DOCSLIB.ORG

INTRODUCTION 1. Sri Lanka Had Been Under the Colonial Rule Since

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
INTRODUCTION 1. Sri Lanka Had Been Under the Colonial Rule Since RESTRICTED INTRODUCTION 1. Sri Lanka had been under the colonial rule since 1505 / and the political leaders of Sinhala / Tamil and Muslim communities fought together to win independence in 1948 O However / with the introduction of constitutional changes in 1956 / Tamils who had remained benefitted through the previous colonial governing system / became disheartened O They were no longer ready to accept the changes / made to the constitution that marked a significant shift in both governance and administration O 2. With the advancement of time / a radical segment of the Tamil community / motivated by some extremist Tamil politicians with egoistic motives / embarked on a drive, demanding a disproportionately greater share in the governance / and administration in the Country O 1 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 3. Those differences gradually led to development of tension between two major communities O However / their reasonable demands were considered / and granted by successive governments O Notwithstanding / all efforts taken by respective governments that came in to power / to integrate all communities under a unitary state / a section of misled Tamils continued to whip up separatist sentiments / which ultimately turned to be an armed struggle against the government of Sri Lanka / where they went on fighting to secure / over 1/3 of the country’s land mass for 14% population O 4. Other than a few isolated incidents that took place / Jaffna by and large, remained peaceful until 1983 / during which / civilian life, prospered with a sound economy / based on agriculture, trade and fishery O Jaffna, being Island’s one epicenter of education / with several privileged government and private schools like in Colombo / continued to produce scholars and intellectuals 2 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED to the nation / until peace was threatened by those anti government activists O Killing of 13 soldiers in Jaffna in 1983 / marked the beginning of a new culture of violence O This cowardly act of terrorism / was the first ever incident of violence / against the state military forces by Tamil militants since independence O This particular incident provoked factions of Sinhalese in the South O As a result / a series of unfortunate incidents took place across the country O Alienated Tamils fled the island, seeking asylum abroad O Relations between the North and South became perturbed and constrained O 5. Meanwhile / Tamil Tigers / a separatists movement / fuelled by certain foreign powers / Tamil Diaspora / and some NGOs and INGOs / gained momentum until it grew up to be strong enough to capture / and hold a sizable area in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country O During the LTTE control of the Northern part of the country / transportation between North and South / came to a total 3 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED stand still after the YAL DEVI / the life line of Jaffna was attacked / and destroyed by the LTTE on 09 June 1985 O Since a part of the Main Supply Route too came under LTTE control / civilians’ movements by road crippled O The government had to provide transport for the civilians / mostly through air and sea O 6. Successive governments made every possible effort to solve the conflict politically / by negotiating with LTTE bilaterally / and at times / even with mediation of a third party or a facilitator O However / all such efforts were proved to be futile O 1985 - Thimpu talks (J R Jayawardhane Government) 1987 - Indo-Lanka accord (J R Jayawardhane Government) 1989 - Peace talks (R Premadasa Government) 1994 - Peace talks (CBK Government) 4 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 2002 - CFA with Norwegian mediation (by then PM Ranil Wickramasinghe) 2005 - Peace talks (Present Government) 7. The LTTE / for reason best known to them / demanded ceasefire, prior to all those peace talks / which were complied with by all successive governments O But the LTTE abused the opportunities offered / and instead / strengthened their fighting power until they became a formidable guerilla force O However / the government forces continued to hold a few military bases in the Jaffna peninsula O 8. Having failed to achieve a negotiated political solution for the issue / the government was finally compelled to launch a military operation to liberate Jaffna in 1995 / with a view to restoring law and order O Since then, the life in Jaffna peninsula has remained peaceful / 5 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED except a few occasional and isolated incidents that occurred O 9. The peninsula since then / had remained under government administration O Due to its strategic and geo political significance / an adequate military force was deployed to defend the liberated territory O 10. The 30 Year long separatist war came to a successful end in May 2009 / with the defeat of LTTE terrorists O Unwavering leadership of His Excellency the President / and unified effort of all the forces well coordinated by determined Defence Secretary / with the support of entire peace loving population of the country / opened the door to a newer and mostly unfamiliar peaceful environment O Post conflict responsibilities of the soldier / appeared to be more complex and complicated than ever before O SHORT FILM ON JAFFNA 6 