• Latest
  • Trending

Criminalizing politics and politicizing crime

April 30, 2018
Roshan Abeysundara to swim across Palk Strait from Talaimannar to Dhanushkodi and back

Roshan Abeysundara to swim across Palk Strait from Talaimannar to Dhanushkodi and back

April 10, 2021
India’s COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing capacity is being enhanced

India’s COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing capacity is being enhanced

April 10, 2021
The name of Farhan Akhtar's Marvel project was not revealed. (Photo: Farhan Akhtar/Instagram)

Farhan Akhtar shooting for secret Marvel project in Thailand

April 10, 2021
Image credits - Jeremy Bishop / Unsplash

Egyptologists uncover ‘lost golden city’ buried under the sands

April 10, 2021
Passport. Image credits - Spencer Davis / Unsplash

E-passports to be introduced in Pakistan by June

April 10, 2021
Image credits - Ishan @seefromthesky / Unsplash

Sri Lanka seeks $17 million from Greek ship owner over oil spill

April 10, 2021
RCB. Image credits - Royal Challengers Bangalore @RCBTweets / Twitter

Bangalore stun champions Mumbai as IPL begins with an upset

April 10, 2021
India. Image credits - Atharva Tulsi / Unsplash

India reports a record 145,384 COVID-19 infections

April 10, 2021
Vaccine. Image credits - Hakan Nural / Unsplash

Unwanted vaccines needed to help poor countries catch up, international health officials say

April 10, 2021
Image credits -

China fines Alibaba record $2.75 billion for anti-monopoly violations

April 10, 2021
Colombo. Image credits - @tk.Shakir (Taikhoom ShakirHussain)

Random antigen and PCR tests to be conducted islandwide in Sri Lanka from today

April 10, 2021
Caroline Jurie slams Mrs. Sri Lanka pageant

Caroline Jurie slams Mrs. Sri Lanka pageant

April 10, 2021
  • About Us
  • Advertisements
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
Saturday, April 10, 2021
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
NewsIn.Asia
  • Home
  • Around South Asia
    • All
    • Afghanistan
    • Bangladesh
    • Bhutan
    • China
    • India
    • Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Pakistan
    • Sri Lanka
    Roshan Abeysundara to swim across Palk Strait from Talaimannar to Dhanushkodi and back

    Roshan Abeysundara to swim across Palk Strait from Talaimannar to Dhanushkodi and back

    India’s COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing capacity is being enhanced

    India’s COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing capacity is being enhanced

    The name of Farhan Akhtar's Marvel project was not revealed. (Photo: Farhan Akhtar/Instagram)

    Farhan Akhtar shooting for secret Marvel project in Thailand

    Image credits - Ishan @seefromthesky / Unsplash

    Sri Lanka seeks $17 million from Greek ship owner over oil spill

    RCB. Image credits - Royal Challengers Bangalore @RCBTweets / Twitter

    Bangalore stun champions Mumbai as IPL begins with an upset

    India. Image credits - Atharva Tulsi / Unsplash

    India reports a record 145,384 COVID-19 infections

    Image credits -

    China fines Alibaba record $2.75 billion for anti-monopoly violations

    Colombo. Image credits - @tk.Shakir (Taikhoom ShakirHussain)

    Random antigen and PCR tests to be conducted islandwide in Sri Lanka from today

    Caroline Jurie slams Mrs. Sri Lanka pageant

    Caroline Jurie slams Mrs. Sri Lanka pageant

  • World
    • All
    • Japan
    • Russia
    • United States
    Image credits - Jeremy Bishop / Unsplash

    Egyptologists uncover ‘lost golden city’ buried under the sands

    India. Image credits - Atharva Tulsi / Unsplash

    India reports a record 145,384 COVID-19 infections

    Vaccine. Image credits - Hakan Nural / Unsplash

    Unwanted vaccines needed to help poor countries catch up, international health officials say

    Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, has died

    Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, has died

    Disneyland. Image credits - Kon Karampelas / Unsplash

    Sri Lanka will build South Asia’s first Disneyland

    Image credits - Adam Gonzales / Unsplash

    Singapore becomes a global cruise leader, for now

    Covid-19. Image credits - Hakan Nural / Unsplash

    Clear link between AstraZeneca vaccine and rare blood clots in brain, EMA official tells paper

    Image credits - Tim Bennett @timbennettcreative / Unsplash

    Facebook does not plan to notify half-billion users affected by data leak

    Image credits - Laine Cooper @laine23 / Unsplash

    China sends more jets; Taiwan says it will fight to the end if there’s war

  • Business
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Gaming
    • Movie
    • Music
    • Series
    The name of Farhan Akhtar's Marvel project was not revealed. (Photo: Farhan Akhtar/Instagram)

    Farhan Akhtar shooting for secret Marvel project in Thailand

    SAG Awards 2019. Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock

    Key winners at the 2021 Screen Actors Guild Awards

    The tragic life of Bollywood’s ethereal beauty

    The tragic life of Bollywood’s ethereal beauty

    © Photograph: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Busy … George RR Martin.

