News in Brief:

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 March 1999, 22:47 GMT]
UNP parliamentarian holds eye clinics in Vanni refugee camps and US embassy official visits Batticaloa.

UNP parliamentarian visits Vanni refugees

UNP parliamentarian, Dr. Jeyalath Jeyawardena, said at a press conference today that he had observed symptoms of Night Blindness among the Vanni population due to Vitamin A and D deficiency.

Dr. Jeyalath Jeyawardena, returned to Colombo yesterday after holding Eye Clinics in Paalampatty and Pariyamadhu refugee camps in the LTTE controlled part of the Vanni.

Dr. Jeyawardene said that the LTTE were very co-operative and that he met with some LTTE representatives during the visit. But he did not discuss any political isues with them, he said.

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US official visits Batticaloa

An official from the US embassy in Colombo is on a three day visit to the eastern Batticaloa district said sources.

He has been meeting various officials from the Security Forces, Non Governmental Organisations and politicians.

The official also visited refugee camps in the Valaichenai area.

Sources said that the visit was made in order to learn more about the human rights situation in the area.