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 11. Overnight transformation of the image of the soldier from the ‘fighter’ to ‘protector’ / was thought to be necessary but crucial O Projection of the soldier as the ultimate guardian in the minds of Jaffna population / was considered to be the foundation stone for confidence building O It was not an easy task to transform / and assign the new responsibility of social reconstruction and nation building for those / who were trained as skilled soldiers O Mindset of soldiers, who fought a war for three decades / had to be transformed to identify mere basic needs of Jaffna population / and help them improve their quality of life O Changing of the role of a warrior to be a protector cum facilitator / helped our soldier to win the hearts and minds of the Tamil community O Making a leap forward in Civil Affairs / Security Force Headquarters Jaffna opened a Civil Affairs and Public Relations Office / in the Jaffna town on 09th March 2010 / and this office is open to civilians for 24 hours O The new office earned the trust of civilians with a short span / and 7 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED became famous as the “Public Relations Office” / where people could meet Army officers to seek relief for their grievances O 12. As the new concept took root / the Army was seen as their caretakers O Guard points were converted to be aid points / weapon emplacements and detachments were transformed to be CIMIC offices / citizen committees were re designated as development committees / and with all that / a comprehensive and sustainable plan was designed / and executed for social reintegration and nation building O Army played a vital role in the multi-pronged approach / to achieve sustainable peace in the aftermath of the war O With view to further fostering interactions between Army and civil communities / Security Forces Headquarters opened a website / www.cimicjaffna.lk / through which / effective communication was made quickly possible O Incumbent Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya commissioned the new website / which, on the other hand / helped the 8 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED Army deny misinformation, disseminated by interested elements both here and abroad / while presenting the ground realities O 13. Jaffna society comprised of a population over 500,000 people of diverse religious / social / ethnic and cultural backgrounds too were needed to be transformed to accept the change O People, who were hopeless and helpless / needed to be encouraged to a newer lifestyle / masses, who were mislead and misguided were needed to be reoriented / segments, that were waiting to welcome the creation of a separate state / were needed to be motivated to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the state O Younger generation that grew up in a lawless environment / was needed to be disciplined in the name of the social harmony O Ex- LTTE combatants and sympathizers / who suffered the humiliation of defeat were / needed to be rehabilitated, 9 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED encouraged and integrated into the mainstream as productive citizens O 14. Understanding the ground reality / fathoming the burning needs of different segments of society / identifying and respecting the existing social hierarchy / with a proper understanding of socio-cultural structure to address the needs of the majority / were identified as the crucial factors that are essential for the success of the CIMIC programmes O 15. Resources necessary for community support projects / were found as prompt allocations from government sources / contribution of officers and soldiers / donations from well wishers and at times / through personal contacts with friends O 16. Identified critical needs of the society / were timely attended to by the Army O 10 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED De-mining activities Shelter and livelihood development needs. Educational Field. Health and hygiene. Livelihood facilities for rehabilitated ex-combatants. Religious, social and cultural reintegration. Sports and leisure activities. Needs of differently able people and women headed families. 11 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED Such needs were separately dealt with care / under a centrally controlled mechanism / maintaining very high tempo and with precise consistency O No sooner peace was ushered to the country / His Excellency the President appointed a Presidential Task Force / with President’s
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Sri Lanka's North Ii: Rebuilding Under the Military
    SRI LANKA’S NORTH II: REBUILDING UNDER THE MILITARY Asia Report N°220 – 16 March 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... i I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 II. LIMITED PROGRESS, DANGEROUS TRENDS ........................................................ 2 A. RECONSTRUCTION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ..................................................................... 3 B. RESETTLEMENT: DIFFICULT LIVES FOR RETURNEES .................................................................... 4 1. Funding shortage .......................................................................................................................... 6 2. Housing shortage ......................................................................................................................... 7 3. Lack of jobs, livelihoods and economic opportunities ................................................................. 8 4. Poverty and food insecurity ....................................................................................................... 10 5. Lack of psychological support and trauma counselling ............................................................. 11 6. The PTF and limitations on the work of humanitarian agencies .............................................. 12 III. LAND, RESOURCES AND THE MILITARISATION OF NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT ...........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Environmental Assessment and Management Framework Strategic Cities Development Project (SCDP)
