2013-05-20
Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya has criticized the foreign representatives expressing different opinions about maintaining army camps in the North.
The Army Commander has noted that there are only three Army camps in the Jaffna peninsula at present, although there were sixteen army camps at the end of the war in May 2009.
He has said that, as the Army Commander he is well aware of what has to be done to safeguard the independence gained by defeating the terrorism. "Foreigners have no right to decide where the army camps of this country should be maintained," he said during an interview .
Commenting on the allegations of army attacking civilians during the final stage of the offensive, the Army Commander said that a report has been released after a preliminary investigation according to the recommendations of the LLRC report and no evidence has been found that the army has deliberately attacked the civilians.
He pointed out that it was the LTTE who had placed their artillery and heavy weapons among the civilian population and attacked the Army. The LTTE attacking and killing the civilians fleeing from their grip have been documented via aerial photographs, he added.
Speaking of the de-mining operations, Lieutenant General Jayasuriya said the demining of the remaining 96 square kilometers will be completed before the end of this year.
He added that a special programme is being implemented under the mediation of the Ministry of Economic Development to provide welfare facilities to the people who are being resettled.
The Army Commander has also expressed regret over certain groups belittling the role of peacetime troops for their involvement in the development of the country. He said the Army soldiers are competent in many specialties and they are using their skills to rebuild the nation.
By Ananda Weerasooriya-2013-05-20
 i SP Ravindra Karawita of the Mout Lavinia Police has stated that no information has been revealed as yet on the abduction of the husband of a Lawyer from the Siddhamulla area in Piliyandala on 16 May.
The kidnapped individual has been identified as a businessman named Charith Nandana Silva, a resident of the Siddhamulla area.
The businessman has been kidnapped at around 7 in the evening on 16 May, while he was on his way to pick his wife.
Even though it has been four days since the incident, no lead has been obtained on the incident. (Ceylon Today Online)
By Ananda Weerasooriya-2013-05-2
 A prisoner who was in Police custody at the Bambalapitiya Police Station has allegedly committed suicide inside his cell this afternoon (20).
The prisoner was taken into custody on charges of using drugs and stealing vehicle parts.
The prisoner had allegedly committed suicide with the use of a cloth that was granted to him to clean up his prison cell after his glass of tea had spilt over. (Ceylon Today Online)
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