Colombo (AsiaNews) - The Sri Lankan army has organized a three-day international seminar on the theme: "Defeating terrorism - The experience of Sri Lanka", held from May 31 to June 2. Many foreign delegates attended the session, focusing on the problem of combating terrorism, and how to manage the stages of rehabilitation and return to normal after the end of conflict. The army commander, Gen. Jagath Jayasurya said in a press conference after the three days that the seminar was not organized to gain sympathy, but from "the desire to share real experiences with the world."
Brigadier General Ahmed Nijam, from the Maldives, said that "The Forum provided a great opportunity to learn from Sri Lanka in a time when global terrorism is spreading around the world." This view is shared by many other participants in the workshop who spoke to AsiaNews.
It also discussed the problem of how to conduct humanitarian operations, while the army was trying to wrestle the north and some eastern provinces of the country from the control of terrorists. One expert said that troops often delayed their advance to save losses among the civilian population. "This happened at the Catholic shrine of Madhu in the north-west. We liberated Madhu avoiding a direct confrontation for at least two months. Troops sealed off the terrorists by cutting the roads and putting in place a siege. The capture of Madhu was accomplished without damage to the shrine. "
There was a lot of interest in the issue discussed during the third day of the seminar, all dedicated to the work of reintegration, return of refugees, rehabilitation and mine clearance. The central bank governor, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, defended the investments made for the program from 2006 to 2009. "They were a vital investment, not surplace. It 'was an investment in peace. "
