Approximately 90% of the Agricultural research assistants appointed to the predominantly Tamil Northern Province Council are Sinhalese, said the Northern Provincial Council agriculture minister, P Ayngaranesan.
The NPC minister said that though over 5000 Tamils applied for the positions only 29 of the 361 appointments made were from the Tamil community.
Condemning government actions in a press statement, Mr Ayngaranesan said,
"Agriculture is the backbone of the Economy of the North, has been severely affected due to the three decades of war. Our farmers are unable to recover from this to date; in this situation, we have become aware that in the appointments for Agricultural Research Assistants by the central government, 90% of the places are secured for Sinhalese. The appointments by the 'Gamanala Development Department' on August 13, of 361 appointments for the North, 332 are Sinhalese, of which 164 are appointed in Jaffna, 41 are in Kilinochchi, 53 in Mulaitivu, 40 in Vavuniya and 34 in Mannar.”
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| Photograph: Tamil Guardian |
The NPC minister said that though over 5000 Tamils applied for the positions only 29 of the 361 appointments made were from the Tamil community.
Condemning government actions in a press statement, Mr Ayngaranesan said,
"Agriculture is the backbone of the Economy of the North, has been severely affected due to the three decades of war. Our farmers are unable to recover from this to date; in this situation, we have become aware that in the appointments for Agricultural Research Assistants by the central government, 90% of the places are secured for Sinhalese. The appointments by the 'Gamanala Development Department' on August 13, of 361 appointments for the North, 332 are Sinhalese, of which 164 are appointed in Jaffna, 41 are in Kilinochchi, 53 in Mulaitivu, 40 in Vavuniya and 34 in Mannar.”