President Rajapakse Launches “Yal Devi Friendship Railway Track” Project
The most appropriate response to the often posed question as to how to protect the freedom achieved in the North in the near future is the return journey of Yal Devi to Jaffna after 20 years, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.
Addressing a function held at the Presidential Secretariat last afternoon to mark the launching of the rebuilding project of the northern railway line titled ‘Yal Devi Friendship Railway Track’ President Rajapaksa said the re-construction of the northern railway line and return of Yal Devi express train to Jaffna will not only resume the normal train services to the north after 20 years but will symbolize the liberation of northern people from LTTE terrorism and return of democracy to the north.
[mp3~Yal Devi~bridging the nation-nostalgic song by Vaseeharan/Norway]
An official website for the said project was launched by renowned Cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan on President Rajapaksa’s invitation.
Speaking to a representative gathering on the occasion President Mahinda Rajapaksa requested all patriotic citizens to join in building the rail track.
“Every single sleeper on this rail track should show the love for a united country. All those who love the country should join to build this track. “ he said
“I wish that the Yal Devi rail track that would be constructed would show to the entire world the desire of our people to live in one country,” the president said. By reconstructing the Yal Devi Railway line we are defending the North, he said.
“Yal Devi resonated with the pulse of the Sri Lankan nation. In a sense, Yal Devi is a cultural messenger,” he added.
The President requested the Transport Minister to run the Yal Devi train at least five more kilometres beyond Vavuniya by April 23 next and consolidate the nation’s resolve.
The President while promising to donate his April salary to the project called upon all patriotic citizens to contribute to it.
“The reconstruction of the 28 railway stations between Vavuniya and Jaffna would be undertaken by the people in the southern districts.
“The Hambantota district has already undertaken to rebuild the Jaffna railway station.
The President also called upon India, China. Pakistan, Japan and other countries that helped Sri Lanka in the struggle against terrorism to come forward and assist in the reconstruction so that terrorism would not be able to raise its head again.
After President Rajapaksa promised to donate his April salary towards the project. Several others, including President’s Office staff, Artistes Deepika Priyadarshini Peiris, Parliamentarian Puthrasigamany, Malini Fonseka, Ravindra Randeniya and philanthropist Jayantha Dharmadasa made their donations to the fund.
Speaking further the President said -
“The coming of Yal Devi express train to Jaffna is our response to show how we are going to safeguard the newly won freedom in the North by our heroic soldiers. We will win the hearts and minds of the people in the north by resuming the regular train services to Jaffna,”
There was a time when public servants working in Colombo took the night express train from Fort to Jaffna on Friday and reach Jaffna early morning the following day. They return to Colombo using the Jaffna – Fort night train on Sunday. The tooting of the Colombo-Jaffna express train was the sound of heart beat of the nation at that time. President Rajapaksa stressed.
The LTTE terrorism brought to an end the inter-racial friendship, understanding and respect for each other by its barbaric acts. The terrorists have damaged the railway track and blew up and set fire to trains several occasions. But the Railway Department despite colossal financial and material losses continued to run trains to the north regardless.
The terrorists knew that they cannot damage the cultural, religious and trade links between the two nations as long as the train link is existed. Their final blow on Yal Devi came on June 13, 1990 when they set fire to Yal Devi at Kilinochchi. There were no train services to Jaffna from the south since June, 1990.
“We rejoin and regroup a divided nation with friendship and confidence. The tooting of Yal Devi which symbolizes the chirping of a cuckoo will also herald the arrival of the Northern Spring to the north,” President Rajapaksa noted.
Transport Minister Dallas Alahapperuma said the Yal Devil will take the pride and self respect of the people of north back to them. The tooting of the Yal Devi will reflect the freedom of Tamils.
The reconstruction of northern railway line is not an easy task. For instance, Rs. 2.5 billion is required to lay sleepers on a 159 kilometers stretch of the damaged track from Vauniya to KKS.
The number of bridges to be restored is 85, culverts 28 and stations 28. But the government is determined to reconstruct the entire line in a record period of time, what ever expense may have to be borne, Minister Alahapperuma said.
Vice captain of the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Muttiah Muralitharan launched the ‘Uturu Mituru’ web site of the ‘Yal Devi Friendship Railway Track Project’ on the invitation of President Rajapaksa.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa donated his March salary to the project and followed by a number of participants at the function including several artistes.
A large number of ministers, service commanders, Police Chief and public officials were present at the ceremony.
[Compiled from newspaper reports]
[Jaffna Train Station, Jaffna, Sri Lanka. July 2004-pic: Jadhu Nadarajah
Following is the text of the Address by President Mahinda Rajapaksa:
My dear friends,
There is a question that many ask today. It is how the North can be protected after it is liberated.
