Resettlement more important than 13th Amendment says Keheliya

50 000 more troops to be recruited this year

The government yesterday reiterated that first priority would be given to resettlement of the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in the North and East rather than finding a political solution.
Government Military Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told a media briefing yesterday that the government considers the predicament of around 300 000 IDPs to be a “significant and sensitive problem” that far outweighs the 13th Amendment and that if they fail to implement a speedy resettlement the humanitarian inroads that have been made would all be in vain. Stressing on the importance of preventing a “black mark” from forming on the humanitarian rescue efforts he insisted that the government would face this challenge first.
“Resettlement of the IDPs and ensuring that they have a normal life is right now the biggest challenge for the government. Even the people are not interested in a political solution at present. What they want is to go to work in peace, send their kids to school and continue with a safe life. That is what they want more than anything else. It is the duty of this government to provide that. Political solutions are necessary too but that is the second priority, “he said.
Rambukwella admitted that a significant portion of the GDP was spent on defence expenditure but insisted that would not be a worry in the future as peace dividends obtained from other areas, particularly tourism would enlarge the GDP and create the possibility of maintaining the economy without having to cut down on defence budgets.
The Minister also stressed that despite the war being over de-mobilisation would not happen. In fact within this year the government plans to recruit 50 000 more troops to the armed forces. The three spokesmen of the Army, Navy and Air Force also pledged to continue their deployment in the North and each outlined their future plans.
Army Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara noted that during the “humanitarian operation more than 22000 LTTE cadres were killed while around 10000 more were wounded, surrendered or arrested. Around 4000 soldiers died while another 20000 were wounded during the battles.”
He clarified that the Army troops continue their search operations in the North and the East and during the past few weeks. A large amount of weapons, explosive devices and other equipment used by the LTTE were recovered through intelligence received by troops or through confessions of arrested LTTE cadres during these search operations. Meanwhile troops of the Task Force 8 recovered 08 torpedo bombs, 01 torpedo launcher and 01 130mm artillery gun during a search operation in Puthukudyruppu area between 8.00am and 6.00 pm yesterday (29). This recovery bought the total number of 130mm artillery guns recovered to 07.
Two operational headquarters had been set up in Killinochchi and Mullaitivu to ensure proper monitoring of these areas including Mannar and several divisions had been posted in either centre to assure security. Speaking in his turn the Navy Spokesman D.K.P Dassanayake maintained that “the Navy is essential to an island almost more in a time of peace than of war. For example we are needed to ensure that illegal fishing is not done in Sri Lankan waters and monitor oil drilling. These are just a few of the ways when we can provide security for our country and far from de-mobilising any of our personnel we will ensure that they are kept extra vigilant.” The Air Force too will consolidate their bases to protect the country.