The response of the political establishment to the killing of a British tourist in Tangalle points to a story as tragic as the murder itself. In the immediate aftermath of the Christmas day incident representatives of both the government and the opposition have been quoted lamenting its possible fallout on the tourism industry, and expressing regret that the country 'would not be able to reach its target of one million tourists.'

It appears that the concern uppermost in the minds of both government and opposition politicians is the loss of tourism revenue that might result from the horrid incident, and not the slur on the reputation of the country and its people, nor what it says about the sorry state of law and order. A visitor who chose Sri Lanka as a destination where he thought he could relax and unwind, ended up paying with his life. His female companion who was also injured in the attack was allegedly sexually assaulted, and if she survives, will probably be traumatized for life.

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa's assurance to UNP parliamentarians that an independent investigation would be conducted regardless of political affiliations of the culprits, is welcome. But it remains to be seen whether the episode will jolt the regime into a realization of the urgent need to clean up its act, and rid the establishment of those who bring it into such disrepute.

Some officials have expressed the view that this was an 'isolated incident,' implying that therefore it could be dismissed lightly. While it is true that attacks on tourists are rare and in that sense the incident was 'isolated,' the involvement of politicians in crime is by no means an 'isolated' activity. The chief suspect in this case is the Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha chairman. He is not the first government representative to be associated with an armed assault of the kind witnessed at the Tangalle resort. Nor is this the first criminal act in which this particular local government councillor is believed to have been involved.

A group of people calling themselves "Law abiding citizens of Tangalle" have reportedly written a letter to the police chief in which they claim that the same PS chairman's name was linked to a shooting incident in the run up to the January 2010 presidential election. In this incident, a woman was killed and many others were injured while travelling by bus to a UNP meeting. He was also said to have been involved in the shooting incident at a local government election rally addressed by Sajith Premadasa at Walasmulla, Hambantota on March 4. The group alleged that this man had the patronage of a powerful politician. The UNP's Hambantota MP Dilip Wedarachchi told the media that this man in fact 'terrorized Tangalle.'

Three sets of local government elections to a total of 322 local councils were held on a staggered basis during the course of last year. There has been strong condemnation of intra-party violence that characterized these election campaigns -- particularly after the murder of presidential advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra in October. But the post mortems on these polls do not appear to give equal attention to another aspect of the political violence - which is the dubious character of the candidates who come forward for local and provincial level elections, and whose names appear on the nomination lists of the main parties. During the March 2011 phase of the local government elections it was reported that out of 140 persons hauled up by police over election related offences no less than 15 of those arrested were candidates themselves. Asked to comment, a high ranking police official frankly stated that "some (candidates) are criminals."

The casket containing the body of the slain British national is seen transfered into a van. Pic by Krishan Jeevaka Jayaruk

Within days of the Tangalle incident, the body of a Minuwangoda urban councillor was discovered in Kotadeniyawa - a case that the police are investigating as a suspected murder. According to reports the victim, who had been a bodyguard of Gampaha district UPFA MP Upeksha Swarnamali, had links with an underworld leader. A question that arises is how persons with underworld links end up on the staff of government MPs? Another puzzle is how such persons get their names onto the party nomination lists for local government elections.

One cannot help but wonder what kind of screening takes place at the time these lists are compiled. Office bearers within the party hierarchy must surely take responsibility for this.

Have local government bodies simply become a convenient roost for the personal goon squads of powerful MPs - where they are readily at hand to do their 'dirty work' as and when the need arises? For these favours, it appears, these political henchmen are rewarded with the perks that go with their local government positions, such as duty free vehicle permits, allowances etc. An 'unofficial privilege' they enjoy seems to be impunity to act above the law in their local neighbourhoods.

The government would need to act fast to neutralize this 'underworld nexus' - out of enlightened self interest if not any other reason. It has been pointed out many a time that such a move would require a concerted effort to disarm all those in possession of unauthorized weapons, and a paradigm shift that would allow the police to carry out their duties without political interference.

An indulgent attitude towards criminal elements within its fold could well be the regime's undoing. Signs of this unravelling process have already appeared in the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha, whose UPFA members have gone public at a news conference with strident allegations of extortion, corruption and underworld links, levelled against Minister Mervyn Silva - their one-time patron.