North to get 21 police stations
Rafik Jalaldeen
As part of establishing civil administration in the North after
eradicating terrorism, the Police Department is to set up 21 police
stations in the North and a Tamil language training centre for police
personnel in Kilinochchi.
Addressing the media at the Police Headquarters yesterday, IGP
Jayantha Wickramaratne said after eliminating terrorism from the country
after three decades, particularly in the North, it is important to
establish civil administration in the liberated areas.
A Tamil Language
Training Centre will be established in Kilinochchi in addition
to the existing one in Kalladi |
He said a Tamil Language Training Centre (TLTC) will be established
in Kilinochchi in addition to the existing TLTC in Kalladi.
“We will need nearly 200 acres to build the TLTC for police personnel
in Kilinochchi. The trained Tamil language police personnel will be
appointed to serve in the North and the East,” the IGP said.
“We are planning to establish 21 new police stations in Mannar,
Mullaitivu and Mankulam divisions in the North.
Seven police stations have already been set up in these areas. These
police stations will function under a DIG and SSPs for each division,”
he added.
He said the police stations will be set up after the required lands
are provided to build police stations with all facilities.
“We need at least 50 acres to build police stations with all
facilities for families of police personnel serving in the respective
areas,” he added.
IGP Wickramaratne said around 2,995 police and STF personnel were
killed and 3,571 injured by LTTE attacks since 1974. Around 500 police
and STF personnel were killed and 485 injured in LTTE attacks after the
Mavilaru operation to the last leg of humanitarian operation.
The Police Department has organized religious and memorial services
islandwide for police personnel who sacrificed their lives to safeguard
the Motherland. “These ceremonies will be conducted in the presence of
families of war heroes. The families and relatives of the war heroes
will not be neglected,” the IGP remarked.
A monument will be built in Thirukkovil, Kalmunai in tribute to 600
police personnel who were massacred by the LTTE.
Police blocks and checkpoints will not be removed until the last LTTE
cadre is apprehended.
IGP Wickramaratne said there was a belief that since the LTTE were
defeated and the country free of terrorism, the road blocks and
checkpoints should be removed.
“The obvious reason for that is some LTTE cadres have infiltrated
into different parts of the country during the last lap of the
humanitarian operation in the North.
These Tiger cadres without their leadership can carry out any
desperate attempts to civilian life. They are still a threat to the
country,” he added.
“We have obtained precise information about these hiding Tigers from
people living in the IDP centres in Vavuniya. We will continue our
roadblocks and checkpoints until the last LTTE cadre is arrested,” he
said. |