AS PART OF ESTABLISHING civil administration in the North after eradicating terrorism, the Police Department is to set up 21 police stations in the North and a Tamil language training centre for police personnel in Kilinochchi.
Addressing the media at the Police Headquarters yesterday, IGP Jayantha Wickramaratne said after eliminating terrorism from the country after three decades, particularly in the North, it is important to establish civil administration in the liberated areas.
A Tamil Language Training Centre will be established in Kilinochchi in addition to the existing one in Kalladi
He said a Tamil Language Training Centre (TLTC) will be established in Kilinochchi in addition to the existing TLTC in Kalladi.
“We will need nearly 200 acres to build the TLTC for police personnel in Kilinochchi. The trained Tamil language police personnel will be appointed to serve in the North and the East,” the IGP said.
“We are planning to establish 21 new police stations in Mannar, Mullaitivu and Mankulam divisions in the North.
Seven police stations have already been set up in these areas. These police stations will function under a DIG and SSPs for each division,” he added.
He said the police stations will be set up after the required lands are provided to build police stations with all facilities.
“We need at least 50 acres to build police stations with all facilities for families of police personnel serving in the respective areas,” he added.
IGP Wickramaratne said around 2,995 police and STF personnel were killed and 3,571 injured by LTTE attacks since 1974. Around 500 police and STF personnel were killed and 485 injured in LTTE attacks after the Mavilaru operation to the last leg of humanitarian operation.
The Police Department has organized religious and memorial services islandwide for police personnel who sacrificed their lives to safeguard the Motherland. “These ceremonies will be conducted in the presence of families of war heroes. The families and relatives of the war heroes will not be neglected,” the IGP remarked.
A monument will be built in Thirukkovil, Kalmunai in tribute to 600 police personnel who were massacred by the LTTE.
Police blocks and checkpoints will not be removed until the last LTTE cadre is apprehended.
IGP Wickramaratne said there was a belief that since the LTTE were defeated and the country free of terrorism, the road blocks and checkpoints should be removed.
“The obvious reason for that is some LTTE cadres have infiltrated into different parts of the country during the last lap of the humanitarian operation in the North.
These Tiger cadres without their leadership can carry out any desperate attempts to civilian life. They are still a threat to the country,” he added.
“We have obtained precise information about these hiding Tigers from people living in the IDP centres in Vavuniya. We will continue our roadblocks and checkpoints until the last LTTE cadre is arrested,” he said.
(Courtesy: Daily News)