    George RR Martin signs five-year, eight-figure deal for more HBO projects

    Art across the Palk Strait

    Art across the Palk Strait

    Marvel - Black Widow

    Marvel couldn’t wait any longer to kick off its next phase of movies and shows

    Image credits - Glenn Carstens-Peters / Unsplash

    Amazon Prime Video to produce its first Bollywood film in India

    Image credits - The Verge

    Justice League: After four years and countless tweets, the Snyder Cut is here

    Instagram to filter unwanted messages to teenagers from adults

    Instagram to filter unwanted messages to teenagers from adults

  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Health
    • Science
    • Travel
    Pakistani dates tickle Lankan taste buds

    Pakistani dates tickle Lankan taste buds

    Image credits - Adam Gonzales / Unsplash

    Singapore becomes a global cruise leader, for now

    Covid-19. Image credits - Hakan Nural / Unsplash

    Clear link between AstraZeneca vaccine and rare blood clots in brain, EMA official tells paper

    Image credits - Lukas Blazek / Unsplash

    Is Big Tech going off remote working?

    Image credits - JC Gellidon / Unsplash

    A third of COVID survivors suffer neurological or mental disorders: study

    2456 Chinese nationals given the first dose of Sinopharm vaccine

    2456 Chinese nationals given the first dose of Sinopharm vaccine

    Image credits - Gene Gallin / Unsplash

    Hula hooping is the latest pandemic at-home workout

    India has not banned export of COVID-19 vaccine

    India has not banned export of COVID-19 vaccine

    Image credits - Pushpak Dsilva / Unsplash

    Chocolate makers have sweet-loving Indians in their sights

    Image credits - Hakan Nural / Unsplash

    Scientist behind coronavirus shot says next target is cancer

    Trending Tags

    • Golden Globes
    • Mr. Robot
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Climate Change
    • Flat Earth
  • Tech
    Image credits - Tim Bennett @timbennettcreative / Unsplash

    Facebook does not plan to notify half-billion users affected by data leak

    Image credits - Lukas Blazek / Unsplash

    Is Big Tech going off remote working?

    Facebook. Image credits - Solen Feyissa @solenfeyissa

    Here’s how to tell if your Facebook account was one of the half-billion that were breached

    Image credits - John123521 / Wikimedia

    LG Electronics says it will end production and sales of its loss-making smartphone division

    Facebook. Image credits - Solen Feyissa @solenfeyissa

    533 million Facebook users’ phone numbers and personal data have been leaked online

    Image credits - Mika Baumeister / Unsplash

    What­sApp font tricks that you should know

    Trending Tags

    • Sillicon Valley
    • Climate Change
    • Election Results
    • Flat Earth
    • Golden Globes
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Mr. Robot
  • Coronavirus
  • Home
  • Around South Asia
    • All
    • Afghanistan
    • Bangladesh
    • Bhutan
    • China
    • India
    • Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Pakistan
    • Sri Lanka
    Roshan Abeysundara to swim across Palk Strait from Talaimannar to Dhanushkodi and back

    Roshan Abeysundara to swim across Palk Strait from Talaimannar to Dhanushkodi and back

    India’s COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing capacity is being enhanced

    India’s COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing capacity is being enhanced

    The name of Farhan Akhtar's Marvel project was not revealed. (Photo: Farhan Akhtar/Instagram)

    Farhan Akhtar shooting for secret Marvel project in Thailand

    Image credits - Ishan @seefromthesky / Unsplash

    Sri Lanka seeks $17 million from Greek ship owner over oil spill

    RCB. Image credits - Royal Challengers Bangalore @RCBTweets / Twitter

    Bangalore stun champions Mumbai as IPL begins with an upset

    India. Image credits - Atharva Tulsi / Unsplash

    India reports a record 145,384 COVID-19 infections

    Image credits -

    China fines Alibaba record $2.75 billion for anti-monopoly violations

    Colombo. Image credits - @tk.Shakir (Taikhoom ShakirHussain)

