Opposition MPs security is now in President’s hand?

• IGP informs Opposition MPs that the matter involving  their security will be referred to the President and the Public Security  Minister for further action   
• Opposition MPs want security to carry out their political  activities without any hindrance in a safer environment and take  further action after obtaining a threat assessment report as the next  step

By Ajith Siriwardana   

In the wake of controversy surrounding the security of  opposition MPs in Parliament, Inspector General of Police Priyantha  Weerasooriya has informed the Opposition MPs that the matter involving  their security will be referred to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake  and the Public Security Minister for further action.   

The matter concerning the security of opposition MPs was  discussed during a meeting convened by Speaker Jagath Wickramarante  yesterday, and attended by the IGP, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa  and a group of opposition MPs following a request made by the  opposition.   

Security of all government and opposition MPs was removed  after the National People’s Power (NPP) government came to power, which  they called as a policy decision.

However, with the escalation of murders committed by  organised criminal gangs, which includes the recent killing of SJB’s  Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Lasantha Wickramasekara, the  opposition demanded security for their MPs. According to the Communications Department of Parliament,  the opposition has requested for security for all opposition MPs, for  which the Speaker has said that the IGP had been informed to take  necessary action regarding the requests that had already been made by  some MPs for security.   

He had also told the MPs that he had acted regarding the  MPs’ request for security despite the government’s policy decision on  their security and pointed out that actions had already been taken to  provide security to some MPs.   

Opposition MPs have pointed out that, as the first step,  opposition MPs must be provided with security to carry out their  political activities without any hindrance in a safer environment and  take further action after obtaining a threat assessment report as the  next step.   

SJB MP Jagath Vithana, who is reported to have received death  threats as revealed by the IGP, told reporters after the discussion that  Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya expressed regret  over the statement he had made in Kandy.   

MP Vithana said the IGP informed him that he had threats from several groups and assured to pay special attention to the matter.