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13th September 1998

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Elated IGP

Last week's report in this column about former Police Chief, W.B. Rajaguru, giving promotions and even cash rewards to his personal staff has had its sequel.

Leave alone the cash rewards that were liberally dished out, many of Mr. Rajaguru's predecessors did not even give promotions to their personal staff !!

That included those who commanded the respect of their men like Cyril Herath, Frank Silva and Ernest Perera.

Some top rungers in Khaki are now asking what the new Police Chief, Lucky Koditu-wakku, would do about the liberal precedent his controversial predecessor set.

That question apart, Mr Kodituwakku was an elated man this week. Among the many congratulatory messages he received was one from Senior DIG Dr. Dharmadasa Silva. It contained not only good wishes but also firm support.

Who said Dr. Silva, now serving with a Commonwealth team re-organising the Sierra Leone Police, was going to retire ?

Well, well… It was part of the high pitched propaganda by a coterie at Police Headquarters (ably backed by some SSPs in the City suburbs) during the height of IGP stakes.


Part of loot?

NGO officials who visited the Wanni in the recent weeks are speaking of choking traffic in dusty roads and footpaths. LTTE cadres are running around in brand new motor cycles.

The word is now out that the LTTE successfully unloaded over 250 motor cycles which were on the upper deck of "MV Princess Kash", which was seized by the LTTE and later bombed by the Sri Lanka Air Force.

That is not all. They also say that the price of

cement in the Wanni which stood at Rs 3,500 a bag has come down. It now costs only Rs 1500.

They say the LTTE has succeeded in unloading at least a part of the 3,000 metric tons of cement on board.


News Late is stale news

It is unbelievable but true that bureaucracy denies the world from knowing the tragic irony of Sri Lanka and her people whenever a bomb explosion takes a heavy toll of lives, civilians and military alike.

Last Friday's claymore mine explosion in Jaffna that killed top Army and Police officials was no different.

CNN which broadcasts to 200 countries and territories wanted to break the story and give the details of LTTE's latest attack. A scribe contacted the Army Censor. "Wait till we issue a press release," was the reply. And the press release came almost THREE hours after.

It's not only the LTTE's propaganda that undermines the Sri Lanka Government. It is also the apathetic attitude of the Army Censor.

If he does not understand the importance of time whilst wearing the hat of Military Spokesman, surely Brigadier Sunil Tennekoon, should know it as the chief of Military Intelligence !!

After all, news that is late is stale news.


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