President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says the government has launched a new housing programme aimed at resolving long-standing housing shortages faced by families displaced during the war.
Addressing an event in the North, the President noted that while many houses were damaged during the conflict, a significant number remain unreconstructed even years after the war ended. He pointed out that a large proportion of residents in the Jaffna District were displaced and that many families are still living without permanent housing.
The President stressed that the government is committed to resolving the housing needs of all war-displaced communities within its current term of office.
He said the people of the Northern Province have placed considerable trust and hope in the present administration, adding that political views in the region had long differed from national politics due to past governance failures such as nationalism, misuse of public resources and neglect of public needs.
According to the President, the current administration is the first government that many in Jaffna feel they can genuinely trust. He said the government’s primary responsibility is to uplift the most vulnerable sections of society, including providing housing for the homeless and improving access to quality education, noting that a substantial budget allocation has been made for these priorities.
He also emphasised the need to strengthen key livelihood sectors in the North, including agriculture, coconut cultivation, fisheries and small-scale industries, which form the backbone of the regional economy.
Reflecting on the country’s past, President Dissanayake said decades of war, suspicion and ethnic hostility brought no benefit to any community and caused widespread losses in both the North and the South. He warned that certain groups continue to attempt to revive divisions through nationalist politics centred on heritage or religious sites.
The President assured that the government will not allow space for ethnic nationalism of any kind—Sinhala, Tamil or Muslim—in any part of the country.
He further revealed that plans are underway to build a major sports complex in Jaffna, noting that some land-related issues are being addressed in coordination with district officials and that the project will be completed within the year.
The President also said an indoor sports stadium planned for Jaffna town has been delayed due to a court case filed by certain politicians. Questioning the necessity of such legal challenges, he stressed that the youth of Jaffna urgently need sports facilities. He added that steps will be taken to expedite the legal process and ensure the stadium is completed within the year, either at the proposed site or at an alternative nearby location.
