New security guide for VVIP meetings

Chaminda PERERA

The Defence Ministry will introduce a set of security guidelines to be followed in organizing functions attended by Ministers and other VVIPs.

The Government arrived at this decision following Tuesday's suicide attack on a Muslim National Festival at Akuressa which claimed 15 lives and injured 46 others including Minister Mahinda Wijesekera.

Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said the Defence Ministry had extensively discussed the security arrangement that should be put in place to avert such attacks targeting VIPs by the LTTE.

While adducing to several security lapses at the festival, the Minister said he would have also been at the scene if his arrival was not delayed by 10 minutes.

He said the LTTE has resorted to targeting innocent civilians to boost their sagging morale in the face of heavy pressure by the Security Forces in the Mullaitivu district.

The Minister requested the public to be vigilant over suspicious persons who will mingle with the public and wreak havoc.

The Government has already taken steps to educate the international community particularly Muslim countries of the LTTE atrocities perpetrated on the Muslim community.

The Minister said this is the first time the people in the Matara district experienced such a horrendous incident. "The people exercised utmost restraint inspite of having lost several Pradeshiya Sabha chairmen and members.

This is the 10th such attack targeting religious places by the LTTE after the attack on the Jaya Siri Maha Bodhi in 1985 which left 120 dead, he said.