    Environmental Assessment & Management Framework - SCDP 33333333Environmental Assessment and Management Framework Strategic Cities Development Project (SCDP) Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development January 2016 January, 2016 Page 1 Environmental Assessment & Management Framework - SCDP Table of Contents CHAPTER 1: PROJECT DESCRIPTION ...........................................................................1 1.1 Project concept & objective ....................................................................................... 1 1.2 Project Description ..................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Objective of the Environmental Assessment and Management Framework (EAMF) ........................................................................................................................ 2 CHAPTER 2: POLICY, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK .............4 2.1 Overview of Environmental Legislation ................................................................ 4 2.2 Detail Review of Key Environmental and Urban Services Related Legislation 5 2.3 World Bank Safeguard Policies .............................................................................. 16 2.4 World Heritage Convention ................................................................................... 21 CHAPTER 3: DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT AREA ............................................22 3.1 Kandy .......................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Jkpo;J; Njrpa Mtzr; Rtbfs;
    Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 24: The Country Turns into a Killing Field - Sangam.org Page 1 of 6 www.tamilarangam.net Sangam.org - Ilankai Tamil Sangam Association of Tamils of Sri Lanka in the USA Active Home Page Previous Version Archive Original Version Home Page Pirapaharan, Chapter 24 by T. Sabaratnam (Volume 2) The Country Turns into Killing Field Bus Massacre I traced in Chapter 21 the events that led Pirapaharan to switch the mode of struggle from hit and run guerrilla warfare to sustained guerrilla combat and the manner in which the country slipped into the First Eelam War. The slide began with the first naval clash of 4 August 1984 and the retaliatory, savage land and sea attacks on Pirapaharan’s birthplace, Valvettithurai, and in Jaffna town. Tigers answered the attacks by the armed forces on 5 August with the Nediyakadu landmine blast that killed eight police commandos, including Assistant Police Superintendent Siri Jayesundera, and with the Oddusuddan Police Station attack in which Inspector Ganemulla and seven policemen died. The army struck back with vengeance in Jaffna, shooting at civilians and burning private buildings. The Tigers damaged an armoured vehicle by flinging hand grenades and petrol bombs on it. The public rose in revolt and blocked the movement of the army by blockading the roads. Events moved thereafter in quick succession. Police Superintendent Arthur Herath was killed in Vavuniya and the police retaliated by killing several civilians. The Chunnakam massacre of 9 August and the cold-blooded killing of ten members of a family who were travelling to attend a wedding the following night at Navatkuli estranged the Tamils further.
    [Show full text]
  • LTTE TERROR Archives
    FEATURES DN From the Daily News - Part 5 CHRONOLOGY OF LTTE TERROR Archives When the euphoria of victory dies down, and together with it the media hype ceases, when the guns do not rattle and boom anymore, and the sky, the land and the sea become calm and serene, when tranquillity reigns through it is natural to live in the present moment and forget All civilians killed were Tamils the past. But one cannot live in the present without a past. Nor can one envision the future discarding the experience of the preceding events. Hence the Daily News is serialising the Chronicle of LTTE Terror taken from our own archives which would remind our readers how it all began. An awareness of the chronology of terror would help us prevent the recurrence of such Higher death toll terror and frustrate any attempts by misguided elements to repeat history to suit their evil designs. It was not simple terror. Nor was terror sporadic. It was all pre-planned, pre-determined, well-calculated terror. The victims were innocent people. Though it is too many innumerate feared in we would like to recall the major episodes in the Chronology of Terror. Yal Devi blast Twenty three soldiers and eleven civilians were Yal Devi train debacle killed in the attack on the ‘Yal Devi’ between Muru- gandi and Mankulam on Saturday night, the Defence Ministry said last night. All civilians killed were Tamils, the ministry said. The blast that Many of the soldiers were returning home to their families with their salaries, a spokesman added.
