A cross-party delegation comprising Members of Parliament and political representatives commenced a two-day study visit to Jaffna, receiving a warm welcome at the Jaffna Cultural Centre on Friday evening.
The visit, facilitated by the Coalition for Inclusive Impact (CII) at the request of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), seeks to foster cross-party dialogue and cooperation on reconciliation, land rights, accountability, and economic inclusion in Sri Lanka’s Northern region.
Over the course of the visit, the delegation is engaging in political discussions, stakeholder dialogues, and site visits focused on inclusive governance and regional partnership.
On Saturday, the delegation held formal discussions with Northern Provincial and local government representatives, including the Mayoress of Jaffna, on key issues of local governance, devolution of power, citizens’ access to public services, police surveillance, regional connectivity, and human rights.
The delegation later travelled by train from Jaffna to Kankasanthurai (KKS) to assess transport and infrastructure connectivity in the region.
At the KKS Port, officials briefed the delegation on ongoing ferry services between India and Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA)-funded development projects, and a large-scale port development initiative supported by an Indian Government grant.
The group also visited the Palali International Airport, where aviation officials shared details of its operations since being designated as an international airport in 2019. The airport, which operates daily flights to Chennai and Tiruchirappalli, has served around 121,000 passengers through 3,600 flights to date. Officials noted that while the airport holds significant potential for regional growth, expansion remains limited due to infrastructural constraints.
TNA MP Shanakyan Rasamanikkam said the study visit is part of its ongoing efforts to build inclusive national dialogue and strengthen collaboration between political stakeholders and communities in the Northern Province. (Newswire)
