|
|
 |
| Sunday, 9 June 2002 |
 |
|
 |
News |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Ceylinco to open up ventures in N-E by Frances Bulathsinhala Business-magnate-turned-peace-maker Lalith Kotelawela having just sent a group of disabled soldiers to the Vanni with gifts for disabled LTTErs, is brimming with more ideas to bring the war-divided country together again. He plans several ventures in the once war-torn North-East. His latest such venture was the donation of ten wheel-chairs and six pairs of crutches to the LTTE disabled, last Monday through the Ex-servicemens' Association whose members visited the LTTE controlled Vanni along with three disabled military servicemen. "I once wanted to destroy Prabhakaran for what he did to me and my business", says Kotelawela referring to the bomb blast carried out by the LTTE in 1996 which injured him and totally destroyed the Ceylinco building in Colombo. He claims to have travelled successfully a long personal journey of reconciliation which he says made him make it his mission to do the opposite of his vengeful impulse of almost six years ago. "Any fool can hate", he points out, with a philosophy one would not expect to be lurking in the mind of a top rung industrialist. "When I was informed by the Ex-servicemens' Association that there was a visit planned that would enable a few disabled soldiers meet the disabled cadre of the LTTE, I merely followed the principles of the Society for Love and Understanding (SOLOU) which I initiated in November last year with the intention of supporting a process of peace. I was told by the representatives of the Ceylinco group who accompanied the Ex-servicemens' Association representatives and the disabled soldiers to Vanni that a similar invitation had been extended by the Association to the LTTE to arrange for the disabled LTTE members to visit the South for a reciprocal meeting", he says. He describes this outcome as a new breakthrough, which could prove a good base to bring about interaction with those who have fought the war and have personal experience of its ravages. Having turned a deaf ear to the prophets of gloom and shown his confidence of the ceasefire transforming itself into a permanent solution, by establishing eleven companies in Jaffna, with the entire North-East region being earmarked by him for the setting up of a cluster of companies, he speaks of his business plans in the North-East with confidence. "Five companies are to be set up in Trincomalee next month as an initial stage. The total number of companies planned out for Trincomalee is eleven with nine more companies expected to be established in Batticaloa in addition to the two already instituted in the region. As a result, the number of North-East youth who will be provided with employment is estimated to be well over one thousand, says Kotelawela adding that 'there would be no discrimination' and no stigma attached with regard to rehabilitated LTTE militants. "What Prabhakaran can do is to assure the people of this country that he will not revert to using violence as a means to achieve its goals", he points out adding that 'nothing' has so far shaken his confidence of the ceasefire and its final transformation into a permanent solution achieved through talks between the Government and the LTTE. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
