The government has begun clearing all LTTE landmarks in the north in an attempt to wipe out any trace of the Tigers, a top government source told Daily Mirror online.
According to media reports, LTTE landmarks have now become a popular tourist spot in the north as people flock to these areas to view the buildings and houses which once belonged to the LTTE leaders.
However the government said that they do not want to promote tourism in the north due to the LTTE landmarks and were therefore clearing the area in order to construct fresh hotels and resorts.
Tourism Ministry Secretary George Michael confirmed to Daily Mirror online that the government had begun clearing some LTTE landmarks in the north in line with the government’s policy to not highlight former LTTE landmarks for local or foreign tourists.
“The official government policy is not to highlight former LTTE landmarks for tourism purposes. The government has already begun to clear some LTTE landmarks inline with the government’s view that terrorism, the LTTE and the violence which affected the public during the war should be forgotten,” Michael said.
While the clearing LTTE buildings is underway, the Tourism Ministry has begun promoting Jaffna and the Northern Province as tourist destinations in an effort to empower the country’s economy.
Following the opening of the main A-9 Kandy-Jaffna highway, the only land route to the Northern Jaffna peninsula, around 300,000 local and foreign tourists have flocked to the region reports said.
The Ministry in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Army has set up a tourist information centre at Hospital Street in Jaffna town to offer help and facilitate those visiting the Northern peninsula. (Daily Mirror online)
By Gandhya Senanayake
