Fonseka’s Batticaloa meeting put off due to poor security

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 January 2010, 01:44 GMT]
Gen (retd) Sarath Fonseka, Common opposition candidate postponed his scheduled visit to Batticaloa Tuesday to address an election meeting in Batticaloa. However, he went to Ampaarai and addressed a meeting. Propaganda meeting in Batticaloa would be held on a later date, according to a spokesman of the opposition election campaign.

The Batticaloa meeting was postponed as police intimated to General Fonseka that they were unable to provide security for his propaganda meeting due to the depletion of the police strength in Batticaloa as about 600 policemen from the eastern division had been called to provide security for a meeting in Tangalle and Embilipitiya in support of President Mahinda Rajapakse and a batch of police personnel had been summoned by the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) for a conference to discuss security arrangements for the proposed visit by the President to Batticaloa.

Gen Fonseka is due to address three meetings in Trincomalee district on Wednesday at Ki'n'niyaa, Moothoor and Trincomalee town.