Deputy Defence Minister visits Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 July 2004, 16:23 GMT]
Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Deputy Minister for Defence and the Minister of Public Security, Law and Order and Buddha Sasana Monday paid a visit to Jaffna accompanied by the Service Chiefs of three armed forces. He arrived in Palaly by a special aircraft, security sources said.

He held discussion with the army officials in Palaly military base regarding the security situation in the peninsula. Later he was taken to some areas in the high security zones surrounding the Palaly military base and thereafter he inspected the Kankesanthurai harbour, sources said.

This was his first visit as the Deputy Defense Minister in the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government to Jaffna, sources said.

Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, who is considered a Sinhala hardliner was earlier Prime Minister in the then Peoples Alliance (PA) government, sources said.