Terrorist attacks on unarmed civilians are condemned by people

Public vigilance the need of the hour

When the `Sunday Observer' sought the views of people about the steps taken to prevent sporadic terrorist attacks on civilian targets. A university lecturer in the Southern Province, Dr. Abaya Gunasekara asked the authorities to change the commencing times of schools and offices, especially in the Colombo city, so that heavy destructions due to bomb explosions can be minimised."

He said even the armed forces who provide day and night security in the city are unable to trace the culprits. The best thing is the Government must make some security measures to minimise traffic congestions, so that, destructions can be minimised.

Referring to last week's bomb explosion in a private bus at Mt. Lavinia, Ven. Rambukwelle Wimalawansa Thera of Purana Vihara, Battaramulla thanked the Private Bus Operators Association for rewarding the driver and the conductor for the invaluable effort taken by them to save the lives of many passengers.

He said President Mahinda Rajapaksa must summon this type of brave people to his official residence `Temple Trees' and encourage them by offering handsome cash awards.

Transport Minister, Dullas Alahapperuma asked people travelling in buses and trains to keep a close tab on every baggage that is carried by other passengers and if there is a suspicious person or a parcel, that can be informed to the crew of the bus, the guard of the train or the station master.

The Minister also requested people waiting at railway stations or bus stands to inform the security personnel about suspicious characters roaming about.

President, Private Bus Operators Association, Gemunu Wijeratna said that their association had instructed all conductors to carry out a thorough check on baggages before the passengers board into buses.

"We also instructed passengers to refrain from keeping their personal belongings on the racks or under the seats".

Trade Union leader, Kusumsiri Samarasinghe thanked bus operators to create the public awareness of possible terrorist attacks and said that the public must be vigilant over suspicious parcels which are kept under the seats and on the racks of buses and trains which in they travel.

Referring to recent remarks made by a certain Minister (not the Transport Minister) against the crew, of the private bus that was destroyed following a bomb explosion at Mt. Lavinia, Samarasinghe said that bus crews cannot be blamed for unattended parcels in their buses.

"It is the duty of the passengers to be vigilant over such parcels."

Dr. Dayasiri Gallage of Kurunegala said "normally bomb explosions occur on busy highways, therefore to minimise the destruction, the authorities must take some measures to control the number of vehicles coming to the city."

Dilanthi Amarasinghe of Kollupitiya said passengers travelling in buses and trains must be given the authority to check the baggages of others, so that even suicide bombers will not be able to reach their destinations to do any sort of destruction.

Regional Manager in the Bank of Ceylon, Sohan Wijegunawardana asked the security personnel to carry out random checks on all vehicles including ambulances, containers and cars owned by diplomatic corps, since these vehicles too can transport unauthorised persons and parcels to the city.

Ishak Sahabdeen of Gothatuwa said the Media Ministry must direct all TV channels to show documentaries on bomb explosions and educate the younger generation on how to be vigilant on possible terrorist attacks.

Representing schoolchildren in the city of Colombo, an Advanced Level student of a leading girls school, Poornima Weerasingham requested the Education Ministry to instruct school authorities not to take action against children for their late attendance in schools. "As everybody is aware, the majority of schoolchildren in Colombo are coming by buses from distant areas and many of them are getting late due to the on going security measurers in the city, therefore, I appeal to the education authorities to instruct school heads to grant us a little excuse for our delays".

Chartered Accountant, Anton Sylvestor of Nugegoda thanked the Finance Ministry for allowing the owner of the ill-fated bus to import a brand new bus without imposing duty in recognition of the encouraging act done to rescue a number of passengers.

Member of a Provincial Council, Gotabaya Ariyasinghe said "My sons are studying at Royal College, Colombo and thank Principal Upali Gunasekara for changing the closing time of some classes and send children homes at different times, so that destructions due to bomb explosions can be minimised to a greater extent".

I wish all other schools will follow suit" "Private sector executive, Duminda Liyanapathirana said that it was the duty of all elders to introduce various measures to protect the lives of younger generation from terrorists.

"Therefore, I propose the Education Ministry to change the starting time and the closing time of each school, especially in Colombo to minimise heavy damages in the event of sporadic terrorist attacks". A mercantile employee, Wasantha Kumara highly condemned terrorist attacks on innocent civilians and urged the security personnel not to do checking on vehicles only at checkpoints.

"I request them to do random checks not only on vehicles, but also on houses, lodges, boutiques and shops at vulnerable places such as in Thotalanga, Grandpass, Maradana, Wellawatta etc."

Chamal Hennayaka of Rajagiriya said that a recent foreign TV documentary telecast a program how terrorists manufacture bombs and asked the Media Ministry to bring laws to ban telecasting such films in the future as such films could destroy the minds of the younger generation. Attorney-at-Law, Sugath Mahagedara of Kandy said the present traffic system in the city leads to traffic jams at various places especially in the mornings, afternoon and in the evenings without moving for a long duration and the terrorists too could use such a situation to carry out their activities.

"Therefore I appeal the authorities to reintroduce the old traffic system in the city, so that, destructions due to bomb explosions could be minimised to a greater extent".