    [Show full text]
  • If a Single Well Planned Assault by TELO Could Claim 27O Lives of The
    SPECIAL ISSUE TELO www.tamilarangam.netNEWS ILOHBOW 25 .01 -85 EVEN DURTNG A MASSfVK ATTACK , TELO'S CONCERN' WAS SAFTY OF THE CIVILIANS - TELO If a single well planned assault by TELO could claim 27O Lives of the death squad, "GUERILLAS . ALERTED TAMIL CIVILIANS WHO WERE DUE TO BOARD THE TRAIN AT KILINOCHCHI" Nothing would - INT. HERALD TREBUNF seem impossi- Sri Lanka train toll rises to 38 Colombo - The death toll in ble if there is Saturday's arr.bissh, when Tamil separatists attacked a Colombo- bound train in the Jaffna district, rose to 38 yesterday with the recovery of four more a united effort bodies from the wreckage According to official sources. 27 soldiers and 11 civilians were killed in the incident. This was the biggest loss of life suffered by the Army since by all Libera - separatists began their cam- tion Organiza - paign in 1976. "THIS WAS THE BIGGEST LOSS OF LIFE SUFFERED BY THE jkpo; Njrpa Mtzr; Rtbfs;( SRI LANKAN ) ARMY" tions - THE TIMES r www.tamilarangam.net «P g> us rt £> u O uflnrruJ«3BTU) £, fi, 5 • eenrr U0O T&UO Ufl > '=«''. 'U>n cert &^ rr u$ ft P» «mr jkpo; Njrpa Mtzr; Rtbfs; www.tamilarangam.net jkpo; Njrpa Mtzr; Rtbfs; TELO NEWSwww.tamilarangam.net LONDON 25- 01-85 - Tamil train bombing kills 36 From Eric Silver by two or three bombs as it successes in destroying three In Colombo ~»i ,1 o<C' passed through dtMisc jungle. tj'.M-STsi'.a base-; in the Tamils' 0C4 — I A - O—• 11 o i ~ ,, - •:; •. ' i o & i •; 3 r.
    [Show full text]
  • Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka the Project for Development
    Ministry of Economic Development Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka The Project for Development Planning for the Rapid Promotion of Reconstruction and Development in Jaffna District Final Report - Appendix - November 2011 Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) IC Net Limited Oriental Consultants Co., Ltd. EID JR 11-142 The Project for Development Planning for the Rapid Promotion Of Reconstruction and Development in Jaffna District Draft Final Report – Appendixes - Table of Contents Appendix for Chapter 1 Introduction Appendix 1-1 Important Documents and Records on PDP Jaffna (Related with Section 1.10) Appendix 1-2 Procured Equipment by the Project (Related with Section 1.10) Appendix 1-3 The Project in the Press (Press cut) (Related with Section 1.10) Appendix for Chapter 2 Overview of Jaffna Appendix 2-1: Women Rural Development Societies Assessment Report (Related with Section 2.5.2 / 7.2) Appendix 2-2: Summary of Widow’s Society Individual Survey (Related with Section 2.5.3) Appendix 2-3: A Summary of Mahinda Chinthana (Related with Section 2.7 / 2.8) Appendix 2-4: A Summary of Uthuru Vasanthaya (Related with Section 2.7 / 2.8) Appendix 2-5: A Summary of the Northern Province Five Year Investment Plan (Related with Section 2.7 / 2.8) Appendix 2-6: A Summary of Jaffna City Council Plan (Related with Section 2.7 / 2.8) Appendix 2-7: Summaries of Other Plans (Related with Section 2.7 / 2.8) Appendix for Chapter 3 Agriculture Appendix 3-1: Focus Group Discussion Report (Related
    [Show full text]
  • Issue Paper SRI LANKA CHRONOLOGY of EVENTS SEPTEMBER 1992-NOVEMBER 1994 February 1995
    Issue Papers, Extended Responses and Country Fact Sheets Page 1 of 35 Français Home Contact Us Help Search canada.gc.ca Issue Papers, Extended Responses and Country Fact Sheets Home Issue Paper SRI LANKA CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS SEPTEMBER 1992-NOVEMBER 1994 February 1995 Disclaimer This document was prepared by the Research Directorate of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada on the basis of publicly available information, analysis and comment. All sources are cited. This document is not, and does not purport to be, either exhaustive with regard to conditions in the country surveyed or conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. For further information on current developments, please contact the Research Directorate. Table of Contents GLOSSARY 1. INTRODUCTION 2. CHRONOLOGY 1992 1993 1994 APPENDIX: NOTES ON SOURCES REFERENCES GLOSSARY DUNF Democratic United National Front EPDP http://www2.irb -cisr.gc.ca/en/research/publications/index_e.htm?docid=234&cid=0& ... 04.06.2009 Issue Papers, Extended Responses and Country Fact Sheets Page 2 of 35 Eelam People's Democratic Party JVP Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna LTTE Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ORC Open Relief Centre PA People's Alliance PLOTE People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam SLFP Sri Lanka Freedom Party SLMC Sri Lanka Muslim Congress TELO Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNP United National Party INTRODUCTION This chronology, which updates the September 1992 DIRB paper entitled Sri Lanka: Chronology of Events February 1988-August 1992 , examines events and changes in legislation pertaining to the political and human rights situation in Sri Lanka between September 1992 and November 1994.
