British High Commissioner visits Jaffna

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 21 March 2000, 20:45 GMT]
The British High Commissioner Ms.Linda Joy Duffield arrived in Jaffna this afternoon by ship from Trincomalee on a four day official visit to the northern peninsula. The Deputy High Commissioner of the Australian embassy in Colombo, Ms.Cathy Klugman, also came in the same vessel with the mission's press officer Mr. Rukshan Ratnam (formerly of the Colombo FM station, Capital Radio).

The British High Commissioner was accompanied by the the Defence Attache of the British mission in Sri Lanka, Lt.Col. Robert Kendell and Mr. Martin Dawson, second secretary (development).

The British team is scheduled to visit the Elephant Pass base complex and talk to troops defending it during this visit said SLA sources in Jaffna.

The British High Commissioner's proposed 'tour' of the SLA garrison guarding Jaffna's gateway comes at a very critical time when the Liberation Tigers have moved their conventional fighting formations dangerously close to the base, a MP for Jaffna commented today.

Ms.Duffield called on the University of Jaffna soon after her arrival this afternoon.

Students and teachers here spoke to her about the situation. The British HC plans to see large projects her government has undertaken to complete in the north.

On Friday she will be the chief guest at a special function organised by the Jaffna daily Uthayan. The High Commissioner will be mainly involved during her stay in viewing British funded projects in Jaffna.