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Signs of normality in Sri Lanka

V.S. Sambandan

Colombo halts "deterrent strikes" on "selected targets" in rebel-held areas

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Thursday showed signs of return to normality with the Government halting its "deterrent strikes" and President Mahinda Rajapakse allocating Rs. 100 million for a Task Force to provide essential services in the eastern Trincomalee district.

The President's Office said the Task Force, headed by Trincomalee Governor Mohan Wijewickrama, was appointed to "ensure the provision of essential services in the district, including LTTE-controlled areas."

Referring to the two-day strikes on "selected targets" on the rebel held areas of Trincomalee following the Tuesday assassination attempt by LTTE on Army chief Sarath Fonseka, the President's Office said, "the limited security forces operation" had "now been concluded."

The Government dismissed reports that "tens of thousands of persons were displaced" as "a canard."

The Government Agent for Trincomalee, in a statement said the population of the Sampoor area, where the military strikes were conducted, was 16,604 and a "small fraction of the population had left their homes during the operations." They were "temporarily settled in school buildings and places of worship and could return to their homes now as normalcy has been restored."

Highway reopened

The highway linking the rebel-held areas to Government territories in the north was re-opened on Thursday. The highway links Kandy and Jaffna. It was closed during the 1990s battles and re-opened after the 2002 ceasefire agreement. It was closed as a "temporary measure" on Wednesday.

The security situation returned to its pre-Tuesday mode of claymore attacks in the north-east. At least five security forces personnel were killed in two incidents in northern Sri Lanka. Mr. Rajapakse met the envoys of international co-chairs of the peace process — the U.S., E.U., Norway and Japan — and briefed them on "peace process and the Government's response to the LTTE's continued campaign of terror," the President's Office said.

"The Ambassadors appreciated being briefed by the President himself on the current situation and the restraint shown by the Government.

They also expressed their continued support for the President's stand in this regard". The host for the ceasefire talks, Switzerland, "strongly condemned" the attack. It said it "expects the parties to embrace the path of dialogue as the means to assure full compliance with the cease-fire agreement, which is indispensable for a rapid re-establishment of security throughout Sri Lanka."

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