The Jaffna peninsular has produced outstanding sportsmen and sportswomen over the years. St. John’s, St. Patrick’s, Tellipalai Union, Manipay Hindu and the Jaffna College among others, have stood out in producing both scholars and excellent sportsmen; who in their adulthood rendered an immense service to the country in their chosen fields.

Unfortunately, terrorism changed this trend and the overall terrain in the peninsular. Over the past quarter century, the youth of Jaffna were confronted with an unnerving problem; forced conscription by the LTTE. Their anxious parents have been left with very little choice but to seek admitting them to schools outside Jaffna to foil LTTE attempts to recruit them as child soldiers.

The Government’s efforts are now focused on directing the youth of Jaffna away from the grip of the LTTE and towards the path of non-violence and constructive engagement in various activities, including sports.

On an initiative taken by SCOPP and enthusiastically jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Sports and Sri Lanka Cricket, a combined team of school cricketers from the North and the East visited Colombo recently to play a series of matches with a combined school team from the District of Colombo. Hotel accommodation in Colombo was provided to the visiting school cricketers and the accompanying officials. The occasion was reminiscent of the time in the not too distant past when youths from any part of the country were able to move freely throughout the island and interact with each other.

The Honorable Prime Minister hosted a reception at his Office to the teams and officials, and welcomed their presence.

The visiting players showed great talent and promise in their cricket prowess. Jackson of St. Patrick’s College, Jaffna who skippered the team said “We do not have turf grounds and play on hard surface”, while making a plea for the construction of turf pitches in Jaffna.

The Visiting Team Coach, Mr. Nishanthan said, “The youth of Jaffna are more dedicated than in the past to academic pursuits and sports.  They stay clear of armed groups.  These youngsters who face terrorism in the day to day life of the community in Jaffna have come to appreciate the importance and the need for peace”. They smilingly said that the Peace Secretariat had given them an opportunity to forget the conflict for a moment.

The match itself generated keen interest. Relatives of the youth from the North and East living in Colombo were present at the Police Park in addition to the other spectators.

They have made an appeal to the sponsors to continue to stage such events and pledged all possible support on their part.

The young cricketers were well hosted and taken around Colombo on a shopping trip. They participated in a special religious Pooja at the Sri Kathiresan Temple in Wellawatte.