CSD to recruit 5,000 rehabilitated ex-LTTE cadres

Irangika RANGE

Plans are afoot to recruit 5,000 rehabilitated LTTE cadres from the Northern and Eastern Provinces to fill vocational positions at the Civil Security Department (CSD)in the near future.

The recruited personnel are to be deployed for agricultural projects and other development activities conducted by the CSD in the respective provinces.

As an initial step, 1,500 rehabilitated LTTE cadres were recruited from the Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Mannar and Vavuniya districts recently and they would be deployed in development and agricultural projects in the Northern Province.

CSD Director General Rear Admiral Ananda Peiris said plans are afoot to begin massive farm projects on plots of nearly 3,000 acres in the Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts. Therefore, 1500 recruited personnel will be deployed in these farm projects.

“They will be paid salaries according to salary scales. Each will be entitled to a minimum monthly salary which will be not less than Rs.18.000 with all facilities, including uniforms,” he said.

He further said they displayed a keen interest in joining the CSD. They would also be afforded opportunities to serve in their home areas. It will also be an appropriate solution for their unemployment problem.

“Following their interest in joining we are planning to recruit more in the future, and the recruitment comes as a part of providing employment to rehabilitated ex- LTTE cadre,” Peiris said.

He said since the end of the war in 2009, the CSD has moved away from armed duties and presently the paramilitary unit with over 35,000 cadres is used for developmental activities.

He said the CSD is implementing a number of developmental, agricultural and rehabilitative activities across the country based on a concept of President Mahinda Rajapkasa and on the guidance of the Defence Ministry.

The recruitment drive, a concept of “Tharunyata Hetak” president and Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, was organized by the Director-General of the Civil Defense Department Rear Admiral Ananda Peiris under the direction of Defense and Urban Development Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.