Norwegian team visits key institutions in Kilinochchi

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 March 2007, 11:23 GMT]
Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Hans Brattskar, and other officials visited Kilinochchi Hospital, Education officials and the North East Secretariat of Human Rights office in Kilinochchi Monday around 3:30 p.m, and held discussions on current issues related to people's medical needs, education and human rights, sources in Kilinochchi said.

The envoys first met Medical Superintendent Dr. Sathananthan, at Kilinochchi Public Hospital where they viewed the patients' wards and held discussions with Dr. Sathananthan on the needs of the hospital and the medical services provided to the people of Vanni.

Dr. Sathananthan explained the drawbacks, requested the Norwegian officials to help with the following:

• To make arrangements allowing the hospital to take patients needing additional treatment across the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) barriers 24 hours of the day.
• To assure safety of the patients, pregnant women and children while being transported in ambulances.
• To urge the Sri Lanka Government to appoint needed specialists to Kilinochchi hospital, as due to lack of medical specialists, patients in critical state have to be transferred to Vavuniya and Anuradapura hospitals.
• To assist in inviting volunteer medical experts from foreign countries to serve in Kilinochchi hospital, and
• To assist in replenishing essential medicines and other related medical accessories.

Dr. Sathananthan also submitted a situation report of Kilinochchi hospital.

The team next visited the Kilinochchi Zonal Education Office where they met and held talks with the head of Tamil Eelam Education Kazhaham V. Illankumaran and other education officials.

Illankumaran requested the foreign envoys to take the needed steps to address the following problems faced by the educational community in Vanni.

• To stop the aerial bombings by Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) and flights over Vanni causing psychological trauma to students
• To stop the killings of educational officials by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA)
• To stop intimidation and obstruction by the government forces disrupting the educational activities, and
• To allow teachers who are stranded outside Vanni to return back for duties.

Around 4:30 p.m, the foreign team met Rev. Fr. Karunaratnam at the head of North East Secretariat of Human Rights office in Kilinochci and discussed the prevailing human rights situation.