Sunday Times 2
The need to demilitarise Lanka’s post-war police
During the 1950s serious endeavours were made by the Ceylon Police, as it was then known, to break away from the colonial past and make it a people friendly service.
When Osmund de Silva was the Inspector General of Police, emphasis was given to police-public relations by way of Police Gazette Notifications, outlining the courses of action and their purpose. This streamlining of the police was zealously carried out and it paid dividends. That period could be described as the golden age of the Police — not only from the point of view of the police, but also from the public angle. The people loved the Police. The proof was that able bodied youth from the cream of society opted to join the Police as their first choice.
Unfortunately, the two JVP insurrections in 1971 and 1987-89; Constitutional changes since 1972, and Tamil terrorism since1975 had their toll on the functioning of the Police. Police intelligence warned governments of the impending danger, but Governments failed to find political solutions to the political problems. Normal police work fell into abeyance as Police were called upon to do military work. New police cadres were given crash training courses on military lines by the military and sent out to operational areas.
When the war ended we were left with a Police Force that was greatly military trained and this did not go well with the people. To revert to the Police Service that the people deserve, it was first necessary to de-train police officers from the military training and the attitudes that go with it, and re-train them on more civilian lines of police-public relations. Unfortunately there does not seem to be any political will in this direction.
In December 2011, I had the privilege of touring the Northern Province extensively. The Kilinochchi District was of special interest to me. My article titled “Kilinochchi is all smiles, but don’t forget the lessons from the past”, was carried in the Sunday Times of January 1, 2012. In that article I highlighted the work done by DIG Kilinochchi Niel Daluwatta under the guidance of S/DIG Northern Range Gamini Silva, to win the hearts and minds of the people in the Kilinochchi District.
Of special significance was the fact that the DIG had first made a study of the needs and aspirations of the people, their culture and religious pursuits, and then helped them in keeping with their own aspirations. If I may put it this way, the police did not try to teach the ‘grandmother to suck eggs’. On the other hand, the pervading military presence occupying their lands and involving in agriculture and commercial pursuits, was resented by the people. But unfortunately militarisation is going on.
Militarisation is not confined to the Northern Province. It is spreading throughout the country and appears to be for its own sake. Rather than help in maintaining law and order, acts of impunity on the part of State agencies treading on the rights of the people are increasing by the day. Adding to this phenomenon are moves to give police powers to the military. That’s not all – the latest is a sudden urge to amend the Police Ordinance. In this connection I make reference to the draft response of Dr Frank de Silva, a former Inspector General of Police: “The Ministry of Law and Order (MLO) has called for representations from the public for suggestions to amend the Police Ordinance (PO) through notices and the Ministry website”.
The heading of his response reads: “There is no credible reason to amend the PO which has stood well for nearly one hundred and fifty years. The reasons offered by the MLO for amendments to the PO are vague and superficial. If the terms of reference were drawn up by experts in the MLO, the terms reflect a want of depth in perception and shortage of conception in the proposition. It is difficult however to conclude that the whole exercise is in want of competence, unless this is only a cover for some other purpose.” (emphasis mine)
He also points out in the body of his elaborate response letter that “in none of the law and order crises, had the relevance of the Police Ordinance brought into question.” There is speculation that the proposed amendments to the Police Ordinance will militarise the Police. Ominous signs are perceived that the country is moving speedily towards militarisation. If I may warn of the dire consequences of such amendments, I quote: “There is reason we separate military and the police: one fights the enemy of the state, the other serves and protects the people. When the military becomes both, then the enemies of the state tend to become the people.” – Commander William Adama, in Battleststar Galectica.
The writer is a Rtd Senior Superintendent of Police and former director/Special Branch.