For a safe and secure travel ...

By Dhaneshi Yatawara

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Throughout history we know, terrorists treat civilian deaths as a victory. Though it sounds barbaric to the civilized societies it is the nature of the terrorists. It is of utmost importance to safeguard ourselves and above all, to eliminate terrorism that disrupt and destroy our lives!

Public transportation is now under a severe threat islandwide. How do you assess this situation?

SSP Ranjith Gunasekara - Police Media Spokesman

I see this as a method used by the LTTE to uplift the morale of their cadres. Since they are losing their sinister moves in the battlefront the LTTE need to show their prowess. This is their vicious plan to take innocent citizens as their ‘enemies’. Trying to create a conflict between the Sinhala and Tamil communities seems to be another notion of theirs.

Gemunu Wijerathne - President, Lanka Private Bus Owners Association

Yes, we can see a level of insecurity. But I am happy that the private bus sector is not that much threatened, comparatively. If we consider the past bomb explosions, the majority of the buses were Sri Lanka Transport Board buses and not private buses.

On our part we are always highly vigilant and all the time we strongly emphasize the bus owners and conductors should keep their eyes open! And of course they do it with a sense of commitment.

Anyway, unlike in the past at present a number of such incidents have gone down. May be, because we are extra cautious on security. Of course, the Government and the Police were immensely supporting us to carry on that extra mile.

What are the measures that must be taken to ensure the safety of the public transportation?

RG:

With the measures taken so far the people and the bus operators were vigilant enough in detecting many explosive devices, especially if you take the incidents for the past few weeks. And it is important to keep on reminding the people! I have observed that people tend to forget this message when they are rushing to the office and while returning home. True, commitments are there. But safety cannot be forgotten.

So, vigilance of the public is highly important if we need to curb this terror threat on public transport.We should not let the LTTE to use human weaknesses to operate their ‘modus operandi’.

GW:

Most importantly we must realize the gravity of the terrorist threats. Their targets are pre-determined and irrespective of political hues they will execute their plans. So the reality is we have to face this problem all the time.

The major part of the public transport in the country is handled by the private bus operators. It is constantly being complained of poor services. Do you think these shortcomings lead to the collapse of the safety of public transportation?

RG:

I do not think it is a serious security threat but I do not deny as well. Buses getting over-crowded will not be a serious issue if the people and the bus operators are vigilant enough.

If we take serious note of the recent incidents we have seen that placing bombs in buses is more difficult than in railway compartments because the driver and the conductor plays a bigger role in ensuring security in buses.

If people also extend their cooperation by identifying and letting their parcels and baggage to be checked when necessary, a terrorist carrying explosives or bombs would be reluctant to get in. That minute action of passengers could have saved hundreds of lives.

GW:

President Mahinda Rajapaksa himself telephoned me and told me the same. In fact on his request we submitted several suggestions two months ago.

We recommended changing the peak hours by changing the in and off times of the public and the private sectors - making enough time for one group to be away heading home, when the other group gets off for the day.

Unfortunately it ended up as a mere suggestion only! The President accepted and it is on the side of the Ministry of Transport to assign time for a meeting to discuss the issue. We strongly believe had it been implemented it would have saved many lives.

How do you expect the bus operators to act with regard to the safety of the passengers?

RG:

First I must give my compliments to most of the drivers and conductors who play a greater role in safe guarding lives of passengers. On the other hand, I have seen some operators are not vigilant enough. Before take in passengers they must check and search the buses firstly and request the passengers to show their parcels, baggages and to keep their belongings with them is a must.

GW:

We expect them to be very vigilant all the time. And they give immense support. But now it is too much of responsibility on them. Conductors and drivers face problems when they try to check the huge baggage some people would carry with them.

Some people are very reluctant to help. So at times even the conductors are in trouble. Sometimes the issue becomes so serious that the driver and the conductor has to seek Police help. At times there are practical difficulties.

What are the steps you initiate to create awareness among the bus drivers’ and conductors’?

RG:

According to a concept of IGP Victor Perera, every Police station has set up a security committee which comprises bus operators, traders and many members of the civil society in addition to Police Officers themselves.

Through these committees we have given enough instructions. This happened throughout the island. A shortcoming I see is the lack of knowledge in detecting explosives.

GW:

Recently we carried out a campaign in association with the Ministry of Transport making the drivers, conductors and passengers aware of the current situation.

We have conducted awareness programs initiated by the Police to educate drivers and conductors. We have pasted stickers in the buses advising the people to be vigilant. At every major bus-stop, a Police post is set up to check buses and passengers.

What sort of cooperation you expect from the passengers?

RG:

We need the sharp vigilance of the passengers. Public security will not be 100% successful if public cooperation is not received. This is a basic theory lying under successful public security measures because detection is the most important and the difficult part in averting disasters. At the moment we do have public vigilance to a certain level but it is not satisfactory.

As citizens it is their responsibility to be vigilant about their surroundings. And they have to be mindful of their responsibility.

GW:

Vigilance of the passengers is a must. We would be grateful if they can keep an eye on their surroundings while travelling. The moment they detect something suspicious they should inform the driver and the conductor and move out from the bus. That is not the problem.

The problem is safeguarding the lives of people. That is more important. On the other hand, now we see that if a person opposes checking his luggage all the other passengers support the driver and the conductor. And, almost all the passengers except for a very few, extend their fullest support. It is a great achievement.

Do you think the threat on public transport could be stopped with adequate measures?

RG:

This is a vast subject. Providing 100% security to the travelling public society is not practical. This is accepted throughout the world. Even if we use highly professional methods in providing security we can assure only 99.9% safety intact. This is the practical situation of security extended at any level, at any place.

GW:

It is not practical. This cannot be fully stopped. We can only minimize. The size of a bomb can be of a cake of soap. In a crowded bus it can easily go undetected. That is the difficulty of this situation. But we can greatly minimize the damage simply by being vigilant.

Are there any modern techniques on the card to enhance the safety of the public transportation?

RG:

What is necessary in assuring public security is implemented throughout the country. Setting up security committees, vigilant committees and different civil societies to get the utmost public support is already on process. The only lapse we see is the lack of vigilance on the part of the public.

In addition, we have requested the media, specially the radio channels which we hear aloud in many buses, to give a small reminder to the public during their programs. A mere fifteen seconds reminder would do! It would help to bring back the responsible passenger we want to see.

GW:

Well as per our capabilities the process seems to be adequate. Vigilance on the part of the passengers is at a very satisfactory level and is improving. In my view, we can take adequate measures to minimize the threat to a greater extent.