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Sri Lanka expands military in `marked shift`
Friday, 17 November 2006 - 8:14 PM SL Time
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Sri Lanka is preparing for a major onslaught against the Liberation Tigers, raising defence spending by 45% to $1.29 bln and calling on the international community to help fight terrorism, reports said Friday. Sri Lanka`s military chief, Air Chief Marshal G.D. Perera, told top defense and military officials from 23 countries that his government needs `a lot of assistance` in handling the ?terrorist issue.? Sri Lanka`s defence spokesman and cabinet minister Keheliya Rambukwella said: `Right now the requirement of strengthening the air force, navy and defence sector becomes very paramount. National security comes first.`
Perera was speaking at a gathering on Wednesday of top defense and military officials from 23 countries including nuclear powers the U.S., France and Pakistan, along with Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and several Southeast Asian nations.
`Sri Lanka is straddled with a terrorist issue and a lot of assistance is required from neighboring countries, not only India and Pakistan but also in the region,` AP quoted Perera as saying.
Sri Lanka`s government plans to use a budgeted 28 percent increase in defence spending for 2007 to help beef up the military, Reuters reported Friday, having obtained a volume of official budget estimates.
Reuters quoted military sources as saying the navy was likely to look to replace Israeli-made Dvora fast attack boats sunk in recent naval battles with the Tigers, as well as buying more ammunition and weapons systems.
President Mahinda Rajapakse made no mention of defence spending figures in his abridged budget speech to parliament on Thursday, but the budget estimates document shows defence spending will rise to 139.56 billion rupees ($1.29 bln) in 2007 from a revised 108.67 billion rupees in 2006.
`Right now the requirement of strengthening the air force, navy and defence sector becomes very paramount. National security comes first,` said government defence spokesman and cabinet minister Keheliya Rambukwella.
`When the sovereignty of the state is threatened it has to be safeguarded,` he said. `Defence professionals will have to look into (what to buy) -- basically what you need to defend the country.`
`We already know they are acquiring four more Mig 27 fighters, so similarly there will be other armoured vehicles for the army and ships for the Navy,` Iqbal Athas, Sri Lanka`s leading defence correspondent and analyst for Jane`s Defence Weekly, told Reuters.
`They need some because they have lost some fast attack (naval) craft in battle.`
Athas said President Rajapakse`s sharp increase in defence spending marked a departure from previous administrations.
`It becomes significant if you look at the past, particularly with the two previous administrations, which sought a de-escalation with the ongoing peace process. All of a sudden we see a diversion from that and an escalation,` Athas said.
`The government is preparing itself militarily. There is a marked shift there.`
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Thambi
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17 Nov 2006 14:20:34 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Now LTTE should shop directly from GoSL , wait and engineer the plan , on the right moment , bring all the sinhala , ic invested military hardware to TAMIL EELAM . |
Ruchira
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17 Nov 2006 14:22:42 GMT Report for Abuse
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You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war.
Albert Einstein |
Saint
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17 Nov 2006 14:24:39 GMT Report for Abuse
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| It seems very soon there will be more and more violations reports and killings |
Berty
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17 Nov 2006 14:26:40 GMT Report for Abuse
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Poor people will have to pay more Taxes!!
More spending more commissions!
This is sri lanka guys! have fun! |
nirupam
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17 Nov 2006 14:26:43 GMT Report for Abuse
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President Mahinda Rajapakse made no mention of defence spending figures in his abridged budget speech to parliament on Thursday, but the budget estimates document shows defence spending will rise to 139.56 billion rupees ($1.29 bln) in 2007 from a revised 108.67 billion rupees in 2006.
Poor guy MR does not know to speak the truth. He is like the ostrich that hides its head in the sand. |
Ruchira
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17 Nov 2006 14:28:04 GMT Report for Abuse
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We Need PEACE, Not War
And FREEDOM, Not Repression |
Berty
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17 Nov 2006 14:30:00 GMT Report for Abuse
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This article is strange. when you walk in it looks like a story from tamilnet but when you click the full article the source is assoicated press!
Is that normal or something only i am seeing !
Edited By - Berty - 17 Nov 2006 14:30:31 GMT |
Berty
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17 Nov 2006 14:32:15 GMT Report for Abuse
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Priyanthy Thangatchi,
I was too busy in office and did not have the time to get in here...!
It looks like they want to declare WAR! what about the poor Tamils in Jaffna. yes!! what about spending more on food for the people of sri lanka
Edited By - Berty - 17 Nov 2006 14:32:53 GMT |
Berty
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17 Nov 2006 14:34:41 GMT Report for Abuse
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Ruchira,
I was asking a few of my sinhala friends in sl what actually the Sinhalese down south want, whether they are for WAR. they all said the people do not want War. it is the stupid politicians! is that right!!
Edited By - Berty - 17 Nov 2006 14:36:21 GMT |
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