BATTICALOA: FRACTIONS of Islamic militants who held weapons on grounds of various reasons delivered their weapons to Police on Saturday (4) evening in KATTANKUDI area in response to an appeal made by the government. Those weapons include sixteen T 56 weapons, four 303 rifles, one shotgun, one 84-S weapon, one 9 mm pistol, one SMG KR weapon, five Galkatas weapons, sixteen hand grenades, one thousand and seventy-six rounds of 7.62 x 39 mm ammunition.....
SOME one thousand persons went back to their homes in Ampara last week (2), marking the first Government-organized return movement in the district in seven years, a press release issued by the UNHCR said yesterday. The release said: Originally hailing from two areas of the Thirukkovil division in Ampara, these internally displaced persons (IDPs) were on the move since 1990 due to the conflict, until they returned to their villages following the 2002 ceasefire. However they were once again displaced by the escalation in violence in the east in 2006 and have since been staying with friends and relatives in areas nearby.
PRESIDENT Mahinda Rajapaksa highlighted his determination to re-settle “as soon as possible” the close to 300,000 Tamil civilians displaced by the conflict with the LTTE. In an interview with The Hindu in Colombo, he laid out his road map of what needed to be put in place to ensure the safety and meet the basic needs of those who are to be sent back to their villages. He also sketched his vision of reconciliation and development, which emphasized that in post-conflict Sri Lanka there was no place for “racism” and anything that “creates a disturbance among our three communities...Sinhala, Tamil, or Muslim.”
MULLAITTIVU: TROOPS expanding their searches further in PUTHUKKUDDIYIRUPPU, VISUAMADU and VISUAMADUKULAM areas on Monday (6) were able to collect more and more LTTE weapons and other explosive devices. Stocks included five hundred and fifty-one 81 mm mortar bombs, three hundred and thirty-three hand grenades, four hundred and seventy 12.7 rounds of ammunition, four hundred and forty-eight 60 mm mortar bombs, forty-one Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG), one hundred and twelve charger bags, four 81 mm mortar base plates, one land mine, four 60 mm mortar base plates, four hundred and seventy-five meter detonator cords.....
EAST: THE BATTICALOA Police on Monday (6) found two claymore mines of 10 kg each, one pressure mine of 10 kg, one charger and one wire roll on information given by a former Tiger suspect in Police custody. In the meantime, the KINNIYA Police following information found one Jonny mine, one detonator, two T-56 magazines, twenty-nine rounds of T-56 ammunition, 1 kg of less powerful explosives, some parts of T-56 weapons, one data cable, two water bottles and four area maps from MENKAMAM, MUTTUR tank area.
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MULTI-TALENTED Army troops, now in the process of undertaking responsibilities, related to development work, are about to complete one more gigantic project in the East after it was entrusted to the Army just fifteen months ago. Three phases of the Somawathiya-Seruwavila (A-15) road restoration and construction project that covers a stretch of about 30.7 km were entrusted to the Army Engineers back in April 2008 after the Army cleared those areas of the terrorism that affected those areas for so many years. Army Engineers under the phase one completed construction and restoration from Seruwavila to Arippu Junction, a distance of about 6.7 km. Under the second stage, troops cleared jungle areas on both sides of the road and laid out the draining system extending up to Verugal Aru.
A STOCK of consumer items for the use of children in Kaithady IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) welfare centre was donated by a patriotic Sri Lankan lady presently living abroad. his gesture of appreciation, meant to support Army welfare programmes focusing children in relief villages was welcomed. The donor, the sister of General Staff Officer II (Operations) of the 51 Division in Jaffna Major M.K. Jayawrdane had sent Rs. 35,000/- to purchase milk powder, dresses, soap, colon, lotion cream and ice cream for small children at the Kaithaady IDP welfare centre.
SRI LANKA ARMY constantly concerned about the mental and physical development of civilians temporarily staying in welfare centres for IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) always tries to make their lives more interesting and comfortable through various sports, hobbies and other programmes. To support the project, 522 Brigade under Security Forces Headquarters-Jaffna (SFHQ-J) recently organized a volleyball and netball tournament for the IDPs in Mirusuvil welfare centre.
WANNI: TROOPS continuing their service for the country conducted more and more search and clear operations and found many more LTTE weapons explosives and items from different areas in the WANNI. Two night vision devices, two T-56 magazines, ninety rounds of T-56 ammunition, one hand grenade and three hundred water purification tablets were among the recoveries made from the general area of ASIKULAM in VAVUNIYA on Tuesday (7).
SECURITY has been intensified in the Moneragala district to capture two hardcore LTTE terrorists, Ram and Nagulan along with several other cadres who are believed to be roaming in Moneragala SSP Moneragala Division Amarasiri Senaratne said. He said currently there is no LTTE threat in the Moneragala district. Several incidents in the district, happened on April 12 and 13 creating the fear psychosis in the area. "We have blocked all supply routes in the entire Moneragala area that supply food and other requirements to the LTTE group," he said.
