British, Norway ambassadors visit Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 October 2008, 10:46 GMT]
British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Dr. Peter Hayes, and Norway's Ambassador Tore Hattrem accompanied by UNHCR residential representative in Colombo, were on a visit to Jaffna Wednesday. The emissaries met Jaffna Appeal Court Magistrate R. T.Vignarajah around 4:30 p.m. and discussed the humanitarian as well as the general security concerns of the civilians. Meanwhile, informed sources in Jaffna told TamilNet that the Sri Lankan Defense Ministry had initially declined permission for the delegation to visit Jaffna Prison and Kurunakar Special Rehabilitation Centre where civilians seeking protection from the threat of the SLA and paramilitaries are placed in protective custody.



The delegation also discussed the status of the resettlement of displaced persons in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zones (HSZ) with Mr. R.T. Vignarajah.

Their scheduled visit to the prison, where males are placed in protective custody and to the centre where females and chilren are kept, was an significant segment of their trip. The Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission (HRC) office was also notified in advance of the delegation's plan to visit the centres, civil society sources in Jaffna said.

The length of the expected stay of the three emissaries in Jaffna is not known.