DATE=3/26/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=SRI LANKA OFFICERS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-260617
BYLINE=VANDANA CHOPRA
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The Sri Lankan government has prematurely
retired seven senior army officers after a military
court found them responsible for last year's failures
in battles against the Tamil Tiger rebels. Vandana
Chopra reports from Colombo.
TEXT: Military officials say that two major generals
were among the seven senior officers who were retired
prematurely. The officers who were removed included
the former commanding officer of the northern Wanni
region, a brigadier general, two colonels, and two
majors.
It is the first time in Sri Lanka's 16-year-old ethnic
conflict that the army has taken such a drastic step
against its senior officials.
A committee appointed by Sri Lankan President
Chandrika Kumaratunga has now begun hearing grievances
from police and troops about low morale and poor
command decisions by leaders of the government
military.
Last year Tamil rebels wrested control of nine key
military bases from the Sri Lankan army in a span of
only five days. Hundreds of casualties were reported
on both sides as the rebels drove the government army
from key camps and captured vital military hardware.
Sri Lankan troops had taken more than two years to
capture the area from the Tiger separatists.
The military defeats came weeks before President
Kumaratunga campaigned for and won her second six year
term.
The Sri Lankan Army is now reportedly finding it
difficult to recruit soldiers. The latest recruitment
drive received a poor response
despite the army commander's plea that a shortage of
soldiers was the only stumbling block in defeating the
Tiger rebels.
Rebel guerillas are fighting for a separate homeland
for the minority Tamil community in Sri Lanka's north
and east. (Signed)
NEB/VC/PLM
26-Mar-2000 07:07 AM EDT (26-Mar-2000 1207 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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