It is possible for me to easily answer this in words and satisfy a minority in Colombo that is always pleased with questions and answers. Yet, I believe that what is greater is to implement a program, rather than answering questions and doing nothing.
I could easily answer this in words and satisfy a minority in Colombo who are always pleased with questions and answers. Yet, I believe it is better to implement a program as a response, rather than answering questions and keep doing nothing.
Therefore, friends, this is how we defend the North that we have liberated. By reconstructing the Yal Devi Railway Line we are defending the North.
(In Tamil) Many years ago all of us travelled together in the Yal Devi.
The unfortunate events of the recent past brought this to an end. We participate today in the new launch of Travel in Freedom in the Yal Devi.
It is the undeniable reality that in the past the sound of the Yal Devi was akin to the heartbeat of the nation. (Tamil ends)
Three years ago we not only explained how we would liberate the North and East but also how we would defend the liberated areas. We stated in the Mahinda Chinthana our intention to reconstruct the Northern Railway Line to the Jaffna peninsula and Mannar Line. Within three years we are ready to carry out this pledge in a memorable and honourable way.
I would say again that the rhythm we heard from the Yal Devi was not the sound of a train but the pulse of the nation. Then the Yal Devi train had 11 compartments. Public servants from Jaffna who worked in Colombo all left for home every weekend by the Yal Devi. Every Sunday night they would return also by the Yal Devi, to carry on the work in government offices. The SLFP was then very strong in Jaffna. As the party’s youngest MP I went to Jaffna by Yal Devi to meet our party leaders there. Yal Devi was a symbol of a single and undivided country.
Like the emblem of State, the Yal Devi was also a resource which contributed to the effective functioning of the public service throughout the country. It symbolized public administration spread far and wide.
Friends,
That is why the LTTE terrorists took revenge from the Sri Lankan nation by attacking the Yal Devi. An attack on a train such as the Yal Devi contributes much more to the breakup of friendship between two communities than an attack on an Army Camp or a Police Station. On January 1, 1985, the LTTE terrorists by attacking the Yal Devi for the first time, at a place between Mankulam and Murukkandi, began damaging the friendly relations between our communities. The attack destroyed all 11 compartments of the train. The terrorists again attacked the Yal Devi at Paranthan in March, 1986. The same month they set fire to the Yal Devi at Omanthai. Again, in the same month, they laid a land-mine targeting the Yal Devi between Puliyankulam and Vavuniya. Yet, the friendship train between the nation’s communities did not stop running.
It continued to run for the people of Jaffna, braving bomb attacks and arson. Again in 1987 the terrorists destroyed the rail rack between Vavuniya and Kilinochchi. We repaired the track and replaced the compartments and the Yal Devi continued to run. The terrorists would have then realized that they would not be able to divide the country as long as the Yal Devi ran. The Railway Department incurred an annual loss of Rs. 600 million due to repeated terrorist attacks on this particular train that symbolized unity. In June 1990 Yal Devi stopped running.
(In Tamil) It was the intention of the terrorists to break up the friendly relations among our communities by attacking the Yal Devi.
They knew that our friendship would remain strong as long as the Yal Devi ran. During this time there was good friendship among our people in the northern and southern ends of the country.
The people of both the North and the South eagerly wait to see the Yal Devi get on track again. The new sound of the Yal Devi will augur the arrival of the Northern Spring to the people of Jaffna. (Tamil ends)
Friends,
As I told you earlier the Yal Devi resonated with the pulse of the Sri Lankan nation. In a sense, Yal Devi is a cultural messenger.
How many songs and poems were composed about the Yal Devi since the termination of its run? Why could not our artistes fail to avoid Yal Devi when composing poems and songs on Sinhala – Thamil friendship? I remember our Governor of the North Central Province also lamenting about the Yal Devi in one of his popular songs.
In some regions the friendship between some countries ends with the termination of a railway line between them. One ethnic group kills members of another group and sends the bodies by train to the other country, which ends the train services. That is the story of the Last Train. However, the Yal Devi had no such communal catastrophe linked to it. Therefore, the people of Jaffna still love the Yal Devi. The people of both the North and the South are eagerly awaiting the resumption of the Yal Devi run.
The Jaffna people should consider the sound of the Yal Devi as the sound of the Cuckoo bird that precedes the arrival of the Northern Spring. It was on April 23, 1956 that the Yal Devi was introduced on the Northern Railway Line.
Today, I request the Transport Minister to run the Yal Devi train at least five more kilometers beyond Vavuniya by the coming April 23, and consolidate the nation’s resolve that our war heroes have done. It would show our resolve for co-existence. What we are attempting now is to breathe new life into the heart of the nation; to start the journey that would unite the entire nation after 19 years.
