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