DATE=8/10/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-236810
TITLE=LANKA/US TRAINING (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=VANDANA CHOPRA
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  SRI LANKAN POLICEMEN ARE BEING TRAINED BY THE UNITED 
STATES IN ADVANCED ANTI-TERRORIST PROGRAMS.  VANDANA CHOPRA HAS 
THE DETAILS  FROM COLOMBO.

TEXT:  US EMBASSY OFFICIALS IN COLOMBO SAY THE TRAINING PROGRAM 
IS BEING ORGANIZED THROUGH THE ANTI-TERRORIST ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 
OF THE U-S STATE DEPARTMENT.

THE EMBASSY SPOKESPERSON SAID 15 SRI LANKAN POLICEMEN HAVE BEEN 
SENT ON A SIX-WEEK TRAINING PROGRAM TO THE LOUISIANA STATE POLICE
ACADEMY TO LEARN HOW TO DEFUSE DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXPLOSIVES.

ANOTHER GROUP OF 24 POLICEMEN ARE ON A 3-WEEK COURSE AT A FEDERAL
LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING CENTER IN GEORGIA, TO LEARN SKILLS TO 
PROTECT VITAL INSTALLATIONS.

IN THE PAST, TAMIL TIGER REBELS, WHO ARE FIGHTING AGAINST THE SRI
LANKAN GOVERMENT, HAVE TARGETTED KEY INSTALLATIONS, TRANSMISSION 
TOWERS AND TELEPHONE EXCHANGES IN AND AROUND COLOMBO.

POLICE OFFICIALS SAY THE COURSES WILL ENHANCE POLICE CAPABILITY 
IN COMBATING THREATS POSED BY BOMBS AND PROTECTING CIVILIANS AND 
CIVILIAN-RUN INSTALLATIONS.

US OFFICIALS SAY ADDITIONAL TRAINING COURSES FOR SRI LANKAN 
POLICE OFFICIALS ARE BEING PLANNED LATER THIS YEAR.

THE UNITED STATES HAD EARLIER SENT SEVERAL SPECIALIZED UNITS TO 
SRI LANKA TO TRAIN MILITARY OFFICERS AND ALSO REGULARLY OFFERS 
TRAINING PROGRAMS TO SENIOR OFFICERS IN ITS DEFENSE ACADEMIES.

LAST YEAR, THE UNITED STATES BANNED TAMIL TIGER REBELS AS A 
FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION  MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR THE 
GUERILLA GROUP TO RAISE FUNDS IN THE UNITED STATES.

SINCE THEN, DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND 
SRI LANKA HAVE IMPROVED.

TAMIL TIGER REBELS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR A SEPERATE HOMELAND FOR
MINORITY TAMILS IN SRI LANKA'S NORTH AND EAST SINCE 1983.(SIGNED)

NEB/VC/PLM

10-Aug-98 8:37 AM EDT (1237 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.