Jayantha Dhanapala, Secretary-General of the Peace Secretariat (SCOPP) and Senior Adviser to the President, visited the SLMM District Offices in Vavuniya and Mannar on Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th. He has previously visited the SLMM District Offices in Batticaloa, Jaffna and Trincomalee.

On Wednesday 24th Mr. Dhanapala held discussions with Mr. Per Sonnerby Head of the SLMM Vavuniya District Office and the two Sri Lanka Government representatives and the two LTTE representatives on the District Committee.

The Peace Secretariat Head also had discussions with the Heads of local NGOs to brief them on the current situation in the Peace Process and listened to their concerns.

He also met with the GA of Vavuniya Mr. K. Ganesh and visited an IDP camp at Poonthottam and Seth Sevana orphanage at Atamagaskada Temple.

Mr. Dhanapala visited the main entry/exit point at Omanthai and held discussions on expediting the free flow of goods and passengers from cleared to uncleared areas and vice versa.

The SCOPP Head visited Mannar on Thursday 25th and held discussions with the Head of SLMM Mannar District Office Mr. Flin Flinstead and the two Sri Lanka Government representatives and the two LTTE representatives on the Committee.

Mr. Dhanapala also met with Bishop Rayyappu Joseph and the GA of Mannar
Mr. V. Visvalingam and discussed the peace process and the immediate issues in Mannar.

He also visited Thirukotheeswara Temple in Mannar.

Both in Mannar and Vavuniya Mr. Dhanapala was briefed by the Sri Lanka Security Forces Commanders on the prevailing situation in the two districts.