A peaceful environment and security will be provided for everyone to enjoy their Vesak and to celebrate the tenth year of the end of terrorism in peace without overstepping the laws of the land, Army Commander Lt. General Mahesh Senanayake said yesterday. The situation in the country has been brought under control since April 21 terrorist bombings. We have contained terrorism in spite of the occurrences of a few incidents on May 13 and 14, which were brought under control,” he said.
Senanayake was speaking at a press conference held at Sri Lanka Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Regiment in Colombo to announce Sri Lanka Army’s plans for commemorating the country’s decade of peace since the defeat of LTTE terrorism with a programme titled Dasawarshabhishekaya. Responding to questions raised by journalists regarding the situation of areas where a some violent incidents had taken place, Senanayake said the incidents that had taken place in Chilaw, Nikaweratiya, Hettipola, Dummalasuriya and Nattandiya and areas in the North Western Province, where the Army do not have detachments and deployments as the police.
“It is the police that inform us for any assistance.By the time we get there it could be late. For the past three weeks we have contained terrorism and relative peace prevailed throughout the country,” he said. It so happened that a letter had been received from Italy or France which stated that May 13th is an evil day and that there would be attacks coming up.These were unconfirmed information people panicked on that day,” he said.