I was deeply saddened to read, in The Island of 12/3, Devanesan Nesiah’s[DN] nasty comments about the Sinhala Buddhists who now regularly visit Jaffna for pilgrimage and sightseeing.He admits that he has not visited Jaffna since 2002 and his diatribe , therefore, seems to be based on the [mis]information of a mean-spirited informant.It is an awful slander to accuse Sinhala visitors [mainly, but not only,Buddhist] of coming there to flaunt triumphalism, goggle at Jaffnese as caged animals and misuse/abuse civic facilities. These visitors come as pilgrims to view "the ashes of their fathers and the temples of their gods" at Kanthararodai, Nagadipa,  Nallur [built by Sapumal Kumaraya]  and several other sites as Keerimalai and the Jaffna Library. My son and daughter were among the visitors - their first visit since their childhood stay when I was Government Agent of Jaffna. They met with cordiality, were saddened by the devastation of war, and were impressed by the efforts being made by market vendors and incipient ‘hoteliers’ to cater to the influx from the South. I am sure that the shade of Alfred Duraiyappah, that apostle of ethnic harmony, would be most happy that ‘his’ stadium has become the chosen "rest" for Sinhala visitors.

I expected a more balanced account from DN ,a fellow former G.A. But I was mistaken. I cannot restrain a cynical smile when he showers paeans of praise on the "scenes of joyful mingling" during the tiger-dominated CFA period as contrasted to today where Jaffna people are "looked on by their southern brethren as animals in a cage". I am afraid his nostalgia for Ranil’s CFA honeymoon, when foul Prabakaran was his Viceroy, is all too visible. I am saddened that DN’s all-too-obvious ploy is to discourage Southern visitors to Jaffna and the inevitable intermingling that takes place. Does DN want his former ‘subjects’ to remain in a Sinhala-free ghetto ?