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Safe House Raid- Now, IGP Recommends Disciplinary Action
Ranmali Wijesuriya in Colombo,
SLT 7.30 A.M Tuesday 27 January.
Inspector General of Police Indra de Silva has recommended to the Police
Commission to take disciplinary action against the police officers including
ASP Kulasiri Udugampola for the involvement in the raid of the Army safe
house in Athurugiriya. He has also given orders to the Deputy Inspector
General of Kandy to make available reports and other documents to him
immediately. The Presidential Commission report that inquired into the
incident said ASP Udugampola who led the raid had conducted the raid citing
fabricated reasons and the policeman had personal reason for doing so. Last
week Army Commander General Lionel Balagalle gave marching orders to several
senior Army officers involved with the raid.
Brother of ASP Kulasiri Udugampola, Lt.Col. Padmasiri Udugampola was warned
by the Army Commander 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. The raid carried out
by Kulasiri Udugampola has been described as an act of treachery by the
Presidential Commission of inquiry, defence and intelligence circles.
Published: Mon Jan 26 20:39:47 EST 2004
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IDP's Main Concern is Security-Budget Reduction Not Linked to Political Situation -UNHCR
Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo,
SLT 6.30 A.M Tuesday 27 January.
United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees Says the main concern among
remaining internally displaced personnel (IDP's) is security, and the fear
of child recruitment is one element of that concern, along with the threat
of landmines, fear of renewed violence and ongoing human rights violations.
Commenting on the report released by Refugees International last week, that
one important factor keeping many refugee families from returning to the
North/East is the fear of many families is that their sons, including
teenagers, will be induced to join or will be impressed into the LTTE's
army, the UNHCR spokesman John Breusch confirmed that the threats for IDP's
were real.
He said "Other significant obstacles to return include landlessness and the
lack of education facilities and economic opportunities in return areas."
However, the spokesman denied that decision to reduce the overall budget in
2004 is linked to Sri Lanka's political situation. He said "The decision to
reduce the overall budget in 2004 is no way linked to Sri Lanka's political
situation. It is part of a planned strategy for UNHCR to bridge the gap
between emergency relief and rehabilitation, and the commencement of larger
scale development activities to be undertaken by
other actors.
UNHCR said that its core mandate is protection and emergency relief, not
developmentactivities. In 2002 and 2003, UNHCR Sri Lanka's annual programme
was running at around $7 million a year. Following the UNHCR Assistant High
Commissioner's visit in 2002, it was decided to launch an appeal for $10
million for a supplementary programme so that UNHCR could provide additional
emergency relief and rehabilitation activities pending the large scale
development activities getting underway. That supplementary programme ended
on 31 December 2003 and UNHCR returned to a slightly larger annual programme
of $8 million. This decision was taken at UNHCR headquarters and approved in
October 2003 by UNHCR's Executive Committee, which has to balance the
pressing needs of IDPs and refugees in other parts of the world with the
needs of those in Sri Lanka.
Published: Mon Jan 26 19:20:16 EST 2004
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Concerned by 'difficult situation' in Sri Lanka, Annan hopes ...
un.org,
26 January.
oicing concern over the difficult situation in Sri Lanka, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today said he still hopes that the peace talks between the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) can resume in the near future. The Secretary-General "is most grateful for the positive contribution of Norway to the process and hopes that the Norwegian Government will resume its efforts to bring the parties to the negotiating table," a statement issued by a UN spokesman in New York said.
More...
Published: Mon Jan 26 15:38:53 EST 2004
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