    [Show full text]
  • Post Conflict Costs Sri Lanka Draft 6
    Post-Conflict Measures and the Cost of Rebuilding Sri Lanka to Restore Living Conditions I. Introduction 1. The terrorism of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (“LTTE”) that engulfed Sri Lanka for over a quarter of a century devastated the economic network and social fabric of the entire country, especially the Northern and Eastern Provinces.1 The damage was extensive and included the destruction of the industrial and agricultural economic infrastructures, the transport system, telecommunications and the water supply system.2 The LTTE purposely targeted places of importance to Sri Lanka’s infrastructure, including bombing the Central Bank of Sri Lanka,3 the International Airport,4 and Colombo’s Central Bus Stand,5 causing high numbers of civilian casualties and adversely affecting the economy. The inaccessibility of the North and the Eastern Provinces due to the conflict prevented economic development, the basic repair of the road network, water supply and irrigation in those areas.6 The social infrastructure, particularly schools and hospitals in many areas had been destroyed before the LTTE retreated to the Mullaitivu area at the final stage of the battle in 2009.7 2. The conflict left the Government with the task of completely reconstructing the Northern and Eastern Provinces. This also involved the rehabilitation and reintegration of former LLTE combatants, including child soldiers and the rebuilding of the conflict-affected communities. In the Eastern Province, the situation improved with the launch of “Reawakening of the East” (Negenahira Navodaya) in July 2007, which focused on “improving infrastructure such as electricity, water, housing and rebuilding of roads.”8 In respect of the Northern Province, on 7 May 2009, President Rajapaksa appointed a Presidential Task Force for Resettlement, Development and Security – Northern Province (“PTF”) under the chairmanship of the Minister of Economic Development.
    [Show full text]
  • Political and Economic Policy Priorities in Supporting Post Conflict Peace and Development in Sri Lanka
    Political and Economic Policy Priorities in Supporting Post Conflict Peace and Development in Sri Lanka Deshal de Mel and Shakya Lahiru Pathmalal December 2009 Draft: Not for Citation The ideas expressed in the paper represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the positions of any institutions to which they may be affiliated. 1 Part I: Power Sharing in Sri Lanka Introduction Sri Lanka is an island nation of 65,000 square kilo meters on the southern tip of India. In 1948 Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, obtained independence from Britain, ending 443 years of colonial influence and later rule under various European powers. Sri Lanka has a population of 20 Million people, 74% of whom are the majority Sinhalese (descendents of North Indians), 12.6% are Sri Lankan Tamils (descendents of South Indians), 7.1% Muslim, 5.5% Indian Tamils (who were brought to Sri Lanka by the British to work on the tea plantations in the hill country) and 0.8% other races (Malay, Burgher and so on)1. Sri Lanka’s per capita GDP is US$ 2014, but economic activity is heavily concentrated in the Western Province which accounts for 48.4% of GDP. The country has been in engulfed in a civil war between 1983 and May 2009 between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE), a Tamil militant force that was fighting for an independent Tamil state in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka. On the 18th of May 2009, the LTTE leader and almost the entire leadership was killed in a final push by the Sri Lankan forces and resulted in the end of the war.
