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COLOMBO: Sri Lankan security forces will leave nothing to chance as the ICC World Cup 2011 cricket extravaganza gets under way at the Hambantota stadium on February 20.
“We have done a threat assessment and have taken all precautions,” said Inspector General Mahinda Balasurya.
This was the biggest police mobilisation done in recent times. The police will be supported by the armed forces. Several agencies are included in providing security and will be supported by a team from Interpol.
The IG has been assigned the job of coordinating all the agencies. The following items will be barred from being carried into the stadiums: fire-arms, crackers, smoke-bombs, knives, sharp-edged weapons, glass bottles, tin cans, alcohol, poles carrying flags, musical instruments, professional video-cameras, laser pointers and mirrors, and discriminatory and vulgar signages.
There would be no special treatment for anyone at the venues, barring the dignitaries and players. “I too will be walking from the gate. Hence, no question of anyone asking to take vehicles in,” he said.
Major General (retd.) Lawrence Fernando, security chief, Sri Lanka Cricket Board, said that the ICC had a security directorate and the three host countries had a separate directorate each. “We [Sri Lanka Cricket] coordinate everything. We want to have an incident-free world cup,” he said. The security will be constantly reviewed by Mr. Balasurya, the country's topmost police officer, to ensure there were no coordination problems, and also to provide a high level of security for all matches.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that his country was honoured to once again be a co-host of the World Cup and looked forward to welcoming the nine foreign teams arriving here to participate in the tournament.He said that the enthusiasm for cricket in Sri Lanka had only increased, with this year being Sri Lanka's 10th instance of participation in the eagerly awaited international sporting event. “There is much enthusiasm in Sri Lanka for the World Cup this year too, with our people poised to cheer their cricketing heroes on,” he said.
“We have done a threat assessment and have taken all precautions,” said Inspector General Mahinda Balasurya.
This was the biggest police mobilisation done in recent times. The police will be supported by the armed forces. Several agencies are included in providing security and will be supported by a team from Interpol.
The IG has been assigned the job of coordinating all the agencies. The following items will be barred from being carried into the stadiums: fire-arms, crackers, smoke-bombs, knives, sharp-edged weapons, glass bottles, tin cans, alcohol, poles carrying flags, musical instruments, professional video-cameras, laser pointers and mirrors, and discriminatory and vulgar signages.
There would be no special treatment for anyone at the venues, barring the dignitaries and players. “I too will be walking from the gate. Hence, no question of anyone asking to take vehicles in,” he said.
Major General (retd.) Lawrence Fernando, security chief, Sri Lanka Cricket Board, said that the ICC had a security directorate and the three host countries had a separate directorate each. “We [Sri Lanka Cricket] coordinate everything. We want to have an incident-free world cup,” he said. The security will be constantly reviewed by Mr. Balasurya, the country's topmost police officer, to ensure there were no coordination problems, and also to provide a high level of security for all matches.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that his country was honoured to once again be a co-host of the World Cup and looked forward to welcoming the nine foreign teams arriving here to participate in the tournament.He said that the enthusiasm for cricket in Sri Lanka had only increased, with this year being Sri Lanka's 10th instance of participation in the eagerly awaited international sporting event. “There is much enthusiasm in Sri Lanka for the World Cup this year too, with our people poised to cheer their cricketing heroes on,” he said.
