Home

News

Politics

Issues

Editorial

Spotlight

Insight

Sports

Business

Review

Arts

Letters

Nutshell

Interviews

Fashion

Archives

Compromise formula to strengthen
security in the east

While the security concerns of the Muslim community in the north and east continue to increase, the government has proposed a compromise formula of recruiting 200 Tamil speaking persons into the police force.

This comes in a move to curb the rising number of violent incidents targetting civilians in the province.

The Sunday Leader spoke to several ministers and political party members to get their views on whether recruiting more people from one community will help increase the security in the Eastern Province or whether it is a matter of implementing the law.

And even if this recruitment is successful there will not be an immediate solution to the problems in the east.

Speaking to The Sunday Leader MP Ferial Ashraff stated that it is a problem to implement laws in the north and east and recruiting Muslims will help ease security conditions.

EPDP Spokesperson V. Thavarajah said it is not only Muslims who have been facing problems but the Tamil civilians have also been subjected to intimidation, harassment and assault by the LTTE.

He believes that the armed forces should have equal representation from the ethnic communities.

He also added that even the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) cannot go into certain areas, and when an offence is committed by the LTTE in government areas the LTTE withdraws to its territory where even the SLMM is not permitted to enter.

Thavarajah stressed that the law should be implemented and said a mere increase of security in this province is not going to solve the problem.

SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem also echoed similar views that the basic problem lies in the enforcement of law and order.

"Since the signing of the MoU, it lays down that whatever happens in the government controlled areas, the issues will be addressed by the government. And most of the Muslim community live in government controlled areas," he said.

He feels recruiting Muslims to the police force may help improve the situation but it should be the responsibility of the government to provide adequate security for a safe envir- onment.

He added that he has spoken with the government and Prime Minister regarding the security issues and has held discussions regarding long, medium and short term plans that should be implemented.

Governor, Western Provincial Council, Alavi Mowlana says the government has failed in its duty to enforce the law of the country.

"Due to severe inaction of the police there is a fear psychosis among all the people around the country," he said.

Headlines