Wake Up, Inspector General Of Police
Unable to bear the demand for bribes and abuse from the police, a Tunisian fruit seller named Mohamed Bouazizi set fire to himself in December. Anger spread across Tunisia and online as Bouazizi lay in a hospital bed for more than a fortnight, his face wrapped in thick bandages. He died on January 4, and Tunisians took to the streets. An Arabic rap song titled “President Of The Country” sung by a young man named Hamada Ben Amor served as the background of the revolution. On January 14, President Ben Ali and his wife fled for Saudi Arabia.
In Egypt, a young businessman named Khaled Said died in police custody last year after being tortured. Wael Ghonim, a Google executive, set up a Facebook site named “We are all Khaled Said” which listed other police brutalities and revealed the extent of police violence in the country. Soon drawing more than 400,000 followers, it became the rallying point for the protests which eventually brought President Mubarak down.
What lessons do these two events sparked by police brutality, the fires of which have now spread across the authoritarian Arab world, have for the Sri Lankan police? Our police are notorious for bribe taking, framing innocent victims, rape, and torture. Higher officers only have contempt for the lower ranks. If the IGP is unable to reform his force, the ordinary people of Sri Lanka will revolt. We only need a Hamada Ben Amor or a Wael Ghonim.
Sarath Palipane
Hong Kong
I personally know a professional (possibly one of the best 10 in his field in the country) who was framed for a traffic incident by the police at the behest of a powerful politician. The professional was so fed up with the system that he migrated, and the minister in question, ironically, died in a car accident.
Macho, can u pls tell us who it is. My e-mail is mprop70@yahoo.com. U can send infor to my e-mail machang.
Don’t have to wait for an individual to set himself or herself on fire.
Tehre are millions already going thru’hardship due to poverty, poor legal action, unsolved crime linked to senior politicians and V V I Ps….
It is TIme that we showed what People of Sri lanka want and not be led any further by this corrupt and ruthlessly fraudulent Pakse regime, looking after themselves, their family and stooges.
IGP unable to do anything. Political leadership must help them. Breruwala incident SP transfer cancelled by political leadership.
THOSE ARAB YOUTH HAD GUTS. THATS THE DIFFERENCE.
AND WE HAVE A P.HD AS OUR IGP.
WE HAVE ANOTHER P.HD MERVYN CHO CLAIMS HE KNOWS LASANTHA’S KILLERS.
SO WHAT HAS I.G.P. DONE? SURELY HE CANNOT ARREST HIS BOSS?!!
WE DO NOT HAVE THE LIKE OF HAMADA AND GHONEIM.
AGAIN IT WAS GOOGLE AND TWITTER THAT PROPOGATED THE REVOLUTION
Well said Sarath, I think its a matter of time until things ignite in Sri Lanka because they are asking for it. It is we the expats who have to take the initiative and work through social networks to bring an end to this brutal regime. The system is completely wrong and they have to go. There are thousands if not millions out there waiting for some one to take the lead. Our opposition is backbone less and they will not do any thing. C’mon patriots wake up.
You can’t rely on the opposition, they too, like the Party in power have a good living standard, a revolt has to come from the young educated people of the country.