GOVERNMENT WORKING WITH OPERATORS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO PREVENT TERRORISTS EXPLODING BUS BOMBS FURTHER IN SRI LANKA

By Walter Jayawardhana

The Sri Lanka government has ordered operators of public transportation-both state owned and privately owned- not to operate any bus or train without a certificate being issued after a security inspection by time keepers following two buses had been exploded allegedly by terrorist bombs of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam .

Police officers visited bus terminals like the Pettah Central Bus Station and personally instructed time keepers, bus operators and conductors and explained to them the new measures being implemented immediately for the protection of the public who use public transportation in the country ravaged by bus bombs .

Hereafter all packages carried by passengers will be subjected to inspection to prevent terrorists carrying bombs in the buses the police said.

The police said all passengers are requested to cooperate with law enforcement authorities for the new measures being implemented for their own protection.

At the meantime buses and trains have been requested not to overload as a security measure. Security inspections in train carriages before journeys have been ordered by the police.

Gemunu Wijeratne, the President of the private bus owners association have already conveyed the new measures to all their members, he said.

Meantime, even passengers who will be getting into buses outside bus terminal will be also subjected to inspection before the buses start running after loading such passengers.

Trnasportation Minister A.H. M. Fouzie said all office and workshop heads in the city have been instructed to pardon the delay of workers by one to one and one half hours due to to the new security measures being implemented.

When long distance buses stop for snacks or refreshments it has been the practice of both the driver and conductor of the bus to leave the bus exposing the buses to intruding terrorists. They have been instructed strictly to guard the buses while one is taking a break for a cup of tea.

The police said it is the duty of the passengers to see strict measures are applied for security when they notice lax on the part of the bus operators.

Police said it is the duty of the passengers to bring to the law enforcement authorities and the bus crews themselves of abandoned or unattended packages, since they could be parcel bombs left by the terrorists.

Police think the recent bombs that exploded in buses killing scores of people at Nittambuwa as well as Peraliya probably would have been introduced into the buses after the buses started their journeys from the terminals during such unguarded intervals.

Meanwhile Police requested passengers who escaped without being injured or injured and taking treatment in the hospitals to help the police identify individuals who carried the bombs in the buses since that could lead to trace other terrorists in cities like Colombo and eliminate them.

Sri Lanka Army spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said during the past few months great disasters in the city of Colombo could be avoided due to the vigilance of the public. He said similar vigilance is requested from the public continually.