Commentary: Over to you IGP!

Tuesday, 19 June 2007

President Rajapkse directed the IGP to take special measures to arrest the persons connected with killings, abductions and claiming ransom in Colombo and its suburbs.
President Rajapakse made this directive only after certain persons who had been abducted were found murdered.

There have been such acts of violence and human rights violations in the country in recent times. They have been on the increase daily. It is clear that there has been a powerful force operating behind these acts of violence.

President has made this order only after the situation had worsened and after the members of the public had expressed their displeasure and disappointment over such a trend.

Among the security forces of a country, it is the police force that has to work closely with the public. They have to ensure the security of the people. They must function in a manner that can earn the confidence of the people but one wonders whether these are observed by the police force in the country.

While the minority communities –Tamils and Muslims-live in fear following abductions, disappearances and killings, the police don’t seem to be seriously concerned over such offenses. That is why people have raised suspicion over the bona fide of the government and the security forces.

When there are charges of abductions, the IGP explained that there had not been any official complaints made to the police. Should the police wait for complaints to initiate inquiries? That is the question, we would like to pose to the IGP.

The conduct of the Inspector General of police over the excesses perpetrated on the minority communities in the past is not encouraging. It doesn’t appear to be fair.

We raise the question as to whether the IGP will act in a manner that can ensure credibility and responsibility following the directive by President Rajapakse.

An English translation of the Editorial in Thinakkural, a Tamil daily, based in Colombo.

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jay said:

The size and the magnitude of the killings, abductions and HR violations by the Srilankan military and the police had been brought into the open in international forums by HWR and other international bodies and Rajapakse had been asked to explain. Finding himself in a totally unexplainable situation, the Srilankan President has no choice but to direct the IGP to take action to arrest the persons connected with killings, abductions and claiming ransoms. The police following the government's orders are now in a predicarment.

Again how stupid can the IGP of Srilankan police force be, who says that there had not been official complaints so there is no action. The high handedness of the government, the military and the police is such when and if a complaint is lodged, it is common knowledge what will happen to the person making the complaint. The people are instilled with fear by the police. And again should the police wait for complaints to initiate inquiries?

The conduct of the Inspector General of police and the entire police force is itself a question mark. A bigger question mark hangs over the leadership because the police force and military comes directly under the President and his brothers who direct the government with the orders in the first place. Given a free hand to commit the atrocities, the military and the police take the law in their own hands and go on a rampage killing. To cover themselves up, the President now puts the blame on the police and the military for the violations and atrocities being committed on the tamils.

As for fairness, it never existed in the government when dealing with the tamil community; the words law, order, justice and fairness to the tamils - these words are alien to the government, the military and the police.

2007-06-19 13:05:13

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