Sri Lanka: Southern villagers get arms training

Sunday, 11 November 2007

Sinhala villagers in areas bordering the Yala wildlife sanctuary are to be given arms training and T-56 type assault riffles under a new 'Civil Defence Force' plan revealed by the Sri Lankan police. The idea is reportedly the brainchild of Basil, one of the Rajapaksa brothers. According to Sinhala media reports, up to 500 men from the border villages will undergo a crash three weeks training course and will be provided with a T56 type assault riffle and 100 rounds of ammunition each.

Meanwhile, social scientists fear that the level of poverty in the affected areas may see the lethal weapons being used for different purposes.

According to their predictions, ordinary farmers are thoughtlessly being militarised and may become targets of underworld operatives wanting to purchase weapons and ammunitions.

Sri Lanka has 140 000 soldiers on land. There are an additional 10 000 members in the Home Guard militia.

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