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President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has once again directed the Police top brass to take immediate steps to combat the country's increasing crime wave and restore law and order.

A press release issued by Janadasa Peiris, Director General (Media) Presidential Secretariat said the President issued this directive at a meeting held with DIGs led by Acting IGP Indra de Silva at Presidents House on Tuesday.

At this meeting the President stressed that an accelerated two-week programme of action should be launched by Police to combat crime. She told Police to submit this programme to her in advance.

The President who also pointed out that proper police investigations have not been conducted to the incidents of violence which occurred during the 2001 December General Elections emphasised urgent action should be taken in this regard. She said 60 SLFP supporters had been killed during the December election violence while nearly 3,000 others had been subjected to various forms of torture after destroying their properties.

Although she had ordered police investigations into these crimes on several occasions the former Minister of Interior had not paid any attention to it she alleged.

The President said in certain instances Police had not even come forward to record complaints made against such crimes. She showed the killings of parliamentarian Dayashritha Perera's nephew Surith Tissera, the killing of R. D. Wimaladasa Perera's son of Dodangaslanda, disruptions caused to the meetings of the Wattala and Ja-Ela Pradesheeya Sabhas and the case against Palitha Range Bandara as examples of Police inaction. The President said the proposal made by her for the payment of compensation to victims of election violence had been approved by the Cabinet thrice but it has still not been acted upon.

Finally they had to complain to the Human Rights Commission in Geneva about these crimes and former Interior Minister John Amaratunga had to appear before the Commission to answer these allegations.

In this background the Police should combat the increasing crime rate, restore law and order and bring the culprits responsible for election violence to book, the President said.

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