By kassapa
Last week saw the launch of ‘Ratama Ekata’, or a ‘Nation United’, the government’s battle against the narcotics menace, spearheaded by none other than President Anura Kumara Dissanayake himself. Present at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium were a galaxy of celebrities, law enforcement officers and religious dignitaries. It seemed as if everyone who was someone was there.
No one doubts the government’s (and particularly the President’s) sincerity of purpose on this issue. Dissanayake made a stirring speech as only he can. He outlined the challenges faced by the government despite holding the Executive Presidency and a two-thirds majority in Parliament, describing how, in addition to the legitimate state, there was also a ‘Black state’ in operation, with officials in key government institutions and holding positions of responsibility, worked for filthy lucre provided by the narcotics trade.
Making an impassioned plea, Dissanayake described how drugs affected youth, the lifeblood of the nation, and threatened Sri Lanka’s future. He said his government would do everything it can to battle the drug lords who often operated from overseas and pleaded for co-operation from all quarters. It was a heartfelt appeal and no one for a moment doubted his intentions. This was not a gimmick aimed with one eye on the vote of the people.
Nevertheless, can the government deliver on this issue? Dissanayake believes he can. To do so, he must have the support of not only his comrades in government which he will undoubtedly get but also the unstinted co-operation of all law enforcement agencies and a host of other state agencies that work in tandem to brings culprits to book. This is in doubt, as well as the government’s record in dealing with similar issues in the past.
Critics are quick to point to two similar challenges, both of which were less daunting than ‘Ratama Ekata’- and where the government has more or less failed to achieve its objectives. The first was to deal with the ‘rice Mafia’. Again, we saw how Dissanayake himself thumped his fist on the table while meeting the rice millers led by Dudley Sirisena and promise that rice prices won’t skyrocket. Today, the evidence is to the contrary. Nothing in the rice trade has changed and the rice millers carry on regardless.
The other much hyped government campaign was ‘Clean Sri Lanka’. In Comparison to the event last week, there is very much a sense of déjà vu about it. It was launched with a similar ceremony albeit on a smaller scale outside the Presidential Secretariat and had a similar gathering of celebrities such as Kumar Sangakkara in attendance at both events. Guests gushed similar sentiments after the event, hoping that it will indeed usher in a better ethos for the country. Today, that campaign has been all but forgotten and swept off the headlines. In comparison, the stakes are a thousand times greater in the battle against the narcotics menace. This is why even those who wish the government well are cynical about its chances of success.
To be fair, the government is launching this campaign with something to show for its efforts. It has deported alleged underworld leaders, first from Indonesia and then from Nepal. Investigators are working at a hectic pace following the leads that they have been providing during interrogation which is why more details of the deadly narcotic trade are emerging. It could also be the reason why the gang wars between those in the trade are spilling out on to the streets, with killings occurring with unnerving regularity.
The performance of the Police has been two-fold. On the one hand, they have been efficient in apprehending suspects, repatriating them and then following the leads that are being revealed. On the other hand, they have also been guilty of seeking cheap publicity. Why else would every little detail about suspects appear on some television channels and on social media?
This was seen in no small measure after the detention of Mandinu Padmasiri Perera, better known as Kehelbaddara Padme, when salacious details of his alleged dalliances with actresses were ‘leaked’ to the media. Similarly, Ishara Sewwandi, wanted in relation to the dramatic killing of Sanjeewa Kumara Samararathne, also known as Ganemulla Sanjeewa, at a Colombo courthouse in February, was paraded before the cameras when she arrived in the country only to be then covered in a spacesuit type outfit thereafter when she was taken to different locations. What purpose would that serve when the Police had already allowed the entire country to know what she looks like, what she is supposed to have said when she was detained and allowed photos and video footage of her journey from Nepal to Colombo to be widely circulated, raising concerns among legal experts about possible implications for future legal proceedings?
As Dissanayake himself acknowledges, the challenge before the government is an onerous one. The Jathika Jana Balavegaya may have gained control of the Presidency and Parliament and a majority of local councils. It may even have embarked on a plan to cleanse key law enforcement agencies- the judiciary, the Police, the Attorney General General’s Department and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption and achieved some degree of success in that. Still, there is much more to be done and the perils and pitfalls that lie ahead are many.
Some officials in key state agencies, including those mentioned above, remain in the pay of the narcotics trade. They have now committed themselves to such an extent by accepting cash and other rewards in return for the favours they have granted to the trade, that they are unable to opt out now even if they wish to. Those who wish to be ‘lefty alone’ face serious threats. That is how widespread this menace is because it has been allowed to grow while previous regimes either turned a blind eye and, in some instances, actively curried favour with the drug lords themnselves.
That is why we doubt whether Dissanayake and the government can win this contest. If he does, he will earn the plaudits of public. To do so however, the officials and agencies who are engaged in the battle will have to lift their game by leaps and bounds. Still, we do wish them well.
