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Safe House Raid- Heads Begin To Roll- Army Officer’s Asked to Go
Ranmali Wijesuriya in Colombo,
SLT 10.35 A.M Sunday 25 January.
General Lionel Balagalle has given marching orders to several senior Army
officers who were involved with and supported the raid of the Army safe
house in Athurigiriya. Among them is Major General Ivan Dassanayake who was
the Provost Marshal of the Army at the time of the raid. Balagalle has asked
him to retire from his post on March 31 this year, three months ahead of his
scheduled retirement. According to the Sunday Times Defence Analyst Iqbal
Athas, General Balagalle had withdrawn the commissions and dismissed Colonel
Parakarama Dissanyake, one time commanding officer of the Military
Intelligence Corps, Major Najith Karunaratne, head of military intelligence
in the Jaffna Peninsula. Balagalle had taken disciplinary action against the
three officers in response to the finding of the Presidential Commission of
inquiry in to the safe house raid on a directive by the President.
The Sunday Times report says, another officer Lt.Col. Padmasiri Udugampola
will be warned for refusing to testify before the Army court of inquiry that
probed matters connected with the raid. He is also to be deprived of any
promotions of extensions or services. He is the brother of Policeman
Kulasiri Udugampola who carried out the raid on the safe house, which has
been described as an act of treachery by the Presidential Commission of
inquiry , defence and intelligence circles. Corporal Anura Peiris who had
attempted to obtain the address of the safe house is also to be dismissed
from service.
The newspaper says that the public is now awaiting to see what action would
be taken by the IGP Indra de Silva, if he would name a team to probe the
raid by former Superintendent of Police and now Assistant Superintendent of
Police, Kulasiri Udugampola.
Published: Sat Jan 24 23:44:08 EST 2004
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Political crisis to be resolved soon
Alladin Hussein in Colombo,
January 24, 2004, 6.444 pm.
The ongoing cohabitation crisis between President and Prime Minister may come to an end soon, informed sources told the Lanka Academic today. They claimed that with the resumption of talks between Mano Tittawela and Malik Samarawickrema yesterday, the two had struck several important deals which would led to the untangling of the crisis.
Meanwhile a statement by Mano and Malik is expected to be issued mid next week, stating the consensus the two parties have reached after their series of discussions.
The Mano-Malik committee was appointed by President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe soon after MS. Kumaratunga took over the
Ministries of Defence, Interior and Mass communication in November last year. The aim of the committee was to find a solution to the cohabitation crisis.
Published: Sat Jan 24 07:51:59 EST 2004
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TULF urges both leaders to work towards a solution to the ethnic conflict
Alladin Hussein in Colombo,
January 24, 2004, 5.51 pm.
The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) Leader V. Anandasangaree today urged President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to shed petty political differences and join hands and resolved the country’s two decade long ethnic crisis.
In a letter to President, the TULF leader appealed to both leaders to continue the peace process irrespective of their party developments. He was referring to the recently signed SLFP-JVP alliance.
Mr. Anandasangaree also urged President Chandrika Kumaratunga to retain Norway as the facilitators. "It is on Your Excellency's invitation that the Norwegian came to Sri Lanka and acted as facilitators in the Peace Process. They worked hard against several odds,” he said. The Norwegians temporarily pulled out of the process November last year due to the ongoing cohabitation crisis between the President and Prime Minister
He added that no peace can be found without the participation of the LTTE and what is acceptable to the LTTE will be acceptable to the Tamils and the Muslims should be given their due place in the negotiations.
Published: Sat Jan 24 06:57:21 EST 2004
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