FIRE ARMS TO PS MEMBERS (99 Jan 20)
The government has decided to supply fire arms to members of the pradeshiya sabhas in Yapanaya and the members of the Yapanaya municipal council.
Recently at a meeting of the pradeshiya sabha members held in Yapanaya they have discussed the issue of the protection given to them with Brigadier Nihal Marambe. Earlier the EPDP leader Mr. Douglas Devananda had asked for fire arms.
In recent times members of the EPDP, PLOTE and TELO had been carrying fire arms with them, even in Kolomba and the ordinary people have had to suffer as a result.
Already three TULF members of the Yapanaya municipal council have been killed by the LTTE. The government's decision to supply fire arms to pradeshiya sabha members is not going to solve the problem. It is essential that the LTTE is defeated militarily before the democratic institutions can function in Yapanaya.