South African journalists visit Jaffna

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 February 1999, 12:29 GMT]
The team of journalists from South Africa who are currently in Sri Lanka on a fact finding mission visited various parts of Jaffna today, accompanied by Col. 'War' Gunawardana from the Sri Lankan security forces headquarters for Jaffna at Palaly.

The journalists met Jaffna's additional Government Agent (GA), Mr.T. Vaithiyalingam in his office at the kachcheri this afternoon.

Brigadier T.G Thilakaratna, the SLA's civil co-ordinator for Jaffna was also present at the meeting.

The South African journalists asked the additional GA whether the people in the peninsula were able to move about freely.

The question discomfited Mr.Vaithiyalingam as he could not give a straight answer in the presence of the SLA officers.

Later in the afternoon, the South African press team called on the Rev.J.P Selvarajah, the Vicar General of the Jaffna Catholic diocese. The SLA officers who accompanied the SA journalists chose to remain outside the Bishop's house.

The Vicar General impressed upon the journalists the need for third party mediation and the sufferings of the people of the Vanni.