In brief
Deserters
Army deserter Ajith Gunaratne injured six policemen and 11 civilians in a grenade attack at Ratnapura on 17 March. Police say he is responsible for several murders. Army spokesman Sanath Karunaratne said in early March, 60,500 have deserted from the three armed services, including 51,400 from the Army. Some 8,000 soldiers deserted since the ceasefire.
Murder
Two youths walked into an Urban Council on 24 March and shot dead chairman Gamini Dickson. The suspected political assassination took place in Hikkaduwa, 55 miles south of Colombo.
Breach
The Supreme Court declared on 25 March that Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake and Army Commander Lionel Balagalla violated rights by preventing 60,000 people in LTTE-held areas from voting in the 2001 general elections. The court ordered government to pay Rs 100,000 each to three petitioners from Batticaloa and Commander Balagalla to personally pay Rs 90,000 ($945).
Aid
On 2 April, the World Bank announced $800 million assistance to Sri Lanka in the form of grants and interest-free loans over the next four years. Two days later, the European Commission granted Euro 6 million assistance to internally displaced people.
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