REFUGEE

The President has decided to retire Major General Shavendra Silva who served as the Commanding Officer of the 58th Brigade during the military operations in the north in order to appoint him as the SLFP organizer for Matale, sources from temple Trees said.

The President had arrived at this decision to make this appointment following a proposal made by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa that it is the best step to be taken to fight the political challenge posed by General Sarath Fonseka.

The President had informed Major General Shavendra Silva that Major General Lalith Davulagala would be appointed as the Army Commander after current Army

Chief Lt. General Jagath Jayasuriya retires from service and had assured Shavendra that he would be appointed as a Cabinet minister after the next general election.

Shavendra had then been asked to contest from the Matale District at the next general election by the President, who had also asked him to help put down General Fonseka in front of people if he made any serious political decisions.

The President has ordered his Media Secretary Vijayananda Herath to promote Shavendra Silva as the real war hero and to include him in all Ranaviru felicitation programmes that are to be held at village and school level.