Postwar Sri Lanka Urgently Needs New Acts On Police & Firearms
By Vidya Abhayagunawardena –April 15, 2016
Vidya Abhayagunawardena
With the end of the three-decades long armed conflict in 2009, Sri Lanka has embarked in seeking permanent peace and human security in the country through reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction. This will help not only bridging the gaps between ethnic communities in Sri Lanka but also in overall socioeconomic and political development of nation building. Since the new government came into power on January 8th 2015, there is a big hope that country’s supreme law will be change and more powers given to citizens of the nation. The Government of Sri Lanka is currently underway to introduce a new constitution to Sri Lanka with the help and consultation of the citizens and the civil society. This is commendable. In the same manner it is important to have in post-war Sri Lanka, a new Police Act and a new Firearms Act which will directly support the achievement of permanent peace and stability and thereby achieve higher human security status in future of Sri Lanka.
Why Sri Lanka Needs a New Police Act
During the British Colonial period the Police Ordinance No. 16 of 1865 was enacted to stipulate powers and responsibilities of policemen. This was called “An Ordinance to Provide for the Establishment and Regulation of a Police Force in Ceylon.” In 1866, William Robert Campbell then the Chief of Police in the Indian province of Rathnageri, was appointed as Chief Superintendent of Police in Ceylon to be in charge of the Ceylon Police Force on 3rd September 1866. Therefore, this date is considered to be the beginning of the Sri Lanka Police Service.
From 1865, various amendments were made to the Police Ordinance until No. 32 of 1947. In 1974 Police Ordinance became Law No. 3 of 1974. In 1949, Sri Lanka introduced Police Act No. 15 of 1949. Until 1984, there were 6 amendments to the Act and last was the Police Act No. 41 of 1984. Since 1984, (more than three-decades now) there were no amendments to the Police Act of Sri Lanka. This shows that Sri Lanka has failed to introduce a new Police Act to the country mainly due to domestic changes particular after the war and to meet the international standards of the police service of Sri Lanka. In 2016 the Department of Police will celebrate its 150th year anniversary.
