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Interior Minister John Amaratunga acting on a directive of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday appointed a high powered officials' Committee to look into the security measures of Muslim areas in the North and East.

The Committee is also tasked to ensure that an effective mechanism was in place as regards law enforcement and to bring about a rapport with all communities in the area and to establish the identity and safeguard vital interests of the Muslim community of the area.

The Committee headed by M.N. Junaid, Secretary, Ministry of Interior comprises IGP T.E. Anandarajah, DIG and the Commandant of Special Task Force Nimal Gunatilleke. DIG Indra de Silva will serve as the Secretary of the Committee.

The terms of reference of the committee will include looking into the security measures in the Muslim areas in the North and East and to suggest law enforcements.

The Committee is also tasked to bring about a rapport with the other communities in the area. The other points in the terms of reference are to establish and bring about dialogue with the Police, the STF, the Armed Forces and the Tamil community in the area.

The committee is also tasked to establish the identity and safeguard vital interests of the Muslim community. It is also tasked to recommend measures to the Government to avoid lapses that occurred in the previous negotiations with other communities and institutions where Muslims had to undergo hardship and suffering.

The committee has been directed to submit a report on these matters within one month.

The appointment of the Committee is a sequel to an assurance given by the Prime Minister to a group of SLMC MPs that the concerns that have raised regarding security of Muslims would be addressed and that the Government was firmly committed to protect and entrench the security of Muslims in the North-East in relation to persons and properties.

The Premier has assured that the Muslims will be free and have the right to look after their affairs like other communities without any hindrance or interferences.

The Prime Minister has also told the MPs that the Government has explicitly declared on many occasions that the interests of all communities will be effectively safeguarded through the constitutional structures that will be established to achieve peace in the country.

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