News Archive

Army Begins Discharging of Deserters

THE ARMY yesterday began de-listing those who deserted from service, while the Air Force and Navy too were engaged in a similar process. Military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said the Army will discharge all soldiers who deserted the service on or before May 31. He said on the first day there were a considerable number of deserters applying for their discharge certificates. All deserters coming under the above category have been requested to report to their regimental camps. If the national identity card indicated the profession as "Sri Lanka Army Soldier, it has to be changed and to carry this out the deserter has to submit five colour photographs along with the required stampstse to be used for a new NIC,” Brigadier Nanayakkara said.
LTTE De-listing Attempt Fails

AN LTTE challenge to a law that allows the US President to designate groups as terrorist organizations, freeze their assets and block aid to them was dismissed by a Federal Appeals Court in San Francisco yesterday. The International Emergency Economic Powers Act was enacted by Congress in 1977 and was originally used by Presidents to impose economic sanctions on foreign nations considered a threat to national security. In 2001, President George W. Bush issued executive orders under the law that enabled him, through the Treasury Department, to designate groups as terrorist organizations, freeze their assets and prohibit any aid or services to the groups.
Micro Pistols & T-56 Weapons Found

NORTH: TROOPS continued search and clear operations in the general areas of KILINOCHCHI, VISUAMADU, MURUSUMODDAI, IRANAMADU, VELLAMULLIVAIKKAL and PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU on Tuesday (25) and recovered eleven T-56 weapons, one thousand six hundred and two rounds of T-56 ammunition, four T-56 magazines, six anti personnel mines, six diesel barrels with diesel, four 120 mm mortar bombs, fourteen Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG), thirty-four hand grenades, 30 kg of C-4 explosives, twenty 60 mm mortar bombs, one 60 mm mortar fuse, two hundred.....
Farmers in Vavuniya & Mannar Can Cultivate Paddy during -œMaha- Season -“ Senior Presidential Advisor

STEPS will be taken to provide facilities for farmers in Vavuniya and Mannar to cultivate their paddy-fields during oncoming Maha season and accelerated project is now underway to clear the fields of landmines and booby traps laden by LTTE terrorists. This was revealed by Senior Presidential Advisor and Hon. Parliamentarian Mr. Basil Rajapaksa attending a meeting held at Vavuniya District Secretariat Tuesday (25). The meeting was held to review the progress of development programmes being carried out in Vavuniya and Mannar under Uthuru Wasanthaya.
STF Kills Two Terrorists

AMPARA: SPECIAL Task Force (STF) troops serving in the general area of THIRIMUNAI in KALMUNAI encountered an isolated group of LTTE terrorists on Tuesday (25). STF fired and killed two terrorists and conducted a search in the lagoon area where the incident occurred. During the search, STF found the dead bodies of two terrorists, one T - 56 weapon, one magazine and twenty five rounds of ammunition.
Pile of LTTE Training-Aid Found

WANNI: TROOPS in the general areas of KILINOCHCHI, ALANKULAM and PUTHUKUDIYIRUPPU on Wednesday (26) recovered five hand grenades, twenty-eight anti personnel mines, four Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG), four claymore mines each weighing about 7 kg, one claymore mine of about 2 kg, fifty-nine LTTE posters and two hundred and seventy-two LTTE diagrams which could be considered as teaching-aid used in weapon training.
Government of Sri Lanka Rejects Channel 4 Story as Concocted

THE ATTENTION of the Government of Sri Lanka has been drawn to a news item telecast on Channel 4 television in the UK which is also available on the Internet which depicts Sri Lankan forces allegedly committing atrocities against Tamils.
The Government of Sri Lanka strongly and unequivocally denies the allegations contained in the video footage telecast on Channel 4. This footage is diabolical and there is absolutely no truth in its concocted story which is based on this footage. The Government of Sri Lanka is of the view that the purpose of the video, which is evidently orchestrated by LTTE front organizations, is a deliberate and sinister attempt to cause embarrassment and bring disrepute to the Government of Sri Lanka in order to disturb the post conflict developmental and rehabilitation phase.
Over 180 Clergy Leave Welfare Centres

ONE HUNDRED and eighty four Hindu and Catholic priests from relief centres in Vavuniya, Settikulam, Welioya and Veerapuram yesterday left for their Kovils and churches in their native soil. A ceremony was held under the patronage of Senior Presidential Advisor MP Basil Rajapaksa in Vavuniya in connection with the event. Of the 184 clerics 177 were Hindu priests and seven were Catholic priests. Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP, said at the ceremony that President Mahinda Rajapaksa would be the happiest by the liberation of the members of the clergy. So are the members of the Security Forces.
5,465 IDP Children Sit for Grade Five Exam

VAVUNIYA Zonal Director of Education Mrs. V.R.A. Oswald said that 5,465 children living in IDP camps sat for the Grade Five scholarship examination in 42 centres both in relief villages and in the transitional camps in Vavuniya last Sunday. “All necessary stationary including pens, pencils, erasers were given to them. They had enough facilities. As they are small, some didn’t get registered till the last moment and there is a shortage of few desks and chairs. “But they are provided hardboards given by a local NGO called Save the Children. Buns and tea were given to each of them after the examination,” she said.
Search & Clear Operations Go on Continuously in Wanni & East

WANNI: TROOPS operating in the general areas of VISUAMADU, AMPAKAMAM, VELLANKULAM and PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU conducted search and clear operations in those areas on Thursday (27) and recovered thirteen hand grenades, fifty-two anti personnel mines, six T-56 weapons, fifty-one rounds of T-56 ammunition, one T-56 magazine, one pouch, 25 kg of C-4 explosives, two pressure mines each weighing about 5 kg, three claymore mines, five electric chargers, seventeen Multi Purpose Machine Gun (MPMG) links, a barrel containing 210 lt of petrol, fourteen Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG), two radio communication sets, three LTTE maps, three hundred and four personnel files of LTTE cadres and one signal booster.