20 Civil Security Committees to be set-up in Kotte : Minister Harsha De Silva

A total of 20 Civil Security Committees tasked with assisting the community Police will be established within the Kotte electoral district next week, Non-Cabinet Minister Harsha de Silva told Times Online.

"These security committees would comprise around 30 members each and would be set-up in each of the 20 Grama Niladhari Divisions within the Kotte electorate," Mr. Silva explained.

He further added that a meeting was held today at the Mirihana Police station comprising Grama Niladhari officers, School Principals and area residents to discuss regarding the establishment of these Security Committees.

"The previous committees had been functional during the war. However, they have been dormant since the war had ended," non-cabinet minister Silva said.

Mr. Silva explained that the committees would assist the community police officers by alerting them on any suspicious persons or activities within the area. A community police officer will serve in each Grama Niladhari Division within the Kotte electorate.

Commenting on the composition of these bodies, he noted that instructions have been issued to the Police, and the Divisional Secretaries in order to request the Condomonium Management Committees within the electorate to nominate one member each.

Area residents who have previously served in these committees could join at their discretion while other area residents too would be invited to join the same.

The members will be provided a letter comprising the signatory of the OIC in the area in order to certify themselves as members of these committees, the non-cabinet minister said. However, these members will be given an identity card accrediting themselves as committee members by next week, Mr. Silva added.

"These committees should be appointed across the country. However, I have started off by setting an example to others," he said.