The entire nation should unite for this journey. I asked the Transport Minister who is keen to revive this line, how many railway stations will have to be rebuilt from Vavuniya to Kankesanturai. There are 11 major stations and 13 sub-stations to be developed from Vavuniya to Jaffna alone, and a total of 28 stations.
These 28 railway stations are not a burden to the growing friendship between our communities. I decided to rebuild the Jaffna station employing the people of my own village, Hambantota. Engineers, masons, carpenters etc. from Hambantota would go and rebuild the Jaffna station. Likewise people from other districts should contribute and participate to build the other stations.
When we do so, the Tamil people would realize that the terrorists are there to destroy them, while we are there to assist in building up their lives. On this occasion I call upon India, China. Pakistan, Japan and other countries that helped us in our struggle against terrorism to come forward and assist us in this reconstruction, so that terrorism would not be able to raise its head again. In the struggle against terrorism we realized that you are our genuine friends.
(In Tamil) Friends, today we see a new link that joins the Palmyrah tree of the north with the Coconut tree of the south.
Let us all be united in building this friendship.
Let us all go forward to achieve this unity, as the children of one mother
We can rise strong when we are united. (Tamil ends)
Friends,
This is the moment when we are trying to unite. This is the moment in which the Sri Lankan territory forcibly divided by the terrorists, is being brought together. This is the moment when territories won by the heroic troops are being merged. Your support at this moment will be a tower of strength to us. “Uthuru – Mithuru” – Northern Friendship – is the joyous ring of unity. Therefore, I have decided to donate my April salary to this noble mission.
The Secretary to the President has informed me that the entire staff of the President’s Office is also donating their April salaries for this great cause. I believe all citizens of the world who love peace and co-existence, and oppose terrorism, would contribute to this mission.
Every single sleeper on this rail track should show the love for a united country. All those who love the country should join to build this track. I wish that the Yal Devi rail track that would be constructed would show to the entire world the desire of our people to live in one country. That is the great commitment we could make to see that there would not be a last train journey in our country any more.
I take this opportunity to express the gratitude of the Government to the Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma, the Transport Ministry, and to the Railway Department for coming forward to accomplish this mission.
I wish you all a bright future!
13 Comments
MR is a great leader who has made seemingly impossible things possible. I am always feeling greatful to VP for bringing this truly practical leader to power. (though it terribly dissappointed me in 2005)
I am glad that MR is working hard on his Tamil, something I believe that all SL politicians should.
When I see the false propaganda by Tiger sympathisers, I understand the need for a strong govt..
I only wish that there are Tamil & English journalists at frontlines, like all those sinhala TV media teams moving with the army, to tell the world what's the truth.
It is strange that these people do not understand that there is no use of a ceasefire unless LTTE release the civilians. If they release civilians, they can be evacuated via sea route even while fighting goes on in western side of NFZ.
Stories narrated by escaping civilians are horrifying and they never make it to tamil or international media because those stories will hurt tiger sympathisers.
It is strange that TamilNet is not publishing any evidance to support its casualty figures. By the way why should they bother that much as even the UN accept them without any questions.
Every canadian Lankan tamils should give their contribution to
rebuild Yal Devi Train service to restart.There is no use to
Conduct picnic in the Torando roads after having a full meal daiet.
Now feredom is not necesary,to live day today life is a dream for
tamil civilians in the north.I pray and wish tamil civilian to
get resart their peaceful life again.
Original Tamilan
harshe!
MR would have done a lot of home work before getting this news out. Because this is how he can get money inside SL. I will request you to check back after 2 years, by the time the train might have moved to Kilinochi (if there is too much money flow).... Not Jaffna. We heard news when Jaffna is freed, it was a dream industrial place in SL, not an open prison. You can dream too.
Simply, if the governmet allow media inside Ltte area (there are hundrads of journalits wanting to go there), you, me and UN can get the real news. Now no way we have to hear what Ltte says. I would say that is not lie. Can you prove it?
MAHINDA FIRST STOP THE GENOCIDE AGAINST THE TAMIL MINORITY IN SRI LANKA BEFORE STARTING THE RAILWAY SERVICES. OVER 100,000 TAMILS BEEN KILLED SO FAR BY THE SRI LANKAN ARMED FORCES DURING THE PAST 6 DECADES.
SRI LANKA WAS KICKED OUT OF THE UN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS BECAUSE OF ITS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION IN SRI LANKA.
yes we are waiting for empty trains- no civilians to travel ....even if have a few, please make sure we have specially designed compartments for disabled, mentally depressed and hopelessness full of passengers... who is cheating whom .......
