{"id":73930,"date":"2013-02-16T18:48:54","date_gmt":"2013-02-16T18:48:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=73930"},"modified":"2013-02-21T18:55:09","modified_gmt":"2013-02-21T18:55:09","slug":"leave-dig-latheef-alone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/leave-dig-latheef-alone\/","title":{"rendered":"Leave DIG Latheef Alone!"},"content":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0Malinda Seneviratne<\/a><\/span>\u00a0–<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Malinda Seneviratne<\/p><\/div>\n

About a year ago, a highly respected police officer, previously attached to the STF but at the time the Officer in Charge of the Crimes Division of the Wellawaya Police, died under tragic and mysterious circumstances.\u00a0 DIG Dinana was known to have been an uncompromising fighter against cannabis (ganja) growers and traffickers.\u00a0 He led a team of men 20km deep into the Hambegamuwa jungles and while destroying a ganja chena, according to \u2018witnesses\u2019 had been taken unawares by a falling tree, lost balance and fallen on the alavanguva<\/em> he had been holding.\u00a0 The heavy, pointed iron rod is said to have gone in through his neck and out from the other side of his head.<\/p>\n

Now, that is a tall story if ever there was one.\u00a0 Drugs is a big business and especially in this particular area.\u00a0 If bucks control politics then it is quite possible that both politicians as well as state authorities come under pressure to \u2018let be\u2019.\u00a0 One year later, another officer who too has declared war on drugs in the area, DIG Moneragala, N.I.R. Latheef, is coming under fire from local politicians.\u00a0 Is there a connection? We cannot say for sure.<\/p>\n

One thing is certain.\u00a0 DIG Latheef has spared no pains to combat illegal treasure hunting, drugs and illegal sand mining.\u00a0\u00a0 He has had to contend with politician-backers of those engaged in illegal activities.\u00a0 He has stood firm.\u00a0 So too has IGP N. K. Illangakoon, also formerly of the STF, who has strongly defended measures taken by the Moneragala Police.<\/p>\n

Appointments, promotions, transfers, suspensions and termination are often based on political considerations.\u00a0 Police officers are promoted or transferred as reward and punishment, respectively, before and after elections. That\u2019s been common practice by ruling parties over the last several decades.\u00a0 \u2018Loyalty\u2019 is noted.\u00a0 Its lack is not unnoticed.\u00a0 At the local level there are instances where honest officers are considered a nuisance.\u00a0 Those who are blind and those who are happy to look away are clearly preferred by errant politicians or those whose political future is dependent on wrongdoers who fund their election campaigns.<\/p>\n

The same goes for other officials.\u00a0 A casual threat works most times.\u00a0 Lubrication too.\u00a0 When these things don\u2019t yield desired results, then \u2018transfer\u2019 is an option.\u00a0 Vilification also works. There are many ways to harass.<\/p>\n

DIG Latheef is not running for political office.\u00a0 He seems to be a decent police officer.\u00a0 He seems to be doing his job.\u00a0 When an honest police officer does his job the only people who can get hot under the collar are those who are dishonest and crooked.\u00a0 When cries are raised for the lynching of a good officer, then it is prudent to investigate the doings of the criers.<\/p>\n

The politicians, \u2018duty bound\u2019 perhaps, are now clamoring for Latheef\u2019s transfer.\u00a0 They will leave no stone unturned, they say.\u00a0 They will protest, they will petition. Police officers are not politicians.\u00a0 They have to do their duty, and some of them die in the line of duty.\u00a0 They cannot purchase politicians and they cannot purchase supporters.\u00a0 Sure, not all of them are exactly saints for there are innumerable occasions when officers have been caught napping and more, but there cannot be any doubt that the Latheefs of the Police Department need to be supported. And protected.\u00a0 If politicians will not, the people must.<\/p>\n

*Malinda Seneviratne is the Chief Editor of \u2018The Nation<\/a>\u00a0and his articles can be found at\u00a0www.malindawords.blogspot.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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