New commander talks tough

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 21 April 1998, 23:59 GMT]
"The Liberation Tigers will not stop with Muthur but they will try to bring Trincomalee also under their control. The army can repulse any attempt by them to do so and we will defeat the LTTE" said Trincomalee south 22-1 Brigade commander Col. Sanath Karunaratne yesterday while addressing the District Co-ordinating Committee meeting at the Trincomalee district secretariat.

PA MP for Trincomalee Mr. M.N.A Majeed presided and UNP MPs Sunil Santha Ranaweera and Ariyapala Walpitagama and Trincomalee GA S.D Chandradasa were present.

Addressing the meeting further the Colonel who is to soon take up duties as the Vadamaradchi commander of the SLA said, "The LTTE attacked at Thoppur on April 1, on April 14, the 64 mile post Police camp was attacked, later they fired mortars on the Kattaparichchan camp. We have to take strong steps to bring the situation under control. I did not grant permission to soldier retaliate during the new year time although the LTTE fired on soldiers and Policemen. I did this because I did not want ordinary people to be harmed on New Year day. In the future we will promptly retaliate to the mortar attacks of the Tigers. I warned earlier that those who cross the Uppaaru lagoon will be shot. I did this for the benefit of the people. The LTTE made this known to the world through the internet. In Muthur, members of NGOs who go to areas which are not under the army's control should be very careful. Government. servants who work in Muthur should not get scared if they hear gun fire"