    [Show full text]
  • CPA Devolution in the Northern Province
    A POLICY BRIEF DEVOLUTION IN THE NORTHERN PROVINCE: SEPTEMBER 2013 – FEBRUARY 2015 LUWIE GANESHATHASAN & MICHAEL MENDIS CENTRE FOR POLICY ALTERNATIVES MARCH 2015 ! The! Centre! for! Policy! Alternatives! (CPA)! is! an! independent,! non9partisan! organization! that! focuses!primarily!on!issues!of!governance!and!con>lict!resolution.!Formed!in!1996!in!the!>irm! belief! that! the! vital! contribution! of! civil! society! to! the! public! policy! debate! is! in! need! of! strengthening,!CPA!is!committed!to!programmes!of!research!and!advocacy!through!which!public! policy!is!critiqued,!alternatives!identi>ied!and!disseminated.!! Address! :! 24/2!28th!Lane,!off!Flower!Road,!Colombo!7,!Sri!Lanka! Telephone! :!! +94!(11)!2565304/5/6! Fax! ! :! +94!(11)!4714460! Web!! ! :! www.cpalanka.org! Facebook! :! www.facebook.com/cpasl! Twitter!! :! www.twitter.com/cpasl!|!@cpasl!! Email! ! :! [email protected]! Acknowledgements. This!policy!brief!is!based!on!desk!and!>ield!research!conducted!by!CPA!from!November!2014!to! February!2015.!The!principle!authors!of!the!present!policy!brief!are!Luwie!Ganeshathasan!and! Michael! Mendis.! The! authors! are! grateful! to! Shehara! Athukorala,! Thyagi! Ruwanpathirana! and! Subhashini! Samaraarachchi! for! assisting! with! the! research! and! compilation! of! the! brief.! The! authors!also!wish!to!thank!Rohan!Edrisinha!for!his!suggestions!on!the!substance!and!form!of!the! >inal!report.!To!Mirak!Raheem!and!Dr.!P.!Saravanamuttu!who!provided!comments!on!previous! drafts.! Special! thanks! to! Dr.! Asanga! Welikala,! whose!
    [Show full text]
  • Sri Lanka in My First Term of Office, I Won for You the Peace You Were Yearning For
    A Brighter Future Presidential Election - 2010 Mahinda Chintana Vision for the Future Towards a new Sri Lanka In my first term of office, I won for you the peace you were yearning for. Doing what I say, and saying what I set out to do, I have earned your trust and confidence. By presenting the “Mahinda Chintana - Vision for the future” to our religious dignitaries, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and children of our Motherland with deep affection, I am assuring you of my deep commitment to fulfill your future aspirations as well. Together, let us embark on this new journey to lead our beloved Motherland to a Brighter Future. MAHINDA RAJAPAKSA “This earth and its vegetation is yours. But they should be protected not only for your benefit but also for the benefit of future generations. A ruler is only a temporary trustee and not an owner of your children’s heritage” Contents Page Sri Lanka: the emerging “Wonder of Asia” 8 A prosperous country; a land of plenty 20 Disciplined and law abiding society 22 Comforts, convenience and satisfactory life styles 40 Developed road network and transport system 46 A Unitary state, not to be divided 52 Shared values, rapid development and lasting peace 57 Respect for fauna and flora 64 Priority for Youth 68 Focus on modern education and knowledge systems 71 A Healthy Society 77 Entrepreneurs with strength to conquer the world 81 Reawakening of the performing arts Art and Culture 99 People return, rather than migrate 101 A Brighter Future • Sri Lanka: the emerging “Wonder of Asia” • A prosperous country;
    [Show full text]
  • Army Fails to Take Jaffna in Operation Yal Devi
    . Access to Information is a Fundamental Bight NEWS BULLETIN OF THE TAMIL INFORMATION CENTRE SEPTEMBER 1993 No. 26 ARMY FAILS TO TAKE JAFFNA IN OPERATION YAL DEVI Over 100 civilians are reported Helicopters continued to fire on troops advanced to Kilali on 1 killed in Operation Yal Devi Kunchuparanthan in Kilinochchi October and claimed to have launched by the military in Jaffna District. At Pulopallai troops destroyed a pier and 450 boats. on 28 September. Reports say the faced major attacks by the Tigers. Defence Ministry says 114 main objectives of the operation, Some sources say the LTTE did soldiers, including seven officers,’ involving around 9,000 troops, not offer much resistance earlier in were killed and 248 were seriously were capturing, Chavakachcheri order to draw the Army into injured. According to the LTTE town in the south of the Jaffna difficult terrain covered by 96 Tigers were killed in the battle peninsula to prevent people coconut trees, thorn bushes and and the army’s four Czech made crossing the Jaffna lagoon at Kilali ponds. Main Battle Tanks were destroyed. and to launch an offensive on the Jaffna town further west. Surprisingly, the Army withdrew from Kilali on 4 According to reports, plans for October and returned to Operation Yal Devi began as Elephant Pass. The foilowing soon as General Hamilton. day civilian crossing at Kilali Wanasinghe assumed duties with Sea Tiger security as Secretary to the Ministry of resumed. The Tigers had Defence. General Wanasinghe moved most of the boats now also heads the Joint further east of Ki1ali during Operations Committee ‘formed Operation Yal Devi and the after the disbanding of the Army claim that 450 boats Joint Operations Command.
    [Show full text]