President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to Mark Thai Pongal in Jaffna and Mannar During Two-Day Northern Tour
Colombo / Jaffna – President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is scheduled to undertake a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka’s Northern Province on January 15 and 16, coinciding with the Thai Pongal Festival 2026, marking one of the most symbolically significant presidential engagements in the North in recent years.
According to the Presidential Media Division, the visit will cover Mannar and Jaffna, combining cultural, social welfare, housing, and public health programmes, as the new administration seeks to underline its commitment to post-war reconciliation, inclusive governance, and regional development.
President to Attend Northern Province Thai Pongal Festival
The President will attend the Northern Province Thai Pongal Festival today (15 January) at 2.00 p.m. at the Aiyanar Kovil Grounds in Velanai, Jaffna. The event, organised with the participation of provincial and community stakeholders, is expected to draw a large gathering from across the islands in the Jaffna peninsula.
Thai Pongal, the harvest festival celebrated by Tamil communities across Sri Lanka and South India, holds deep cultural, agrarian, and spiritual significance. The President’s participation is viewed as a gesture of respect toward Tamil cultural traditions and an affirmation of the government’s stated commitment to a pluralistic national identity.
Political observers note that President Dissanayake’s decision to mark Pongal in Jaffna, rather than confining celebrations to Colombo, reflects a deliberate shift toward decentralised state symbolism—particularly in regions historically marginalised in national political rituals.
Tourism Promotion and Cultural Engagement
Later today, President Dissanayake is also scheduled to participate in a Thai Pongal celebration organised by the Jaffna Tourism Board at the Manipai Maruthadi Vinayagar Temple. The event is being held as part of a broader effort to promote domestic and international tourism in the Northern Province.
Officials say the programme aims to highlight Jaffna’s cultural heritage, religious landmarks, and post-war tourism potential, as the region continues its gradual recovery from decades of conflict and economic stagnation.
Tourism sector representatives in the North have repeatedly called for stronger central government engagement to address infrastructure gaps, connectivity, and international perception challenges. The President’s presence is expected to lend political momentum to these initiatives.
National Housing Programme to Be Launched in Jaffna
On Friday (16 January), President Dissanayake will preside over the inaugural ceremony of the national housing programme titled “A Place to Belong – A Beautiful Life.” The event will be held at the Weerasingham Primary School Grounds in Chavakachcheri, Jaffna.
Under the programme, 31,218 new houses are to be constructed across Sri Lanka, with 2,500 houses specifically allocated to families in the Northern and Eastern Provinces who remain displaced due to the civil war.
Government officials describe the initiative as one of the most ambitious state-led housing interventions in recent years, targeting long-standing displacement, land insecurity, and substandard living conditions that persist more than 15 years after the end of the conflict.
In the North and East, thousands of families continue to live in temporary shelters or insecure housing arrangements, often lacking basic infrastructure. The administration has stated that housing is being treated not merely as welfare, but as a foundational element of dignity, social stability, and economic participation.
Anti-Drug Campaign: “A Nation United”
Also on Friday (16), the President will attend the Northern Province programme of the national anti-drug campaign titled “A Nation United.” The event will take place at the Jaffna Technical College Grounds, under the direct patronage of the President.
The campaign forms part of the government’s broader strategy to address rising drug abuse, trafficking, and organised crime, which authorities say have increasingly affected vulnerable youth populations across the country, including in the Northern Province.
Security officials and public health experts have warned that post-war social dislocation, unemployment, and cross-border trafficking routes have made northern districts particularly vulnerable to narcotics-related challenges. The government has emphasised that the campaign will combine law enforcement with prevention, rehabilitation, and community-based awareness.
Political and Symbolic Significance
President Dissanayake’s Northern tour comes at a time when political alignments in the North are undergoing visible change. The 2024 elections saw a notable shift in voting patterns, with sections of the Tamil electorate expressing support for the National People’s Power (NPP), moving away from traditional ethnic-party dominance.
Analysts view the President’s presence at cultural, social, and welfare-oriented events—rather than purely ceremonial or security-focused engagements—as an attempt to consolidate trust and demonstrate policy-driven governance in the region.
Unlike previous administrations, which often limited northern visits to symbolic gestures or infrastructure inaugurations, the current programme integrates cultural recognition, housing rights, public health, and economic revival into a single political narrative.
Security and Administration
Security arrangements for the visit are being coordinated by local authorities in collaboration with the Presidential Security Division, while provincial officials have been instructed to ensure minimal disruption to civilian life during the two-day programme.
Officials stress that the visit is intended as a community-oriented engagement, rather than a tightly controlled political event.
Looking Ahead
The government has indicated that further ministerial visits and policy rollouts in the Northern and Eastern Provinces are planned in the coming months, particularly in relation to education reform, land issues, and economic revitalisation.
As Sri Lanka continues to navigate economic recovery and institutional reform, President Dissanayake’s participation in the Thai Pongal Festival in Jaffna is likely to be closely watched—not only as a cultural event, but as a barometer of the administration’s approach to reconciliation and inclusive governance.
– Colombowire