Why is it necessary to demolish the Old Park in Jaffna? M.A. Sumanthiran

27-Nov-2025

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There is no disagreement about the necessity of an indoor sports complex for Jaffna. 

A few years ago, during a District Coordination Committee meeting, the Urban Development Authority had proposed a plan for this, identifying three potential sites. 

Given this, why is there now a need to demolish the Old Park in Jaffna, which should be preserved? asked M.A. Sumanthiran, Secretary-General of the Tamil National Alliance.

In a Facebook post on this matter, Sumanthiran further stated:

It was recently revealed that there is a sudden initiative to lay the foundation for an indoor sports complex in the Jaffna Old Park, resulting in the removal of very old trees. Previously, when a governor’s residence was planned here, environmental objections were raised, and later other development projects were abandoned, which is well-known.

Currently, this new plan is being implemented without proper consultation or transparency. It will cause significant environmental damage and destroy a historically significant landmark for the people of Jaffna.

While there is no disagreement about the need for an indoor sports complex for Jaffna, during my tenure as a District Coordination Committee member a few years ago, the Urban Development Authority had proposed a plan and identified three possible sites.

Studies were conducted regarding suitable locations, and three sites were recommended. In this context, why is there suddenly a need to demolish the Old Park, which everyone agrees should be preserved? 

Should we not raise our voices against this? Let no one claim that we oppose all development projects. Instead, can we demonstrate that even one of the three previously recommended sites is unsuitable? he questioned.