Does the present regime encourage lawlessness & promote political thuggery?

*groundview journalism For citizens  4 Nov, 2011

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity
(The second coming – by W.B. Yeats – 1865 – 1939)

Considering the far too many incidents of violence and thuggery carried out recently with such impunity, one cannot blame the people if they raise this question. The government seems to rely heavily on thuggery and lawlessness to win elections and once in power to hold on to it. Any kind of protest or dissent is put down ruthlessly.Continue reading »

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Peace, Military and People: Are non-military engagements of the military valid?

Sri Lankan Army selling vegetables. Photo: Ministry of Defence – Sri Lanka War or internal armed conflict in the North and East was over; Emergency is no more; but still the military is everywhere. The military is now engaged in peacetime police-work, whale watching, selling vegetables, agriculture,  cleaning, constructions and many other non-military activities. Yet why isn’t there sufficient public debate on this? In this article I endeavor to briefly analyze some of the issues that need attention in the public interest. Engaging the military for non-military duties is regulated under the law. For example s.23 of the Army Act authorizes the President to order all or any of the member of the Regular Forces to perform certain non-military duties, provided the President is satisfied that there is an immediate threat of action to deprive the people of Sri Lanka of essentials of life by interfering with the supply and distribution of food, water, fuel or light or with means of…

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