VIP security and law and order

The recent regulations with regard to the provision of VIP protection, we hope, would go some distance in fostering greater security for the citizenry. Unauthorized weapons have been an unresolved issue in this country for quite some time and this question has been instrumental in aggravating some of the law and order issues confronted by Sri Lanka. But security matters are further complicated when those who are authorized to carry arms are not easily distinguishable from the citizenry on account of their not donning the relevant uniforms and required attire.

Some of these problems were thrown-up afresh by the recent shoot-out in Mulleriyawa which claimed the life of Presidential Advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra.

In the fierce confrontation which arose between the relevant parties, some persons in civilian garb exchanged fire with each other, but the onlooker would have been highly puzzled as to who among them were legitimate security personnel attached to VIPs and who were not, on account of the civilian attire donned by those charged with providing security. Therefore, it is most timely that the rule has been introduced that security personnel attached to VIPs should be donned in official uniforms.

It is well known that some politicians deploy 'private armies' for their protection in contravention of the law. If legitimate security personnel too are to be attired in civilian clothes, distinguishing these official security men from illegal armed outfits would prove arduous and this is sometimes indeed the case.

It should be an inviolable regulation that those authorized to carry weapons do so in official uniforms of the state. This would help a great deal in curbing lawless behaviour, since the official uniform would always have a restraining influence on mobs, for instance. Besides, the security personnel of the politicians concerned would be in a position to resolve any tensions that may arise among their supporters on account of their enhanced visibility.

Regulations such as these will help greatly in strengthening the Rule of Law and we would be stating the obvious by saying that this is the desired order of things in post-conflict situations. For one thing, illegal arms should be a thing of the past and we urge the state to lose no time in rounding-up and destroying all such weapons which plunged Sri Lanka into anarchy in the past.

The law should be enforced firmly, that only those authorized should bear arms and all superfluous arms be handed over to the authorities.

Second, we also need to see an end to 'private armies' and the like which have been instrumental in spreading a 'gun culture' and lawlessness in this country in the past.

These menaces of the past are best eliminated through the deployment of the law and order machinery of the state and we had an important clarification from the state authorities a couple of days back that this will be carried out by the Police with assistance from the Army, only if necessary.

This is as it should be because it is in keeping with the democratic traditions of the country that internal law and order be always provided by the Police, except in the case of extreme situations when the Armed Forces are introduced. However, there are no such exceptional situations in this country now and the Police should be the principal law enforcer. That said, there is no getting away from the need to have absolute internal law and order and every legitimate means must be used to further this end while ensuring that our democratic ethos continues vibrantly.

As we said a couple of days back, while VIP security must be ensured, this must be done on a selective basis.

While the security needs of those VIPs occupying sensitive positions in the state must be met always, the security paraphernalia of other functionaries who are not really at risk must be scaled-down and eliminated. This needs to be done because citizens need to live in a tension-free atmosphere where their rights are respected and cherished. Too many armed personnel in public could detract from these aims.

We are happy that the need to have absolute domestic security is being addressed by the state. While this is perfectly in order, we must seek that all-important transition to a state of affairs where peace too would be absolute. The latter is established on the basis of durable fraternal ties and good will among all sections of our people. A spirit of humanity too emerges as an absolute.