    Random antigen and PCR tests to be conducted islandwide in Sri Lanka from today

    Caroline Jurie slams Mrs. Sri Lanka pageant

    Caroline Jurie slams Mrs. Sri Lanka pageant

  • World
    • All
    • Japan
    • Russia
    • United States
    Image credits - Jeremy Bishop / Unsplash

    Egyptologists uncover ‘lost golden city’ buried under the sands

    India. Image credits - Atharva Tulsi / Unsplash

    India reports a record 145,384 COVID-19 infections

    Vaccine. Image credits - Hakan Nural / Unsplash

    Unwanted vaccines needed to help poor countries catch up, international health officials say

    Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, has died

    Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, has died

    Disneyland. Image credits - Kon Karampelas / Unsplash

    Sri Lanka will build South Asia’s first Disneyland

    Image credits - Adam Gonzales / Unsplash

    Singapore becomes a global cruise leader, for now

    Covid-19. Image credits - Hakan Nural / Unsplash

    Clear link between AstraZeneca vaccine and rare blood clots in brain, EMA official tells paper

    Image credits - Tim Bennett @timbennettcreative / Unsplash

    Facebook does not plan to notify half-billion users affected by data leak

    Image credits - Laine Cooper @laine23 / Unsplash

    China sends more jets; Taiwan says it will fight to the end if there’s war

  • Business
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Gaming
    • Movie
    • Music
    • Series
    The name of Farhan Akhtar's Marvel project was not revealed. (Photo: Farhan Akhtar/Instagram)

    Farhan Akhtar shooting for secret Marvel project in Thailand

    SAG Awards 2019. Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock

    Key winners at the 2021 Screen Actors Guild Awards

    The tragic life of Bollywood’s ethereal beauty

    The tragic life of Bollywood’s ethereal beauty

    © Photograph: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Busy … George RR Martin.

    George RR Martin signs five-year, eight-figure deal for more HBO projects

    Art across the Palk Strait

    Art across the Palk Strait

    Marvel - Black Widow

    Marvel couldn’t wait any longer to kick off its next phase of movies and shows

    Image credits - Glenn Carstens-Peters / Unsplash

    Amazon Prime Video to produce its first Bollywood film in India

    Image credits - The Verge

    Justice League: After four years and countless tweets, the Snyder Cut is here

    Instagram to filter unwanted messages to teenagers from adults

    Instagram to filter unwanted messages to teenagers from adults

  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Health
    • Science
    • Travel
    Pakistani dates tickle Lankan taste buds

    Pakistani dates tickle Lankan taste buds

    Image credits - Adam Gonzales / Unsplash

    Singapore becomes a global cruise leader, for now

    Covid-19. Image credits - Hakan Nural / Unsplash

    Clear link between AstraZeneca vaccine and rare blood clots in brain, EMA official tells paper

    Image credits - Lukas Blazek / Unsplash

    Is Big Tech going off remote working?

    Image credits - JC Gellidon / Unsplash

    A third of COVID survivors suffer neurological or mental disorders: study

    2456 Chinese nationals given the first dose of Sinopharm vaccine

    2456 Chinese nationals given the first dose of Sinopharm vaccine

    Image credits - Gene Gallin / Unsplash

    Hula hooping is the latest pandemic at-home workout

    India has not banned export of COVID-19 vaccine

    India has not banned export of COVID-19 vaccine

    Image credits - Pushpak Dsilva / Unsplash

    Chocolate makers have sweet-loving Indians in their sights

    Image credits - Hakan Nural / Unsplash

    Scientist behind coronavirus shot says next target is cancer

    Trending Tags

    • Golden Globes
    • Mr. Robot
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Climate Change
    • Flat Earth
  • Tech
    Image credits - Tim Bennett @timbennettcreative / Unsplash

    Facebook does not plan to notify half-billion users affected by data leak

    Image credits - Lukas Blazek / Unsplash

    Is Big Tech going off remote working?

    Facebook. Image credits - Solen Feyissa @solenfeyissa

    Here’s how to tell if your Facebook account was one of the half-billion that were breached

    Image credits - John123521 / Wikimedia

    LG Electronics says it will end production and sales of its loss-making smartphone division

    Facebook. Image credits - Solen Feyissa @solenfeyissa

    533 million Facebook users’ phone numbers and personal data have been leaked online

    Image credits - Mika Baumeister / Unsplash

    What­sApp font tricks that you should know

    Trending Tags

    • Sillicon Valley
    • Climate Change
    • Election Results
    • Flat Earth
    • Golden Globes
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Mr. Robot
  • Coronavirus
No Result
View All Result
NewsIn.Asia
No Result
View All Result
Home Around South Asia Sri Lanka

Criminalizing politics and politicizing crime

Editor by Editor
April 30, 2018
in Sri Lanka, Top Story
Reading Time: 5min read
1 1
Share on WhatsApp

Veeragathy Thanabalasingham/Daily Express

Each time a horrific crime hits the headlines, ministers and police top brass make solemn avowals that stringent action will be taken against the perpetrators and that effective deterrent measures will be taken to ensure that such crimes are not repeated.

