JAFFNA: The landing of the first Indian flight after 41 years at the newly-inaugurated Jaffna International Airport on Thursday saw emotions run high. The Tamils in the northern province of Sri Lanka have for long been wishing direct connectivity to Chennai, a city they have strong bonds with. And here at last was that moment.
"There has been a huge demand in Jaffna for a direct flight to Chennai after the flight services came to a halt following the Civil War in Sri Lanka. It is a good change for Tamils here," says Kayathiri Kumaran (name changed), a resident of Jaffna who came along.
Kayathiri, whose father was attacked by a Sinhala youth in Colombo in the 1983 riots, says, "There may have been commercial and military flights from Jaffna. But Alliance air's maiden flight is the first passenger services flight."
The flight has given wings to Chadrakala Devi, who is yearning to meet her chitthi who fled Jaffna in 1990 during the civil war. “Once Alliance Air flight resumes from November 1, I will be flying from Jaffna to Chennai to visit them," she says.
A teacher in a school near a village 6 km from Palali, where the airport is located, Chandrakala says she lost her father during the war. When asked why she hadn't told her chitthi to come back, Chandrakala wonders how can they come by the flight.
"They allow only 15kg. They (chitthi's family) have so much to carry with them," she says.
Tamil Nadu is home to one lakh Tamils from Sri Lanka's one-time warzone and two-thirds of these refugees are still living in state-government-run camps. Only a few of them have returned to Sri Lanka. While the war is over, the conflict is still simmering, says another resident.
"The issues still persist. The government have taken the land of Tamils for building the airport and they have not received any compensation. Nearly 50 families are now protesting at the entrance of the airport," he adds.
The issue was also highlighted by Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarian Mavei Senadhi Raja during the inauguration of the airport.
There is wariness in the air in a Sri Lanka going to polls on November 16. Father Rajkumar says that if there is a change in the dispensation, the airport is likely to become dysfunctional. "The present government has ensured peace in the island. We don't know about the future," he says.
Youngsters from a nearby school in a Jaffna village, who were at the inauguration, however, had no time for such worries. They were happy that the airport has directly connected them with Chennai.
Surekha, who was three when her family bore the brunt of the war, says, "I want to visit Tamil Nadu. I want to see the Thanjai Perumal Kovil and Abdul Kalam memorial."