Myanmarese pilgrims' travel made easy

To mark the 2600th Sambuddha Jayanthi which falls on 2011, the Sri Lankan embassy in Myanmar has formulated a special program to enable pilgrims from Myanmar to visit Sri Lanka's sacred places of Buddhist worship.

At a meeting of Sri Lankan ambassador in South East Asia held in Singapore, under the patronage of External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, the Sri Lanka Ambassordor in Myanmar, Newton Gunaratne was instructed to give priority to pilgrims from Maynmar to Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan embassy has initiated talks with Mihin Air and Myanmar International Airways to facilitate air passage for Myanmarese pilgrims to visit Sri Lanka via Buddhagaya, India and Thai. Sri Lankan counterparts to visit Myanmar along the same route, instead of the present costly passage through Bangkok.

Myanmar International Airways and Mihin Air CEO Kapila Chandrasena have both expressed their willingness to comply with the new arrangements.

A discussion with Myanmar operators and Vihara Trust representatives would be held shortly, Gunaratne said.