Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Vigneswaran says that US Air Force’s medical team will examine former LTTE cadres who had fallen sick allegedly because they were injected with poisonous substances by the Sri Lankan armed forces when they were undergoing detention or rehabilitation after surrender, the New Indian Express reports.

In the past few weeks, Tamil politicians and the media have been highlighting the death of several ex-LTTE cadres who had allegedly been given injections as part of an “inoculation program”. Some others had complained of physical debility after release from detention or rehabilitation.

Chief Minister Vigneswaran  told the NPC on Tuesday that he had mentioned the plight of the former combatants in his conversation with the US Ambassador, Atul Keshap, when the latter was in Jaffna to inaugurate a five-day program of the USAF’s Operation Angel medical team there, and asked if the USAF team could examine them and give an independent report.   

The US envoy said that the USAF could examine select patients and decide what to do next. Therefore, a few of the cases will be referred to the US team, the Chief minister said.

According to the Chairman of the NPC, CVK.Sivagnanam, the USAF might even send the preliminary diagnosis to the US for further action. The US team would be in Jaffna only for five days.  

The issue of the sick and dead ex-combatants was raised by NPC member M.K.Sivajilingam and the Chief Minister had responded to him.