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Law and order: Rubber bullets not used for 20 years

30 Apr 2022

By Skandha Gunasekara The Sri Lanka Police stopped the use of rubber bullets nearly two decades ago, The Sunday Morning learns. Responding to a question about the use of non-lethal force, Police Media Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa told The Sunday Morning that the Police Department had discontinued the use of rubber bullets after an incident in 2002 where a person was grievously injured due to their use. “In 2002 rubber bullets were used and a person was hit in the eye, which caused serious harm. Since then the Sri Lanka Police stopped using rubber bullets,” Thalduwa said. He said that bringing back the use of rubber bullets would be a policy decision. “If we are to start using rubber bullets again, then a policy decision must be taken by those in charge such as the IGP,” he said. Ministry of Public Security Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Jagath Alwis said that many other countries do not use rubber bullets at present as well. “Lots of other countries don’t use rubber bullets. They use water cannons, tear gas, and baton charges and as a last resort they would use weapons if they are being threatened,” he explained. Reiterating the Police Spokesman’s point, Alwis said that rubber bullets could be fatal in certain instances. “Rubber bullets can be lethal – if they hit the eye or a person’s head, they can die. There is a certain amount of danger in that. While it might be safer than live ammunition, the use of rubber bullets has its pros and cons,” Alwis said. The use of disproportionate force by the Police on peaceful protestors has long been a charge levelled against the law enforcement agency. The recent use of lethal force by employing assault rifles with live (lethal) ammunition resulted in the death of a protestor in Rambukkana.  Three policemen including an ASP are in Police custody, with investigations underway about the chain of command and the use of lethal force at Rambukkana. However, given the longstanding allegations of Police brutality, custodial deaths, and allegations of a culture of impunity levelled against the Sri Lanka Police, there is a dire need for an independent body to investigate the actions of the Police Department, particularly in incidents which result in the use of force or custodial deaths.  


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