Defence Secy directs police:

Ensure safety of IDPs valuables

Over 3,000 savings accounts opened:

L.S. Ananda Wedaarachchi

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has directed the police to take immediate measures to protect valuables such as jewellery and cash of Internally Displaced Persons. A large number of IDPs have brought their valuables along with them to the camps. To ensure the safety of the IDPs valuables, the Defence Secretary has instructed the police to ensure the safety of the IDPs belongings.

DIG Northern Range Nimal Lewke said that a special police awareness program to educate people not to keep their jewellery and money with them commenced a few weeks ago under the direction of the Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. The DIG said that Tamils in the North had refrained from keeping their jewellery and money in banks through fear of the LTTE as the Tigers insisted that they deposit their cash and jewellery in LTTE banks.

He said that extortionist gangs from Tamil political groups had relieved innocent Tamils of their cash and valuables.

State banks such as Bank of Ceylon and People’s Bank on being informed of the situation had launched a campaign to mobilise deposits and over 3,000 savings accounts had been opened recently with the Bank of Ceylon.

DIG Lewke said steps have been taken to ensure that the Tamils who had been saved from the clutches of the LTTE, were not harassed by any terror groups to extort money.

Extortionist groups currently operating in certain areas in the Wanni and in the East will be severely dealt with, IGP Jayantha Wickramaratna said.

A sixteen-member group in Vavuniya was arrested recently for demanding money from Tamil civilians. This information was given to the police by the public. Public information on crimes are vital and the police welcome such information, the IGP said.