Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who took office in September, held his first public meeting in Jaffna on Sunday. He spoke strongly against Indian fishermen "illegally" fishing in Sri Lankan waters. 

Dissanayake also promised to return land occupied by the Sri Lankan government to the Tamil people. His visit to Jaffna came a day before the campaign ended for the parliamentary elections, scheduled for Thursday, where he is rallying support for his Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance. In a well-attended meeting, he expressed concerns about Indian fishermen depleting marine resources in the Tamil-majority northern region of Sri Lanka. He assured that his government would prevent this exploitation and protect the rights of Sri Lankan fishermen, asking the crowd, "Shouldn't we?"

The audience responded with a loud “Yes.” His statement follows the recent arrest of 23 fishermen from Rameswaram and the detention of three Indian boats by the Sri Lankan Navy on Sunday for illegally fishing in Sri Lankan waters. This arrest is the most recent in a string of them. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin noted that 128 fishermen and 199 boats were in Sri Lankan detention in a letter to the Union government on October 23, pleading for its assistance in the fishermen's release.

The new president, Dissanayake, made significant promises to address two key issues for Tamils in the north and east, who continue to face challenges 15 years after the civil war ended. He pledged to start returning land still held by the Lankan government, especially by the military, to its rightful owners. He also promised to release political prisoners still in jail. These announcements received the loudest cheers from the mostly Tamil crowd at the rally. However, the president did not address the issue of enforced disappearances, which remains a major concern, with thousands of people still seeking justice.

While many Tamil parties have urged the NPP to clearly state its position on a political solution for Tamils, including devolving more powers, Dissanayake avoided this topic. Instead, he promised that his alliance would ensure "full freedom" for Tamils. The Sri Lankan President highlighted the opening of a new road, previously under military control since the war, as an example of steps being taken to increase Tamil freedom. He added that similar actions would continue through discussions with the defence department. Additionally, he announced that elections for provincial councils will be held soon.

Recognising the concerns of the Tamil community about his alliance, he assured that these worries would be addressed through gradual, positive actions by his government. In his speech, Dissanayake emphasised the alliance's overarching goal of "nation building" without dividing Muslims, Tamils, or Sinhalese, as well as economic growth and anti-corruption efforts. He added that his administration would prioritise developing northern tourism and the rural economy. Dissanayake claimed that drug addiction had surged in northern Sri Lanka and laid the blame on politicians, promising to curb the problem.

He highlighted the economic challenges facing the island nation, stating that his government would look into converting the loan from India to develop the Kankesanthurai port into financial aid. He also mentioned plans to improve education, noting that China had agreed to provide school uniforms for Sri Lankan students as a grant. He added that some Tamil political leaders, who hadn’t joined the National People’s Power (NPP), had shown interest in joining the government after the presidential elections. However, he remarked that they had “missed the bus.”

With the Tamil National Alliance breaking apart, Tamil-majority areas in Sri Lanka are now facing a multi-sided election, which may divide their votes and weaken the Tamils' ability to negotiate collectively in Parliament. Dr. S. Arivalzahan from the University of Jaffna, who attended Dissanayake's rally, said it was the largest political gathering he had witnessed in Jaffna since the end of the war in 2009. For the first time since Sri Lanka gained independence, Dissanayake appears to be emerging as a leader with appeal not only in the southern regions but also among people in the north and east, he noted.

Ganesamurthi Tamilselvi, who travelled by bus from Valvettithurai (the hometown of late LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran), joined many NPP supporters for the rally. She said she admired Dissanayake’s efforts to fight corruption. When asked about Tamil parties’ concerns that the NPP might not address Tamil issues any differently, she replied that, since other parties haven't made progress on these issues, it was worth trying a new leader. Another attendee, who preferred to stay anonymous, said he came only to see the new president.

“I know what the JVP has done in the past. They did not raise their voice when our people were killed. They were the reason for the north and east getting divided. How can I trust them?” he asked.