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n Vocational training centre in Ramanathanpuram:
New era for youth in the North
 "Sri Lanka thaye Numo Sri Lanka...... Namo... Namo.. thaye
Nallelil polisirani
Nalangal yavum
Nirai vanmani Lanka
...................................
...................................
Ilivena nee kiduvoam
Eela siromanee
Valvuru poomani
Namo... Namo... Thayee...
 Thus echoed the melodious tone of a bevy of young Tamil girls when
they sang their song as the Vocational and Technical Training Minister,
Piyasena Gamage hoisted the national flag at the opening of the new
vocational training centre at Ramanathanpura recently. It was a rare
moment of joy and jubilation for the Tamil youth who suffered untold
misery during the last three decades. For the youth who were denied
schooling and even the elementary needs of life during the turmoil and
disaster, the Vocational and Technical Training Ministry has initiated a
program of providing vocational training for self-employment. The setup
of Vocational Training Centres will no doubt open up new vistas for a
contented life for the industrious and hardworking youth. Already 632
trainees to Ramanathanpuram Training Centre, 460 Ananda Coomaraswamy
Centre and 535 Arunachalam Centre have been admitted according to the
Vocational Training Authority. Training courses available at the Centres
are on tailoring, construction, Motor mechanism, air conditioning and
refrigeration, welding, carpentry, plumbing, motorcycle and three
wheeler engine repairs etc.
In place of uncertainly and desperation, hopes for a better future
have dawned upon the youth. Some of the youth we met gave us the
impression of nurturing hopes for a bountiful future.
Magesalingam Sendarajah (20), of Semmala, Mullaitivu "We could not
enjoy our childhood. Our parents left no stone unturned to protect us.
We are now forgetting that gloomy past. Now it is time to restart
everything. Our prime hope is to provide a secure future for our poor
parents who suffered immensely for decades. We have implicit faith in
the President and hope our future will certainly be bright!
  Thiraviyanayagam Yasodi (23), Thodadiyakulam, Mullaitivu.
"We really entertained no hopes for future. Until we escaped the
Tiger claws we knew nothing about Sri Lanka government!
We are eager to learn Sinhala. Our sincere hope is to secure a job
after completing the Training course.
Sivavarasundaram Jeevarani (25) Muniyam, Kaddekulam Mullaitivu told
us that they really unlucky. "Our parents spent half of their lives in
utter despair and distress. Fear reigned in me since my childhood. I did
not have even a semblance of hope for future. We were castigating
ourselves as to why we were born amidst this misery. We want to live in
peace and harmony. We are thankful to all those who came all the way
from Colombo and provided us this special facility."
Somaratne Sunethra Kasthuriarachchi (19) a Sinhalese now temporarily
house in Lakshman Kadirgamar Centre related her predicament.
"I was born in Kilinochchi, my father is from his hometown,
Tissamaharama who was running a bakery at Kilinochchi as was the case of
many enterprising businessmen from South Lanka. I was born and bred in
Kilinochchi. My mother is Tamil. As we know no sinhala we were afraid of
going back to Tissamaharama. Tigers harassed my father. They assaulted
him and broke his legs and left to the mercy of the jungle. We were
apprehensive whether the "Sinhala Government" would harass us since my
mother is Tamil", she said.
"Now we feel totally happy. How fine is the combination of
Kilinochchi and Tissamaharama!" She uttered in entertaining hopes for
future harmony and solidarity.
We assured her that her dream would soon be a reality. Everything is
set for heralding a new era for the long-persecuted victims of a cruel
war! The road from Medawachchiya to Mannar is shrouded in loneliness.
Rarely a villager or two could be observed. However, thus beaming visage
bears evidence of a reawakening.
Source: Ministry of Vocational and Technical Training. |
