Colombo defences reorgainsed

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The city of Colombo will soon have an unprecedented special security system which will be managed by the army, Navy and Police in a unified command under an Overall Operations Commander, Sri Lankan Defence Ministry sources said today.

The city of Colombo will soon have an unprecedented special security system which will be managed by the army, Navy and Police in a unified command under an Overall Operations Commander (OOC), Sri Lankan Defence Ministry sources said today.

Major General Jaliya Nammuni has already been named the new OOC. The Sri Lankan security forces had only one Overall Operations Commander until now, in charge of the northeastern theatre of war.

The move comes in the wake of intelligence reports that the city might come under well co-ordinated large scale LTTE attacks. Under the new joint forces security system, the city will be divided into six sectors. Each of these sectors will have a commanding officer.

The MoD has appointed commanding officers to all sectors except sector three which comprises Colpetty and Slave Island. The President's official residence-the Temple Trees - is situated in this sector.

The following are the areas which come under each sector.

1. Sector One- Dematagoda, Grandpass, Modera and Maligawatte. Commanding officer from Police (SP rank)
2. Sector Two- Fort, Pettah, Keselwatte and Kotahena. Commanding officer from Navy.
3. Sector Three- Colpetty and Slave Island
4. Sector Four - Borella, Bambalapitiya and Cinnamon Gardens. Commanding officer from army.
5. Sector Five - Wellawatte, Kirilapona and Narahenpita. Commanding officer from Police
6. Sector Six - Foreshore and Colombo harbour. Commanding officer from Navy.

Each sector will have three sub sectors. The Sri Lankan government has become quite concerned in recent times about the inability of the Police and the very limited number of army special forces to counter a large scale multiple attack on the City of Colombo and all its vital installations.