, focusing on the March 25 meeting between the Government and the TNA. "They conveyed that the issues of release of political prisoners, land utilization, missing persons, 13th Amendment implementation and diaspora investment were discussed in the meeting," the Indian High Commission in Colombo said in a press statement.

 

 

Earlier, the Sri Lankan Government's engagement with TNA also came up during EAM's call on Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. EAM got a more detailed understanding on this subject from Foreign Minister Peiris later in the evening. On his part, EAM welcomed in all these interactions the positive developments regarding the issues on the Government-TNA agenda. He emphasized that the Government of India was consistently supportive of the realization of the aspirations of the Tamils of Sri Lanka for equality, justice, peace and dignity within the framework of a united Sri Lanka.

 

The contribution of India's development partnership to economic recovery in the North and East was also recognized in all the meetings. EAM expressed particular satisfaction at the virtual inauguration of the Jaffna Cultural Centre that he did along with Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. EAM separately met Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Douglas Devananda. They discussed issues pertaining to fishermen and exchanged views on devolution.