Completion of de-mining process, strengthening of Army must for civilian resettlement

Ranil WIJAYAPALA in Mullaitivu

The completion of the de-mining process and the strengthening of the Army to hold the entire North and East to avoid any type of terror raising its ugly head are pre-requisites for the resettlement of displaced civilians in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts, Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka said yesterday.

Army Commander Fonseka also paid tribute to troops of the 53, 55, 59 Divisions and Task Force 8 who contributed to the victory achieved by the Army against the LTTE, on the date of completing one month to that great victory.

The Commander said the strength of the Army has to be increased to hold the entire area captured by the Army during the past three years.

“The number required is very much higher than that at the time of offensive operations against the LTTE,” the Commander said.

General Fonseka made these observations addressing the media personnel at the 59 Division headquarters in Mullaitivu during his visit to Mullaitivu for the first time after it was captured by the troops.

The Army Commander said the Army had a strength of 116,000 at the time they started offensive operations against the LTTE and it has been increased up to 200,000 with 84,000 youth being recruited to the Army during the past two and half years.

The Army Commander said that according to his assessment the strength of the Army has to be increased to at least to 300,000 to cater to all requirements in the post conflict scenario to hold the entire areas liberated from the LTTE, and for the Army to have a proper deployment plan with a decent leave period for soldiers.

However, he said no final decision has been reached regarding the increase of the strength of the Army further.