Empty words on a police
calendar for new year
The Police has issued a colourful calendar for
2007. In every page there is a Police Badge and the following statement
in Sinhala:
“Service – We are committed with confidence to prevent
crime and terrorism, maintain peace, maintain and execute the law
in the island in a fair manner without any injustice to anyone.”
(my translation)
The Police badge depicts the Dhamma Chakra, ie,
the Wheel of the Dhamma denoting the Noble Eightfold Path and has
its motto clearly stated in the Pali language. This is a saying
of the Buddha. It means a person who treads the path of the Dhamma
is protected by the Dhamma.
A few days before the dawn of the New Year a TV
news telecast had this news item -- in 2006 the Police came first
in the list of bribe takers.
The Police motto is in Pali. It is possible that
the police personnel are clueless about its meaning and hence they
are treading a different path “in a fair manner without any
injustice to anyone”.
By Ajith Abeyratne, Mawanella
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