Saman Indrajith
UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya yesterday warned, in Parliament, that there was room for a social explosion as the public trust in law and order had eroded due to the heavy politicization of the police service.
Addressing Parliament during the debate on establishment of a National Police Academy, Jayasuriya said that if there occurred such a social explosion then the entire country would have to pay the price and the public would be at the receiving end.
Public trust in the law enforcement authorities, especially the police had plummeted so low that only few officers could remain with the dignity of the uniform. This degradation of the police service intensified after the year 2005, he said adding that discipline of officials had gradually eroded during the past few years.
MP Jayasuriya said: "Today, the promotions and recruitment in police service are done on the recommendations of politicians. How could police officers act independently and fearlessly in such situation?
Today five to ten murders take place in the country. Some of these murders are well planned crimes. Some school girls are raped in schools. Some older women of more than 80 were raped and killed. Drug traffickers and dealers have become powerful in society.
As the trust in the police had gone down, public now have decided to take law into their own hands. That’s why they attack police stations and police officers."
Jayasuriya called upon the IGP to act tough and take action to instill discipline among police officers and to pave the way for the de-politicization of the police service to avert a greater danger of public unrest becoming a social eruption, which would lead the country towards turmoil.
IS
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=36280
