More rehabilitated LTTE cadres will be released to mark the 2600th Sambuddathva Jayanthi anniversary. Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe has said that more LTTE cadres will be reintegrated into the society upon completion of their rehabilitation program to mark the significant religious event that celebrates the 2600th anniversary of Buddhas enlightenment.
Several rehabilitated LTTE cadres are to be released on the Vesak Poya Day, the Commissioner General said. During the last phase of the humanitarian operation, 11,700 former LTTE cadres were surrendered to Sri Lankan security forces. So far 6,539 ex-rebel cadres have been released and further 4,360 are being rehabilitated in camps, according to the Commissioner General. The rehabilitated cadres have been given vocational training and education facilities to improve their skills and knowledge.
According to Brigadier Ranasinghe there were only nine rehabilitation centres for ex-LTTE combatants at present, though there had been 24 at the inception. The Rehabilitation Chief said that of some 361 child soldiers, who had sat the GCE (O/L) examination last year, 211 qualified to do GCE (A/L). President Mahinda Rajapaksa in January this year appointed a four-member committee to study the cases of detained LTTE suspects and recommend suitable action to expedite the cases against them.
The committee headed by Deputy Solicitor General Shavindra Fernando and includes Senior State Counsel P. Kumararatnam, Chethiya Goonesekera and Dinal Ratnayake began its work by visiting the Boossa detention camp and interviewed 182 detainees Its appointment follows a recommendation by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).