By Asoka S. Seneviratne –

Prof. Asoka.S. Seneviratne

“A hypocrite is the kind of politician who would cut down a redwood tree, then mount the stump and make a speech for conservation.” ~ Adlai E. Stevenson

The cold-blooded assassination of Attorney-at-Law Buddhika Mallawarachchi and his wife in Akuregoda is a tragedy that demands swift justice. Yet, before the victims were even laid to rest, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and MP Namal Rajapaksa were already at the microphones, attempting to weave a narrative of “national collapse” out of a targeted criminal hit. Their rhetoric does not reflect a concern for public safety; it reflects a desperate struggle for political relevance.

The Myth of “Collapse” vs. the Reality of Reform

The Opposition’s narrative suggests that law and order have vanished because a crime occurred within a high-security zone during a state of emergency. This is a deliberate conflation of terms. The current emergency regulations, extended in late January 2026, are explicitly tied to the reconstruction efforts and essential services following the devastation of Cyclone Ditwah, not for police-state surveillance of every private residence.

In reality, the state’s response has been the polar opposite of “inactive.” Within 72 hours of the shooting, police identified key suspects and recovered the burnt escape vehicle in Baddegama. Ten specialized teams, including the CID and STF, have traced the hit to organized criminal elements. If security had “collapsed,” these leads would be cold. Instead, we see a law enforcement apparatus that is finally operating without the political interference that once protected such “Chicago-style” gunmen.

The Bar Association: A Unified Stand for Justice

The gravity of this incident is best understood through the response of the legal fraternity, not the opportunistic shouts of politicians. On February 15, 2026, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), led by President Rajeev Amarasuriya, convened its full membership in Colombo for the first time in 14 years. Their resolution was clear: a demand for the immediate apprehension of the perpetrators and an island-wide strike by lawyers on February 16 to protest the threat to the profession.

Crucially, the NPP Legal Wing joined this chorus, but with a vital distinction: they identified the “climate of violence” as a byproduct of entrenched criminal networks emboldened by years of previous political patronage. The legal community isn’t calling for a return to the “old ways” of security; they are demanding that the current administration accelerate its mandate to dismantle the culture of impunity once and for all.

The Two Faces of the Akuregoda Incident

The Opposition Narrative claims that the country is facing a catastrophic situation where no citizen is safe, arguing that the presence of the tri-forces should have rendered the nation a crime-free vacuum. This narrative ignores that targeted underworld hits are the byproduct of a dying system lashing out. In contrast, The Ground Reality shows a government focused on two fronts: the massive humanitarian recovery from Cyclone Ditwah and a relentless purge of organized crime. The speed of the current investigation, the lack of political shielding for suspects, and the focus on kingpins abroad prove that law and order haven’t collapsed—they are being rebuilt from the ruins left behind by the very people now complaining.

Conclusion: The Desperate Theater of the Defeated

Sajith and Namal’s “Chicago-style” outcry is not a demand for justice; it is a performance for survival. They are attempting to use a criminal hit as a proxy for a political crisis that simply does not exist. While the government works to dismantle the remnants of a criminal culture they helped build, the Opposition remains trapped in a cycle of opportunistic outrage.

“He who hunts for shadows in a high-security zone often forgets he is the one who cast them in the first place.”

The government’s commitment is clear: the law will apply to the gunman, the drug peddler, and the political opportunist alike. The “remnants” of the underworld will disappear, but it seems the remnants of old-school, “day-to-day” politics are still struggling to find their way out.

*The writer, among many,  served as the Special Advisor to the Office of the President of Namibia from 2006 to 2012 and was a Senior Consultant with the UNDP for 20 years. He was a Senior Economist with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (1972-1993). He can be reached via asoka.seneviratne@gmail.com