Sri Lanka Police Is At Its Weakest: UNP

August 1, 2014 

Sri Lanka Police Service is presently undergoing its weakest phase since its establishment over a century ago and the sole responsibility of this situation has to be borne by the Rajapaksa regime, the UNP remarks.

Major General (Retd.) Nanda Mallawarachchi – Secretary to the MInistry of Law and order

Issuing a statement on the kidnapping of five year-old child from Meegalewa, the UNP has pointed out the incident is a reflection of the sorry plight Sri Lanka has come to.

“The situation has deteriorated to such a level that it is no longer possible to keep a child safe at home,” the statement reads adding that it is not simply the country’s economy, ethics or the judicial system that is in grave danger but the security of its citizens

The UNP has asserted the Rajapaksa-regime should bear full responsibility for collapse of rule of law in Sri Lanka, pointing out its a resultant effect of the Sri Lanka Police Service that bears the primary responsibility of maintaining law and order, turning into an extension of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party following the quashing of the 17th amendment.

“Independent, impartial and skilled official are no longer given a chance to full their duties,” he said.

Quoting statistics off a recent research in which it has been revealed at least five cases of child abuse occurs in Sri Lanka daily and the rise of murders, abductions and other crimes, the statement asserts hat dark shadows of politicians are luring behind these crimes.

Expressing concerns on the incident further, the statement has noted that those with the influence of politicos are convinced that the absence of rule of law and the irrelevance of laws for the powerful has made them invincible and will help them avoid any atrocity they have committed.

“These incidents should not occur in any civilized country and every possible step must be taken in order to ensure these crimes are curbed,” the UNP statement reads while calling upon the government and the law enforcement authorities to ensure the abduction of the five year-old boy or the distress of his aggrieved parents are not taken lightly.

Chanaka Amaratunga – Reflections After 18 Years

By Rajiva Wijesinha -August 1, 2014 

Chanaka Amaratunga died 18 years ago on August 1^st. Like Bishop Lakshman Wickremesinghe, he might have said that he had failed in everything he tried to do. But, like Bishop Lakshman, the impact of his thought continues, and with every day that passes the principles he enunciated seem more important.

Dr Chanaka Amaratunga

His masterwork was the volume of Ideas for Constitutional Reform which was based on widespread consultations with a range of parties and thinkers. He was a close friend of Gamini Dissanayake and Neelan Tiruchelvam, two exponents of liberal thought from different backgrounds, who were both victim of Tiger assassinations. These were lifelong friends, with whom he had much in common. But he was also close to Ranasinghe Premadasa, not only during what proved to be the last days of the latter, but also at the start of Chanaka’s own interest in politics.

This sprang from his deep affection for Dudley Senanayake, who he felt initially had been betrayed by J R Jayewardene. I myself thought then that J R had rescued the party from moribundity and introduced much needed reforms after his election victory in 1977, but Chanaka forcefully expressed a contrary view even in 1978. He told me then that he regretted that Premadasa had not gone on with his initial sympathy with the Dudley Front that UNP traditionalists had tried to develop.                                                                     Read More