13th October 1996

The Jungle Telegraph

By Alia


Top men retire

The retirement of two four -star generals this year and the exit of two others on training stints abroad may see the affable Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Rohan Daluwatte, conducting musical chairs.

Adjutant General of the Army, Major General Gemunu Kulatunga has already retired. He has declined the offer of another posting on pay and pension.

Chief of Staff, Major General A. M. U. Seneviratne, is due to retire later this year. It was in late July that Brigadier Devinda Kalupahana, though promoted Major General, retired prematurely.

Major General Janaka Perera will be Sri Lanka's nominee for next year's Royal College of Defence Studies course in the United Kingdom. There were moves earlier to send a new bureaucrat but the idea was dropped after the authorities were told they had to pay for it.

Major General Neil Dias is to be Sri Lanka's nominee for next year's course at India's National Defence College. Currently two senior security forces officials are on the course. Air Commodore Jayalath Weerakody (SLAF) and Major General Lionel Balagalle (Army).

Bolt from the blues

Soon after the Mullaitivu Military Base was over-run by Tiger guerrillas, the three service chiefs worked morning and night to put together the rescue plan code named "Operation Thrivida Pahara."

Each briefed their respective seniors on what their responsibilities and tasks should be.

One officer who intently listened to his boss during the briefing made a request that shocked all others. He wanted the boss to give the orders he gave verbally in writing. Even if the boss had pen and paper that would have been more time wasted. On the other hand, the man complained they were wary about the boss.

How bad can things become during a crisis?

Believe it or do not

This story can qualify for mention in Ripley's Believe It or Not. A sleuth who was put on the mat not once but twice for aiding and abetting a renowned smuggler is now a big man.

He has been posted to a top slot in the spy system. Is it because they have run short of qualified, experienced men or is it the belief in the saying set a thief to catch a thief.

Well only the spy masters will know.

On Second thoughts

The continuation of US military programmes to Sri Lanka currently put on hold, now hinges on the findings of an official team.

The team was in Colombo in recent weeks making a threat assessment study.

Meeting off

The Aid Sri Lanka Consortium meeting scheduled for next month in Paris will not come off after all much to the government's embarrassment. Attempts are now being made to re-schedule it for April, next year.

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