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One of the notable successes of the National People’s Power (NPP) in recent elections has been its ability to reach out directly to minority communities without the assistance of power brokers like minority parties and other minority organisations.

Unlike most mainstream parties that have now come to rely heavily on minority parties for minority votes, the NPP approached Tamils, Muslims, and Upcountry Tamils directly with a promise of equality and a vision of shared national destiny. This strategy inspired confidence and won the NPP a substantial share of minority votes—an unprecedented achievement for a party that had never had any previous strong minority links.  

Yet electoral goodwill, however important, must be converted into sustained trust. While the NPP government inherited a host of economic and governance challenges, it also faces the critical task of living up to minority expectations. Against this backdrop, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to Jaffna last week represented both symbolism and substance. The visit was not merely ceremonial but came with a series of initiatives aimed at economic renewal, cultural healing, and political reconciliation in the Northern Province, which can contribute to rebuilding the destruction caused by nearly three decades of civil war.

During his Jaffna visit, President Dissanayake presided over several landmark projects:

n  Jaffna international cricket stadium: The foundation stone was laid for an international cricket stadium at Mandaitivu Island. Envisioned as part of a broader “Sports City,” the stadium will seat 40,000 spectators and host international tournaments. Beyond infrastructure, it symbolises sport as a bridge across ethnic divides which the President alluded to in his address after laying the foundation for the Stadium.

n  Myliddy fisheries harbour: The third phase of this crucial project was inaugurated. Once completed, it will provide cold storage, fuel supplies, and radio communication facilities, directly benefiting fishermen in the North as well as counterparts in the East and South.

n  Jaffna public library e-library
programme: By launching an e-library facility, the President enabled worldwide digital access to Jaffna Library’s collections. This modernisation also carried deep symbolic weight, as the burning of the library in 1981 remains a cultural wound in Tamil memory.

n  Immigration and emigration regional office: A new office was opened to serve residents of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, and Mullaitivu, sparing them the long journey to Colombo for essential documentation. Coconut triangle project: This agricultural initiative seeks to modernise farming in the peninsula, reviving Jaffna’s reputation as a fertile contributor to national agricultural output.

Through these initiatives the President sought to reaffirm that the people of Jaffna are not outsiders but stakeholders in Sri Lanka’s national future.

President Dissanayake coupled development pledges with symbolic gestures. He acknowledged the pain of unresolved war legacies and addressed some of the most sensitive issues:

n  Land restitution: The President promised to return as much private land as possible still under military control. For thousands of families, unresolved land disputes remain a core grievance since the war’s end in 2009.

n  Disappearances: His words carried added weight when combined with Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara’s recent pledge to reopen over 10,500 complaints of enforced disappearances predating 2000. With Cabinet approval of Rs. 375 million to fund new investigative mechanisms, grieving families saw the first signs of a state willing to listen.

n  Cultural recognition: The Jaffna Library e-initiative was not simply technological—it signalled recognition of Tamil cultural heritage. By supporting its renewal, the President contrasted the destructive past with a new commitment to cultural protection.

n  Equal standards on violence: In his speeches, he stressed that incidents of violence in both North and South must be viewed through the same lens, rejecting double standards that have fuelled ethnic mistrust. His assertion that the NPP would never again allow ethnic strife to poison national life resonated deeply.

The Katchateevu moment

Perhaps the most dramatic gesture on his visit to Jaffna was the President’s unannounced visit to Katchateevu Island, long a focal point of Indo–Sri Lanka disputes. By physically setting foot there, President Dissanayake reinforced Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath’s statement that the island belonged to Sri Lanka.

Importantly, he also announced plans to develop the island as a tourism hub. This dual move—reasserting sovereignty while offering economic opportunity—captured both national pride and practical vision.

The visit inevitably drew attention in Indian political circles, where Tamil Nadu leaders frequently raise Katchateevu as a political issue particularly at election time. It also re-centered the pressing issue of illegal poaching by Indian trawlers in Sri Lankan waters. Bottom trawling not only destroys marine ecosystems but also undermines the livelihoods of Northern fishermen. The challenge now is for Colombo to engage New Delhi with goodwill but firmness, ensuring that sovereignty is preserved and local fishermen protected.

While Jaffna commanded the spotlight, the President was careful to note that reconciliation cannot stop in the North. The Eastern Province, a multi-ethnic region of Tamils, Muslims, and Sinhalese, also endured the brunt of the conflict. Its wounds remain raw, with land disputes, resettlement issues, and communal tensions still unresolved.

The same principles that applied in Jaffna—land restitution, inclusive development, infrastructure investment, and symbolic recognition—must be extended to Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Digamadulla and beyond. Failure to do so risks reinforcing perceptions that reconciliation is selective rather than national. Success in the East, by contrast, would cement the beginning of a process of post-war reconciliation that would help heal the mistrust among the different communities and the State.

A shift from past approaches

For decades, Tamil political leaders articulated legitimate grievances of discrimination, but often in ways that kept the North politically isolated from the mainstream. This withdrawal deepened suspicion between Colombo and Jaffna. Past governments treated reconciliation primarily as a question of political devolution or as a ritualised debate over constitutional formulas.

President Dissanayake’s approach seems to be different. While not dismissing constitutional questions, he has attempted to show that reconciliation can also be advanced through concrete development, cultural recognition, and equal treatment under national policy. This shift reframes reconciliation as lived experience rather than abstract negotiations.

Challenges ahead

For the symbolism of Jaffna to translate into trust, follow-through is essential:

n  Land restitution: Promises must be fulfilled transparently and swiftly, avoiding the bureaucratic delays that erode confidence.

n  Diplomacy with India: The fishing issue requires delicate but firm negotiation, balancing sovereignty with bilateral cooperation.

n  Consistency nationwide: The care shown to Jaffna must extend equally to Kilinochchi, Mannar, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Digamadulla, and other war-affected districts. Only then will the President’s claim of equality carry enduring credibility.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s Jaffna visit may mark a different trajectory in Sri Lanka’s post-war journey. For too long, reconciliation has been trapped in sterile debates. By inaugurating development projects, pledging justice for disappearances, acknowledging cultural wounds, and reasserting sovereignty, the President articulated a message of equality coupled with dignity.

If sustained, this model could finally break the cycle of alienation that has long defined Colombo–Jaffna relations. It could transform the North from a theatre of grievance into a hub of opportunity. Most importantly, it could allow citizens of Jaffna—and indeed all of Sri Lanka’s minorities as well as the Sinhala majority—to become equal partners in national progress.

( javidyusuf@gmail.com )