Northern and Eastern divisions relatively better, though B’caloa remains major trouble spot
July 3, 2011/ By Shamindra Ferdinando
In the post-war era, Batticaloa police division has logged the highest number of incidents among the Northern and Eastern divisions for two consecutive years.Police sources told The Island that in spite of dawn of peace Batticaloa division remained a major trouble spot with a section of ex-LTTE cadres and members of other groups causing problems.
Police headquarters said that the Batticaloa division had logged 767 complaints ranging from abductions to robberies during the first nine months of last year. Ampara recorded (686), Jaffna (503), Vavuniya (456) Trincomalee (308), Kantale (198), Mannar (158), Kankesanthurai (142) and Mankulam (109) during that period.
Batticaloa logged 1,063 cases during 2009, whereas Ampara recorded (1,015), Vavuniya (695), Jaffna (556), Trincomalee (452), Kantale (241), Kankesanthurai (225), Mannar (169). Police headquarters created Mankulam division in 2010.
However, the Ampara police division (1,181) recorded the highest number of incidents in 2008, while Batticaloa logged (1,051), Vavuniya (696), Jaffna (596), Trincomalee (519), Mannar (422), Kankesanthurai (241) and Kantale (211).
The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) in its interim recommendations to President Mahinda Rajapaksa last year emphasised the need to disarm the armed groups. The LLRC took up the issue of armed groups in the Batticaloa district when Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan (aka) Pilleyan testified before the presidential commission.
Eastern Commander Maj. Gen. Boniface Perera last week demanded armed groups operating in the Batticaloa district to hand over their weapons or face the consequences.
Police and military sources said the situation in the Northern and Eastern Provinces was much better than in the other divisions.
Since the conclusion of conflict in May 2009, several new police stations have been opened in the Northern theatre, with the majority in the Vanni region.
Kelaniya recorded a staggering 2,573 incidents in the first nine months of last year––3,476 cases in 2009 and 3,211 incidents the previous year.
The Mt. Lavinia and Nugegoda divisions in the Colombo District and Ratnapura, Kandy and Ratnapura, divisions, too, remained major trouble spots.
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