It was a re-union of sorts, as UNP Parliamentarian, Anura Bandaranaike put it “after four long years.”
His uncle, Deputy Defence Minister, General Anuruddha Ratwatte, spoke to him in the lobby of the Parliament.
Mr. Bandaranaike, a prolific orator, had just finished his speech at the debate on the extension of the State of Emergency last Thursday.
During the speech Mr. Bandaranaike quoted an interview Gen. Ratwatte gave The Sunday Island on November 2. He had declared that the LTTE had been reduced to about 2,500 cadres.
Mr. Bandaranaike noted that this was in marked contrast to an interview Lt. Gen. Rohan de S. Daluwatte, had given the Jane’s Defence Weekly.
The Army Commander had said LTTE’s “hard core” fighters number 4,000 to 5,000 in the north and 1,500 in the east.
Meeting Mr. Bandaranaike near the lift in the lobby, General Ratwatte told Mr. Bandaranaike that the interview had been given in August. Since then 4,000 LTTE cadres have been eliminated.
The JDW interview, obtained in the first week of October appeared on the October 15 issue. Mr. Bandaranaike made the point in a written note he sent Gen. Ratwatte.
LTTE has lost one of its “political wing” leaders in the ongoing “Operation Jaya Sikurui.”
The man is Stanley Dominic, a member of the LTTE team that held peace talks with a delegation of the PA Government in 1995. Another member, Ravi is said to be bed ridden after a terminal illness.
Karikalan who was also in the team has replaced Lawrence Thilakar in Paris leaving only Tamil Chelvam in the Wanni.
If they were good at preparing questions and answers, the avid Frederick Forsyth fan, is equally good at writing letters.
This airy cop would have qualified for a doctor of letters. I mean the literary kind.
Unfortunately, his work of art is different. They are letters to the editors under various names. If the charge earlier was LTTE acolyte, it’s “personal vendetta,” now he writes in defence of his boss.
Top cops have all given up their cellular telephones.
This was after a Treasury ruling (following a Cabinet decision) that they should meet a part of the bills.
One of the leading hotels affected by the October 15 bombing, they say, is now in a quandary.
Adding to their financial woes is the fact that they have had no insurance cover. Hence, there is no way of claiming damages.
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