Mafia-style police action is contemptible

Shehan Malaka Gamage, an activist demanding justice for the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks, was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on 14 February raising many concerns about the state of law and order in the country. The Mafia-style abduction done by plain-clothed policemen while Gamage was visiting a friend was later claimed by the CID to be an arrest over a statement made by Gamage at a press conference last year. 

The activist managed to send a video through social media while he was being taken away in a ‘white van’. In this short video, which was interrupted by the policemen who confiscated his mobile phone, one of the officers is heard saying that Gamage is being arrested under section 120 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act. 

The arrest of Gamage raises many questions;

First, the weaponising of the ICCPR Act, which as its name would imply was meant to secure the civil and political rights of the citizens in accordance with the international law that Sri Lanka has signed onto is of grave concern. This act is continuously used against minorities, activists and political opponents of the Government. At a time when the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) is undergoing reform, which the Government claims it is genuinely committed to, it is disheartening to see that other laws, which are actually meant to protect the citizenry against the overreach by the State, are being weaponised to silence individuals in the same manner as the PTA.

The second issue here is as to why the Government is attempting to silence those who are calling for justice for the Easter Sunday attacks. Gamage has been vocal in seeking justice for victims and has been critical of the long delays and seeming loopholes in the Government’s version of events. There are genuine questions concerning the true motives and the masterminds behind the attack that have been raised by numerous quarters including the Catholic Church.  Previously the CID questioned at length Rev. Cyril Gamini Fernando, a church leader over a statement he is alleged to have given to an online forum. Such intimidation and harassment of individuals who are demanding the truth and seeking justice for the victims will only cement the notion that the current Government and its military and security apparatus is involved in a grand conspiracy to cover up the true motives behind the incident. These are self-inflicted wounds by the present administration. 

The third point of concern is the culture of lawlessness and impunity with which the police are now behaving. The white van abduction later termed an arrest, carried out by plain-clothed policemen without informing the arrested person or his next of kin of the reason for the arrest or the place of his detention is an ugly reminder of the not-so-distant past in which such incidents were common. It is baffling that the police have to resort to such mob-like action when arresting a man who by their own admission is being taken in for an alleged statement rather than for committing some dangerous crime. 

Fourthly, it must not be forgotten that these gangster-style police actions are taking place at a time when there is a significant international focus on human rights in Sri Lanka. In less than two weeks the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is expected to provide a written assessment of the human rights situation in the country to the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. In addition, the Government has been desperate to offer reforms to the draconian PTA to appease the European Union which will review in March whether to continue providing the GSP plus concessions to our country. If the police are acting in such a callous and disgraceful manner during these times, there need not be any other indication as to what would happen once the spotlight is no longer on Sri Lanka from the international arena. 

The arrest of Shehan Malaka Gamage, the manner of his arrest and the alleged reasons for the arrest are all contemptible and should be condemned in the strongest terms.