But like all promises, these are also put on the back burner, until another serious crime occurs. Then these promises are brushed up and renewed, only for the cycle to be repeated again, and again.

After Maithripala Sirisena came to power in the 2015 Presidential election, the disruption of law and order, violence and criminal activities appeared to have considerably subsided all over the country.

But that seems to have changed in the past few months with the sudden upsurge in violent incidents and serious crimes.

And violent incidents that range from gun fights to murder and underworld gang rivalry, is not limited to the South. Even in the North and East, which were devastated by three decades of civil war and is struggling to come back to normalcy, serious crimes including murder, sexual violence and robbery have been rampant.

In Jaffna peninsula, sword-wielding gangs most of whom are in their twenties are running amok despite the prevalence of heavy army and police security. Sexual crimes are also reported as being relatively high in the peninsula and residents are at a loss to understand how these gang members are able to move freely with dangerous weapons, even in broad daylight, and engage in criminal activities, without being detected by the law enforcement authorities.

Meanwhile, the recent upsurge in violence against foreigners, especially women, by perpetrators with political connections has once again noticed world wide because of media coverage.

After the incidents in Mirissa, where two female tourists were alleged to have been sexually assaulted and several others who attempted to save them were brutally attacked, and in Midigama where a group of Dutch tourists were attacked, the government vowed action against all perpetrators irrespective of their allegiances.

And while a number of the perpetrators were arrested and remanded, the police top brass and politicians have gone on record saying everything was being done to ensure the safety of the tourists.

The media, quoting some eye witnesses, reported that a powerful ruling party politician was sighted where the attackers were boozing prior to the attack. It is worth noting that both the Mirissa and Midigama incidents occurred in the same police area.

There is no gainsaying that police more often than not swing into action long after the crimes are committed and the damage is done.

Sex offences are not unknown in the tourist areas in Sri Lanka. Many such incidents have been reported in the past, with some of the offenders even being sent to jail. But jail terms don’t seem to have a deterrent effect if the recent tourists related crimes are any indication.

Waking up to the reality of the damage done to tourism by these violent incidents, the government swung into damage control mode, requesting the foreign diplomats in Colombo to persuade their compatriots to visit Sri Lanka, pledging that strong security measures are in place to ensure the safety of tourists.

In this backdrop, it heartening to note that many socially conscious people have via newspaper columns pointed out the irony of violence and criminal offences intensifying in many parts of the country nine years after the guns in the North and East fell silent, and urged that the root causes of the rising violence be investigated.

This writer’s attention was drawn to a comment by Kishali Pinto Jayawardene, a leading political columnist and a civil rights activist lawyer, in a weekend English paper last week.

Convinced that the continuous violence and criminal activities are the result of the impact of the culture of violence nurtured during the war, she wrote: “What happened at Mirissa and Midigama were not isolated incidents but reflections of a daily lived reality in Sri Lanka, not only for tourists but also for citizens, where at any given point, the law can yield to bestiality with catastrophic consequences. That is what war, political savagery and abandonment of the Rule of Law have brought about for this country.”

There is no gainsaying that nearly 30 years of war had brutalized Sri Lankan society. Killing had become common place often justified for political reasons. But there has been no tangible action by successive governments and political class to change the situation. What we are experiencing now is the degeneration of society where murder has come to be seen as an ordinary weapon for settling disputes whether they be personal, political or economic.

Most Sri Lankans, particularly Buddhists are fond of referring to the country as an ‘island of peace, wedded to the doctrine maithri and non- violence’.  The first Buddhist precept, which is intoned by every Buddhist at the temple on poya days is; ‘I shall not kill’. Despite this, not only does Sri Lanka possess the highest crime rate in Asia it also has become a land of frequent communal violence.

Small time armed robberies have become common

It is not an exaggeration to say that killing has become a business – reminding us of the gangster killings in Chicago. It may be that we have not reached American standards. But, we are certainly well on the way to it.

It is ironic to note that even Buddhist priests, didn’t just advocate the killing of Tamil militants during the war, but even blessed the security forces that went to do a murderous job. There had been even instances of Buddhist monks disrobing themselves in order to join the army.

