Jungle Telegraph

21st June 1998

They give you more

Procurements made in the past two years by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) continue to baffle the defence establishment.

The latest one relates to the order placed with the Singaporean firm Global Omarus Technologies Ltd. for the purchase of 5,000 rounds of 80 mm rockets.

Believe it or not, the SLAF authorities found more items than ordered. They were 4798 80 mm rocket motors, 5000 80 mm rocket heads and 20,000 23 mm links. Is this magnanimity?

At least the Director of General Engineering, does not think so.

He feels the move restricts purchases from manufacturers or other sources. That is not all. He says the SLAF will not be able to purchase at competitive prices. The SLAF also will not be able to identify the quality differences of different products, he points out.

At the rate at which allegedly irregular procurements are surfacing, it seems a few Committees would hardly be sufficient.

The red connection

Links between the LTTE and the Khmer Rouge in Kampuchea in the past years have come to light.

This was after a Russian built SAM 7 (branded as Grail by NATO) surface to air missile fell into the hands of the security forces a few days ago.

At first, some senior officials were unable to identify the missile. But after the identification was made in Colombo, intelligence officials were soon able to track down the source.

It was part of procurements made by LTTE's elusive procurement boss, Kumaran Pathmanathan. He heads LTTE's Procurement Division dubbed the KP Division after his own name.

Attempts are now being made to ascertain whether the SAM 7 was intended for a target in Colombo.

Coat order

Former intelligence boss and now head of CID, DIG Punya de Silva, has ordered that his officers above the rank of Sub Inspectors should wear a coat when appearing before Courts. This means the men will no longer be with shirt and tie alone.

They reveal all

Police have bared LTTE's links in the plantation areas after the arrest of four suspects allegedly responsible for the attack on the Shannon Estate tea factory in Hatton.

That includes a former student of a leading City school. They have disclosed details of how some youth went to LTTE training camps in the east for training.

Cho La La

Efforts by a high ranking man in uniform to become a snooper in a gay capital have come a cropper.

The man carried out an exhaustive self promotion drive which included episodes on how he prevented many a disaster. He was firmly told he could join the club only if he was willing to come down in status.

Special Assignment

Editorial/Opinion Contents