Sri Lankan soldiers join drug eradication programme

Colombo, Jan 29 (IANS) Hundreds of Sri Lankan soldiers participated in a week-long national drug eradication programme by travelling across the country and raising awareness on the dangers of drug use, the Army said on Tuesday.Over 1,000 soldiers took part in the programme which began on January 21, reports Xinhua news agency.The soldiers distributed leaflets, educated students and people on the dangers of drug use and addiction.President Maithripala Sirisena on Monday requested members of the armed forces, police and civil security to help free the country from the clutches of drug abuse in the same manner in which they successfully defeated the Tamil Tiger terrorists in 2009.Sirisena said he aims to free Sri Lanka from drugs by 2020.
--IANS ksk/mr