The latest crime statistics to the Defence Secretary’s attention

Thursday, 26 July 2012 

There have been five murders, 18 cases of child abuse, a mysterious death believed to be a murder and a suicide within 48 hours after Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa made a public statement that there is no crime wave in the country. Police officers say that these statistics clearly indicate the Defence Secretary’s general knowledge on the matter.

The Defence Secretary said on Monday (23) that there was no crime wave in the country and making such statements would hamper the development, investment inflows to the country and the tourism industry. He made this comment at a seminar at the Government Information Department.

A double murder was reported in Katuwana, which is in the Defence Secretary, Hambantota area, the same day and there was also another murder reported from Karandeniya. On the 24th there was an attempt to murder a new born baby in Badulla and another murder was reported from the Gampaha District.

The 18 cases of child abuse were reported from a children’s home in Mawanella (15 children), a 10 year old girl in Kandy, a 14 year old girl in Bakamuna and a 13 year old girl in Wattegama. Also, a suicide was reported from Bulathsinhala and a 13 year old child from a children’s home in Makola was reported dead after falling into a well.

In order to improve the tourism industry, measures needed to be taken to provide security to the tourist who arrive in the country and prevent them from facing unfortunate incidents in the country. However, what taken place in Sri Lanka with state sponsorship is quite the contrary. Police officers who spoke about his issue said the Defence Secretary needed to explain how the tourism industry could be developed by releasing from custody the culprits who have been accused of sexually abusing foreign women who visit the country as tourists.