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.
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