Would someone give us the names of the commentators, purely for academic interest.

This certainly will be received well by the Tamil people. Many Tamil people appreciated the President talking a few words in Tamil. These are small steps towards healing Tamil wounds of long. These are lessons to the Sinhala extremists that the Tamil language must be respected and given its due and rightful place. Thank you. But, Mr President, the more urgent priorities of the Tamil people lie elsewhere. You don’t have to wait for 6 months to release all the IDPs. For all we know, do keep the serious LTTE suspects for interrogation in terms of the law and please release the rest of the women, children and old folk. Even of those held as potential threats, do make a distinction between the hardcore and the boys/girls abducted by the LTTE against their will who may have held a gun for the first time for a few days with a week’s “training.” Pls provide a list of people taken, where they were taken from, where they are now (if they are alive) and by all means take action, wherever necessary transparently and in terms of the law. We applaud the initial steps to open rail, bus and transport services to Jaffna and the Northern areas. We appreciate the Defence Secy’s role to provide a more frequent and more reasonable air service between the South and the North. This will free many from the clutches of rapacious business interests who enjoy a captive market. Thank you for providing improved Electricity services. We need urgent action in the provision of clean, drinking water, repairs and updates to hospitals, schools, places of worship, roads, Bridges similar to that which transformed the Kurunegala town and area – once no different to the North East – as a bustling, modern town where one sees traffic jams outside Colombo. We are happy for the people of Kurunegala – “our people” to use your accommodative language and appeal that our lot too be improved. Help us to increase our fish catches that will not only serve several hundred Tamil fishing families in the North-East but also drastically bring down the price of fish all over Sri Lanka, now suffering shortages and heavy prices. Help us with adequate water and irrigation for our agricultural activities so that we can continue to provide increased rice, vegetable, chillies, onion, fruits and other crops to the country’s greater good.

If you do this without delay it shall not be long before the people of the North and East turn out political leaders in their areas of political parties s based in Colombo. Yes! I mean of the PA/SLFP – as in the long past. Yes! Some even from the JVP and other left parties. You might even create a situation when an international Test match can be held in Jaffna town. Remember Sanath and Murali were mobbed in the North not long ago during the times the LTTE held sway there. That is because, to use your statesman-like language again, they are both “our children” too. If this can be done, why we might even come in our thousands to receive you on that day which we hope will come soon, when the Sinhala head of the Sri Lankan state visits Jaffna, the home of the Tamil nation – in the 2-Nation sovereign, undivided State of Sri Lanka.

ISS

Here is proof of mentality of the MR regime - 300,000
IDPP and nothing to restore their sense of doom, but
priority for TAMIL ball-to-ball commentary!!
The Ship of Relief goods is turned back for no
reason yet Cricket is more important - to give cover
to the gloom among the Tamils.
MR is good at playing balls with the Solution for Tamils, as is currently evident. He uses Hindu Ram and NFF Wimal as mouth-pieces, as when and necessary.

Who needs cricket at this momoent?

Unfortunately, there is no radios in IDP camps!! How do we listen to the commentaries??

If everything else has failed let cricket be our unifier.

One run for Percy.

I recall visiting a Tamil restaurant in " little Jaffna " in Paris and enjoyed the raucous support given to the Srilankan cricket team when they were playing Australia. They were all " our children ".

No matter what the extremists and other lunatics say we are all sons and daughters of mother Lanka and Srilanka belongs to all.

The Tamils and Tamil Speakers must realise that Sinhala people (That is genuine Sinhala people who love Sinhala way of Life) has NO problem living with Tamils and providing adequate and equal access to state funded resources.

WHAT WE ARE OPPOSED 100% is setting up ethnic Tamil majority state within Sri Lanka exclusive for Tamils and Tamil speakers.

IF you live in Sri Lanka you have to get along with the Sinhalese.

And the Sinhalese have to get along with Tamils and Muslims.

If you want to live in a Tamil or a Dravidian state then Tamil Nadu India is the way to go.

Sri Lanka has been influenced by India in terms of Buddhism, Music and Language BUT SRI LANKA and the Sinhalese are a UNIQUE GROUP ENTITY WITHIN SRI LANKA.

Excellent initiative by the President. My FULL support.

We should build a brand new test stadium in Jaffna or Northern Province. Actually, one for each province..Start with Northern Province.

We should promote District then Inter-Provincial Cricket.....To National level.....

YOU DO NOT NEED FEDERALISM FOR ANY OF THESE BUT BETTER MANAGEMENT THAT IS ALL....

WE have a major management ISSUE in Sri Lanka. That is ALL.....

"President orders ball-by-ball Tamil cricket commentaries" what good is this for ordinary Tamils. Tamils who can not read or understand English would never like to listen to the cricket commentaries. People who would like to follow this cricket among the Tamil are quite fluent in English and they don’t need a Tamil commentator. What is Mahinda trying to do here? Once again cheat the foreign Governments and boast that the Tamils are enjoying equal right like the Singhalese. If you go to a post office to get some stamps you should know Sinhalese or you can’t get stamps in Sinhala speaking area. What a stupid man he is? Even a toddler will understand what he is trying to do here. Good luck Manhinda try this in the South it may work among your people.