Danish Ambassador concludes tour of Vanni

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 September 2003, 17:15 GMT]
The Danish Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mr. Michael Sternberg, met with officials of the Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) in Kilinochchi Wednesday and the commander of the Naval wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Col. Soosai, in Mullaitivu, Thursday, and concluded his tour of the Vanni, sources in the Vanni said.

While in Kilinochchi Wednesday, he met with the Executive Director of the TRO, Mr. K.P.Reji, at the TRO headquarters. After discussing several humanitarian projects undertaken by the TRO, the Ambassador inspected some worksites where the TRO’s rehabilitation and resettlement programs are being carried out.

The Danish envoy visited Kurukulam, a children’s home, and Anpuchcholai, an Elder’s home, both administered and maintained by the TRO, and spoke to the inmates. He also inspected the conditions in Santhapuram, a village where TRO has resettled displaced people.

After visiting the Vaddakkachchi Technical Training Center Thursday morning, the Ambassador visited Mullaitivu, where he met with farmers and fishermen. He then met with Col. Soosai. In these meetings, the Ambassador listened to the accounts of daily hardships faced by the fishermen as the Sri Lanka Navy often confiscates and destroys their fishing gear and drastically restricts their fishing hours, sources said.