Peace and Conflict Timeline (PACT) » Defence spending

4 December 2007

pact team — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 21:56:52 +0000

The government is successful in the crucial third reading of the budget. A slim majority of 114 votes out of a total of 225 approved the budget. 67 parliamentarians voted against the budget, while 38 members of the JVP, a former coalition partner, abstained. The budget includes Sri Lanka’s largest-ever defence expenditure – 166.4 billion rupees (US$1.5 billion). The total budget was estimated at about 1 trillion rupees (US$9.5 billion), a 20% increase in defence spending from 139 billion rupees (US$1.3 billion) last year.

26 March 2007

pact team — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 05:15:27 +0000

Air attack on Sri Lankan air force base in Katunayake, leaving 3 killed and 16 injured: the LTTE’s two armed light air craft were involved in their first ever aerial attack. The Tigers warn of similar attacks on other Sri Lankan military targets in future.

14 March 2007

pact team — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 05:18:36 +0000

Sri Lankan senior defence officials state that the latest military campaign against the LTTE could continue for a further two to three years.