Jayantha Dhanapala - Secretary-General of the Peace Secretariat (SCOPP) and Senior Adviser to the President - visited Trincomalee on Friday 8th October in pursuance of a policy of visiting the six District Offices of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) for the purpose of ensuring the smooth implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA).

Mr.Dhanapala held detailed discussions with Mr. Helge Lyberg Acting Head of the SLMM Tricomalee District Office, Mr. Torkil Kloeven Deputy Head of the Naval Monitoring Team SLMM and the Sri Lanka Government representatives on the Committee Mr. K. M. H. Akbar and. Ven. Seruvila Saranakeerthi Thera reviewing the statistics for complaints and violations which reveal that Trincomalee has the lowest number of ceasefire violations. The SLMM explained its policy of preventing violations through confidence-building measures. The abduction of two Home Guards by the LTTE and the strenuous efforts being made by the SLMM to secure their unconditional release was also discussed.

The Peace Secretariat Head also had discussions with four of the local Heads of NGOs at the Welcombe Hotel, briefing them on the current situation in the Peace Process and being informed of developments in Trincomalee.

Mr.Dhanapala called on the Ven. Dehiowita Piyathissa Thera, Chief Incumbent of the Bodhirajaramaya, China Bay and thereafter held further discussions with a group of Buddhist monks and representatives of the Sinhala community assuring them of the Government's efforts to obtain the release of the two Home Guards being held hostage by the LTTE and promising to convey their concerns to the President.

Earlier in the day the SCOPP Head received detailed briefings from Major-Generals N. Mallawaratchchi and S. Kulatunga, Rear Admiral Upali Ranaweera, DIG East Neville Wijesinghe and the GA Trincomalee Mr. Gamini Rodrigo.

Mr. Dhanapala also visited the Naval Dockyard Trincomalee and addressed the Senior Officers of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN).

He was unable to call on the Governor of the North-East Province since the latter was not in Trincomalee at the time, while the Principal Secretary of the North-East Provincial Council regretted his inability to meet Mr. Dhanapala.

Mr.Dhanapala arrived in Trincomalee at 8 a.m. and left as scheduled at 4:30 p.m. on completion of his programme