Shooting wrongly targeted and ‘criminalised’ – NSSF
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NSSF President Shirantha Peries is leading a battle against the odds - File pic
Aftermath of the Easter Sunday terror attacks and the unfortunate events that followed, sports activities around Sri Lanka came to a standstill, with many events being forced to abandon or postpone. Despite the situation improving to a state where sports events are gradually coming back to life, one sport, in particular, is indirectly victimised due to its nature.
Air rifle and air pistol shooting and shotgun events, sports disciplines governed by the National Shooting Sports Federation of Sri Lanka (NSSF), have been in the receiving end even before the recent terror attacks, but after April 21, unconfirmed media reports have indirectly linked sports shooting ranges as training grounds of individuals, who are linked with groups involved in terrorist activities.
But Shirantha Peries, the President of NSSF, straightforwardly refuted such assumptions, explaining that such news items are ‘none other than attempts to take the law into their own hands and also criminalise a sport that has been in existence in Sri Lanka for many generations’.
“NSSF shooting disciplines have never being involved in any kind of criminal activity in Sri Lanka. Therefore victimising and criminalising a sport that has never being involved in any kind of criminal activity is complete false news being spread,” Peries explained.
Mr. Peries had to make this explanation following the situation of the country, as the NSSF was forced to clear its stable even without any involvement to what occurred around the country on Easter Sunday and afterwards.
Even before the present assumptions were made by the mainstream and social media, the NSSF activities were hampered by a sudden directive issued by the then Defence Secretary, Hemasiri Fernando, who issued an ‘urgent’ circular to ban all shooting ranges without a proper explanation.
The NSSF, on April 8, called a press conference to clarify the situation, as the ban affected the shooting sport activities of many clubs from Negombo, Kandy, Gampaha and Payagala, which is the only clay target shotgun affiliated to NSSF. The other ranges, despite having affiliations with the NSSF, are also members of the National Rifle Shooting Association (NRA), a non-Olympic shooting sport entity.
“As the President of NSSF, I know that most of these news that has been spread is because certain parties who were holding very high positions in the Ministry of Defence, while they were in the position they attempted to criminalise the sport. However, their failure to do so, neglecting their own responsibilities, led to many events in the country, which the public of Sri Lanka is aware of,” Peries’ further clarified.
Currently, the sport of shooting is practiced in Sri Lanka by over 7000 school children and by about over 500 adults. NSSF, is affiliated to the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) and is an Olympic sport, where Sri Lankan shooters have performed fairly. Air rifle and air pistol shooting disciplines witnessed a record high after 2015, with Sri Lanka Schools Shooting Sports Association, an affiliation of NSSF, making attempts to popularise the sport at school level.
“The beauty of shooting is, it’s a sports that teaches the participant discipline, self restrain, conduct and code from the very inception. This as a result, contributes immensely to the mental development as well as the discipline among the students of this country which this country lacks very much. Evidence of this could be found by just talking to parents of students who are involved in sport of shooting. They will bear witness to the change that they have experienced in their own child,” the NSSF President went on to detail out the positives of the sport.
Among the club shooting ranges available in Sri Lanka, the Clay Target Shooting Club in Payagala – the only range available in the country, the Puttalam Shooting Club – which only has an air rifle range, the Hill Country Sport Shooting Club – which has a range coming under the NRA disciplines, and the Negombo Rifle Club – which has a bit of both of NSSF and NRA disciplines, are the recognised ones.
“Besides these, there are no other private ranges in the country, therefore if someone is to publish a defamatory and unfair news item of this nature, they should come out specifically as to where, how and who are involved. By now, I’m sure that the proactive government forces of this country who have from then to now, protected the interest of the public of this country would have brought this to investigation.”
According to the NSSF President, such reports also indirectly criticises the government forces and high level officers, who have been source of protection, which he terms as ‘totally unfair’.
“This kind of activity must be stopped and dealt with severe force. Implementation of the law against these kind of people, who are trying to change the public minds of this country and through doing that, criminalising people who are not. Either those who are doing this are criminals or trying camouflage themselves behind false propaganda, or they are benefitting from the real criminals and are trying to diverge attention towards non-criminals, so that in the end the investigations will be futile. I hereby appeal to the President, the Defence Secretary and the Commanders of the Security Forces, to deal with these kind of news items severely and make sure they don’t get a wrong message towards the public, in order not to destroy a noble sport that has been in existence for many generations,” Peries, said in conclusion.
If nurtured properly shooting has the potential of bringing honour and glory to the country on the international arena through their medal winning prospects, and as Mr. Peries points out ‘it is important to understand that the sportsmen of a country are the best ambassadors that a country could have’.