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Ex-top cop urges police to be prepared for any eventuality as protests also have political undertones
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Retired Senior DIG Merril Gunaratne says the police should quickly adopt a contingency plan to meet large scale, often violent and simultaneous protests as the current turmoil is unlikely to end soon.
“Law enforcement authorities are facing quite a challenge. Those at the helm of public security operations must take into consideration there is a political background to the rapidly developing situation, the author of ‘Cop in Crossfire’ and ‘Perils of a Profession’ told The Island yesterday (20).
The outspoken retired policeman, who headed the country’s premier intelligence arm for a long time among other positions was commenting on clashes between the police and those blocking the main railway line close to the Rambukkana railway station on Tuesday (19).
Noting that the police had opened fire over 15 hours after the protesters blocked both the railway line and major roads via Rambukkana, Gunaratne said the police should be firm with protesters but issuing orders to open fire should definitely be the last resort.
Gunaratne said that the National Police Commission (NPC) should inquire into the incident. Responding to another query, Gunaratne said that the police shouldn’t ignore the possibility of interested parties stepping up protests in support of the ongoing ‘Go Gota Home’ campaign opposite the Presidential Secretariat.
“Law enforcement authorities should be also mindful of other unexpected developments,” Gunaratne said, referring to the recent dispute between a group of Army riders and the police deployed at an entry point to the Parliament where protesters interfered with vehicles leaving the House. The police earned the respect of the public for the way the senior officers at the scene thwarted possible incident involving the Army and protesters, Gunaratne said.
The former Senior DIG said that the police appeared to have been unprepared to face large scale protests. Close on the heels of violent protest at President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s private residence at Pengiriwatte, Mirihana, the public staged a countrywide protest on April 03 in spite of the curfew, Gunaratne pointed out.
“They seemed to be determined to pursue carefully planned action at selected places as part of their overall strategy,” Gunaratne said, urging the police to be prepared to face any eventuality.
Police spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa told The Island that in addition to the police, the Special Task Force (STF) and the Army, too, had been deployed to enforce the curfew imposed by the IGP in the Rambukkana police area on Tuesday night. Attorney-at-Law Thalduwa reiterated accusations that some of those engaged in the protest tried to set ablaze one of the two fuel bowsers that had been held there. The police spokesman alleged that some even tried to set fire to the service station.
SSP Thalduwa said that contrary to initial reports, only 14 protesters had been wounded and one of them succumbed to his injuries. Of them perhaps five or six had received gunshot injuries whereas 20 police officers, including an SSP and SP received wounds as a result of them being hit by rocks. Of them, 14 had been admitted to the Kandy hospital, SSP Thalduwa said, adding that the dead was a 45-year-old person granted bail in a murder case. Among those who had been wounded was another person accused in the same case, the police spokesperson said.
Former DIG Gunaratne said that the police need political leadership at this juncture. The presence of capable Public Security Minister to deal with the issues at hand is of pivotal importance, the ex-policeman said.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed Prasanna Ranatunga as the new Public Security Minister after the entire Cabinet resigned in the first week of April following the eruption of public protests over the deepening economic crisis. Ranatunga is also the Chief Government Whip.
The former DIG pointed out that though protests erupted on March 31 and quickly spread to the provinces, the police hadn’t opened fire till April 19th.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
