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| Tuesday, 12 October 2004 |
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by Rajmi Manatunga The "118 emergency helpline" of the Defence Ministry to receive complaints and information of crimes in the country came into operation yesterday. It will operate as a trial service this week and will be officially launched on October 20, Law and Order and Public Security Ministry Secretary Tilak Ranaviraja said. The service enables all Sri Lankans to forward information about incidents of crime and other violations of the law to the 'National Service Room' which will in turn flash the information to the authorities immediately. The helpline which will be opened around the clock will receive information ranging from serious crime like murder, kidnapping, child abuse to damage to property, use of illegal firearms, violations of law by the Security Forces and the police, accidents and any act of bribery or corruption in state institutions. "The Service Room has been provided with facilities to receive information from ten people at a single instant and to communicate it to the relevant authorities within seven minutes. The system is programmed to receive information in both national languages (Sinhala and Tamil) and also in English," Ranaviraja said. He also assured that those who provide information can withhold their identity if they choose. The public could dial 118 and forward their message to the Service room free of charge on a fixed line phone, mobile phone or a pay phone box. "However, if the public misuse the concession provided regarding the public phone boxes we will be compelled to charge a certain amount from them," he added. |
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