Infiltrators shot dead a Military Policeman, a Sub Inspector and a Home Guard, all within a month in Vavuniya.
Now comes reports from intelligence channels that 68 hard core LTTE cadres have found their way into what was once the well secured Vavuniya town.
They are made up not only of pistol gangs and extortion groups but also suicide cadres assigned to assasinate senior military officials.
Concerned about the deterioration of the security situation in Vavuniya, security measures have now been stepped up.
Tamil militant groups helping security forces were recently summoned and apprised of the new situation.
Sri Lanka Army’s cadre for Majors General is likely to go up by two, at least temporarily, if a proposal now before the Ministry of Defence is approved.
Army Headquarters have recommended the promotion of Brigadier Vasantha Perera (now attached to Army Headquarters) and Brigadier Nihal Jayakody, officiating General Officer Commanding (GOC) Army’s 33 Division headquartered in Trincomalee, to the rank of Major General.
AHQ has recommended that the appointments be made on a super numerary basis. That is until such time Major General Somadasa Hapuaratchci, Chief of Staff and Major General Ananda Weerasekera, Adjutant General at AHQ retire early this year.
Major General Perera has also been nominated by AHQ for an year long stint in a military academy in the United States.
Turning blue
Weeks before the debate on the extension of State of Emergency in Parliament this month saw a detailed dossier on the police service doing the rounds.
An anonymous group, obviously from within the Police, are believed to be responsible for the move.
Among the juicy bits of information about various top men is one about a man who is now holding sway as a big sleuth.
Serving as the divisional head in a city suburb in 1990 he received a cash award of Rs 150,000 for what they call “outstanding performance of duties.” That is not all. The man went up 17 steps high in a quick promotion excercise granted by none other than the most powerful politician at that time.
And now, he is a dyed in the wool “blue man” says an Opposition member. Pat came a retort from a PA type “Yes, the greens of those days have turned blue at the things they did. So they do good work for us now.”
Sri Lanka’s arms pro curements from Ukraine has had another unexpected spin off.
Many of Ukraine’s leading canine breeds have found their way into Sri Lanka. Some of them were gifts from those in uniform in Ukraine to their counterparts in Sri Lanka.
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