brand logo

Asking the right questions about new ‘aragalaya’

11 Oct 2022

Police officers attempting to violently apprehend several protestors, some of whom were carrying children, at the protest held on 9 October at the Galle Face drew the ire of the public, marking yet another incident of excessive force used by the Police against peaceful protestors. As described by the public on various platforms, this was an infuriating and insensitive act that amounts to harassment. The main question surrounding this incident is why the Police used disproportionate force to manage a group of citizens engaged in a peaceful protest. The Police had raised concerns as to the venue of the protest, claiming that the Galle Face belongs to the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, and that holding protests at those premises was therefore problematic, despite it being a public place. However, this is the first instance that this concern was raised, and we should not be surprised if the Government or the Police apply the same logic in the future to suppress protests in other public places, citing that the place in question belongs to any particular Government agency. The fact that some protestors were carrying children when the said incident took place also attracted much criticism, due mainly to concerns over the children’s safety. However, the said protest started and continued peacefully, until the Police started using excessive force to disperse the crowd. Had the Police exercised some measure of restraint, the situation would have remained peaceful too. What is more, this should certainly not be the main concern surrounding the unrest at Galle Face. While children, as citizens, should have the opportunity to be with their parents in a public place, the Police disregarded the safety of not just the children, but also of protestors who were at the Galle Face. Essentially, it is not the protestors, but the Police, and not the conduct of the protest, but the Police’s excessive use of power, that led to a situation that jeopardised the safety of the people present. The fact that these attempts were made despite there being absolutely no necessity of such reinforces the idea that the law enforcement authorities have forgotten or deliberately ignored their prime duty of protecting and serving the public. At the same time, the Government is continuing to encourage and condone the handling of protests in such a manner, especially in a context where the country is being questioned by the international community for stifling peaceful protests and the violation of human rights during protests. This failure or refusal to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the Government and the law enforcement authorities is alarming. At the end of the day, in a context where the economic crisis has only grown worse and not better for people of low- and middle-income economic classes, who constitute the majority of the population, the Government should realise that protests will only continue to grow unless the economic crisis is addressed effectively. When the Government achieves this, it will not need to direct the Police to suppress protesters, nor fear the loss of political power to the threat of anti-Government movements – which appear to be very real at the moment.


More News..