One thing should be said about Buddhist doctrine is that the Buddha never compromised on his commitment to non-violence. He did not condone the killing of man by man.

On the one hand, in the name of ‘liberation struggle’ internecine warfare between Tamil militant groups was encouraged in the North and East resulting in the death of hundreds of youth in the initial phase of the war.  And killing was justified.

Even when innocent civilians who disagreed with the militants for genuine reasons were branded as ‘traitors’ and subjected to lamppost killings. Tamil society couldn’t condemn it fearing repercussions. It was argued by the militant groups that loss of life was inevitable in a freedom struggle and they even went to the extent of justifying their unfair actions, thus paving the way for the promotion of a culture of violence.

The other significant reason for the rise in violence and killings are the nefarious activities of the underworld and unscrupulous activities of the new class of capitalists with enormous political clout at the highest level, who are notorious for their lavish spending habits and complete lack of respect for law and order.

These men and their women are to be seen every evening at the liquor bars of the five star hotels and in the posh casinos that have sprung up all over Colombo.

There have been several instances where foreign tourists had been attacked and women molested by these ‘new rich men’.

It is no secret that hundreds of thousands of rupees are gambled away every night at these casinos, most of which are foreign owned. As this sort of money can be accumulated only through illegal means, it follows that such money can only be protected either by heavily bribing politicians, the customs or police officers. This has led to politics becoming criminalized and crime becoming politicized.

(The featured image at the top shows the Central Bond Scam accused being brought to court)

SendShare15Tweet1ShareShare
Editor

Editor

Recommended Articles

  • All
  • Recommend
Roshan Abeysundara to swim across Palk Strait from Talaimannar to Dhanushkodi and back

Roshan Abeysundara to swim across Palk Strait from Talaimannar to Dhanushkodi and back

April 10, 2021
Disneyland. Image credits - Kon Karampelas / Unsplash

Sri Lanka will build South Asia’s first Disneyland

April 8, 2021
Image credits - Gene Gallin / Unsplash

Hula hooping is the latest pandemic at-home workout

April 6, 2021
The tragic life of Bollywood’s ethereal beauty

The tragic life of Bollywood’s ethereal beauty

April 4, 2021
Accused in the killing of Lankan tusker shouldn’t have been given bail: Counsel

Accused in the killing of Lankan tusker shouldn’t have been given bail: Counsel

April 4, 2021
Image credits - orstensimon / Pixabay

Will Sri Lanka face a shortage of vaccines for the second dose?

April 3, 2021

Advertorial

  • All
  • Advertorial
Visual and Textual Analysis for Images with Reverse Search Tools

Visual and Textual Analysis for Images with Reverse Search Tools

January 3, 2021

Popular Now

  • Disneyland. Image credits - Kon Karampelas / Unsplash

    Sri Lanka will build South Asia’s first Disneyland

    246 shares
    Share 98 Tweet 62
  • World body says contestants participating in international pageant must be married

    43 shares
    Share 17 Tweet 11
  • Singapore becomes a global cruise leader, for now

    34 shares
    Share 14 Tweet 9
  • Mrs. World Caroline Jurie arrested in Sri Lanka

    27 shares
    Share 11 Tweet 7
  • When beauty became ugly

    16 shares
    Share 6 Tweet 4
  • About Us
  • Advertisements
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

© 2020 NewsIn.Asia - Lovingly maintained by DigitalArc.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Around South Asia
    • Afghanistan
    • Bangladesh
    • Bhutan
    • China
    • India
    • Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Pakistan
    • Sri Lanka
  • Around The World
  • Breaking News
  • Business
    • Exchange
  • Climate Change
  • Governance
    • Crime
    • Diplomacy
    • Defense
    • Human Rights
    • Politics
    • Strategic Affairs
  • Lifestyle
    • Books
    • Entertainment
      • Arts
      • Cinema
      • Gaming
      • Music
      • Movie
      • Series
      • TV
    • Health
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
  • Culture
    • Ethnicity
    • Gender
  • Development news
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Coronavirus
  • History
  • National
  • Offbeat
    • Media
    • Music and arts across South Asia
  • Recommended
    • Headlines
    • Highlights
    • Top Picture
    • Top Story
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Cricket
      • LPL
      • IPL
    • Tennis
    • Formula 1
    • NBA
  • Tech
    • Instagram
  • United Nations
  • Weather
  • World
    • Japan
    • Russia
    • United States

© 2020 NewsIn.Asia - Lovingly maintained by DigitalArc.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In