When S.L is off the track,how is it possible? former GMR MR.Rampala should be re born to make it a dream come true,the Canadian power sets needed for that purpose free of security blocades and by that time civilians should live to travel, this is a mere campaign RAIL, to overcome Ranil's overtures by vultures preying on tamils?
Law abiding Citizen with no iclination towards any predators!
This project is a big joke.
There was an interesting anecdote in the old ‘Sirithiran’ Tamil magazine. The question asked by the reader was ‘When will the Tamils wake up from their deep slumber’ metaphorically asking when they will realize their predicament in the majority Sinhala nation and act upon it.
The reply was ‘ they will wake up when the mail train from Jaffna reaches Anuradhapura’ meaning that it is mid-night when the mail train reaches A’pura where Sinhalese villagers get in the train and wake up the Tamil passengers who boarded the train at Jaffna and by this time they are deep asleep stretching their whole body across the full seat.
I think that Yal Devi project is another wake up call for the Tamils.
NOTHING that is ever done for TAMILS in Sri Lanka will be enough. They have the SEPERATIST MENTALITY , always looking to keep getting more without showing any loyalty or Giving back anything to the country. IF they don't get their way they will cry discrimination and Balme the Sinhalese for their problems. There is no compromise with Selfish people like this,...better they move out of Sri Lanka and take themselves to be other countries' headaches than to be a constant burden on ours.
President need not play to the gallery by speaking in Tamil!! He cannot win the hearts and minds of the Tamils by speaking in Tamil or by running the railway. Tamils are not fools to LOVE a MURDERER!! If he is interested in the Tamil population, he should stop bombing and shelling them. Tamils will never love a President who keeps praising the security forces, who are killing, raping, imprisoning, curbing their freedom, abducting and spoiling their livelihood and made them paupers!!
Mr. President we remember the 1958 pogrom against the Tamil started with the sinhalese thugs derailing the train and assaulting the Tamil passengers who were returning from a political meeting they had in Vavuniya!! In 1958 LTTE was not there!! We also know the passengers from Jaffna to Colombo are usually harassed and robbed as soon as the train reaches Madawachiya!!
President can afford to donate his one months salary in anticipation of the cut he and his cronies will be making on this contract!! We have not forgotten the "helping Hambantota" fund!!In addition he is begging from every country on earth!! I am sure the money will be used to kill the Tamils!!
By the way if he thinks Tamils will be ALIVE when he finishes his project, they need a lot of seats and facilities for the disabled as most Tamils have atleast lost a limb. Fair number of them would be mentaly deranged after seeing all the deaths and destruction around them.
Jaffna is a open prison and people live their not allowed to move freely by the srilankan army.There is a pass system similar to the visa system to vist the other part of the country( But the sinhalese and their goverment still belive that Jaffna is part of Sri lanka). and it is under curfew from the time of IPKF withdrawal( they have freed the Jaffna people like the way they did the east and now doing with Wanni).I think that is one of Srilankan goverments world records of ruling one part its country under curfew.After all this Post modern Dudagamunu is sending the train to whome? To start the Sinhala settlement from the KKS. or to chanallize the money coming for the reconstruction of the north to Hambantota. In the presence of lager local popualtion is suffering from the unemployment due to the goverments racist policies ,Why we need engineers and workers from south to develop north, . They divided the country in the name of race, history and religion and called us racist now sending the train.
Good. He has my support. The timing is right for the IMF/WB to consider our loan - the necessary oxygen to Rajapakses GoSL that is now in the ICU. But whatever happened to the Moragahakande Project which MR opened with great fanfare 2 years ago? "If schemes such as this were started years ago there would have been no LTTE, Prabakaran or the cry for a Separate State" quoth he. I supported him on this and wrote that is the right step, if it was sincerely followed up. Was it? Where is the evidence? IMF/WB and the World Community are not the fools the Rajapakses think they are. But again one usually judges others by your own standards - don't they? And, back to the Lincolnian adage
"You can fool some people sometime...etc" The Rajapakses will easily enter the record books as having caused the greatest harm to the nation - economy, ethnic exacerbation, lack of credbility in the eyes of the world - just to name a few.
ISS
"Transport Minister Dallas Alahapperuma said the Yal Devil will take the pride and self respect of the people of north back to them. The tooting of the Yal Devi will reflect the freedom of Tamils"
The above para is a copy of the article where it is apparently states as Yal DEVIL, inadvertantly it is printers devil or a slip of the tounge of the mnister, never the less it was indeed evil as a devil at times quite a many have committed suicde by jumping into the moving train after the GCE OL results, that was a cult at one stage, and for various family disputes and love breaks,
Siva