Doc made to do cop’s job
Editorial-July 21, 2015
Chairman of the National Dangerous Drug Control Board (NDDCB) Dr. Nilanga Samarasinghe has complained to the police that his life is in danger. That was something to be anticipated. He told this newspaper the other day that he had a list of 25 former MPs involved in drug related offices. He also offered to share information in his possession with all political party leaders so as to prevent those politicians being nominated to contest elections. He has made enough and more enemies!
One expected the police to swing into action when Dr. Samarasinghe brought threats to his life to their notice. But, they, true to form, did precious little to ensure his protection and the doctor said he would have to flee the country unless his safety was guaranteed. Then, the government decided to issue him with a pistol!
Sadly, the NDDCB chief is trying to flee the country in view of death threats while the government is inviting the Sri Lankans who fled during the last regime under similar circumstances to return. It is also organising a Diaspora Carnival! Worse, the outspoken NDDCB head is in this predicament during the month dedicated to eradicating the drug menace!
President Maithripala Sirisena has taken upon himself the task of ridding the country of narcotics. But, given Dr. Samarasinghe’s plight, can the government expect others to come forward to assist in its anti-narcotic drive? Who will want to incur the wrath of dangerous drug lords and be left with only pistols from the government by way of security?
If a pistol is all that a senior doctor who has put his head on the block for the sake of the country and is faced with a grave security threat gets from the police, then, logically, when a police bigwig is troubled by a medical problem he should be given a stethoscope! A doc shouldn’t be made to do a cop’s job. One may recall how the late President J. R. Jayewardene washed his hands of the task of ensuring public safety by declaring: ‘Thamunge arakshawa thamunma balaganna ona—one is responsible for one’s own security.’ (The Old Fox must be guffawing wherever he may be!)
What can the good doctor whose life is in danger do with a pistol? Doctors are trained to save lives and not to kill, much less engage in shoot-outs with professional killers. (The NDDCB chief may not have even used a catapult in his childhood.) It may be recalled that in 2004 High Court Judge Sarath Ambepitiya, who took on the netherworld of drugs and crime, was shot dead near his official residence in spite of being protected by an armed police officer who was also killed by his assassins. The contract for that assassination was given by a drug lord the upright judge had sentenced to prison. There have been several instances where even armed Police Narcotic Bureau sleuths came under goon attacks.
Moreover, Police Inspector Douglas Nimal, who took on the narcotic Mafia, was gunned down in a Colombo suburb. His wife also perished in the attack and their two children were orphaned. The country is full of battle-hardened military deserters ready to pull the trigger for a few thousand rupees and before those dangerous parasites a good doctor with a pistol will be only a sitting duck.
It is incumbent upon the government and the IGP to provide Dr. Samarasinghe with adequate security without trying to teach him how to handle firearms and ensure his and his family’s safety. After all, this is a country where even some clowns in politics are given armed security. Let no excuses be trotted out!
