FUTA hits out at govt.'s inability to curb violence

The Federation of University Teachers' Association (FUTA) yesterday said the government’s inability and reluctance to enforce the law against perpetrators of communal violence had led to the serious escalation of communal tensions.

FUTA Assistant Secretary Dr Athulasiri Samarakoon said in a statement that the government should enforce the law strongly and impartially against perpetrators of such communal violence, as well as against their instigators who seek economic and political advantage through them.

“Regrettably, the government’s inability and reluctance to enforce the law has led to the serious escalation of communal tensions and increased outbreaks of gratuitous violence and destruction on the flimsiest of excuses,” he said.

He said no individual or community had the right to take the law into its own hands or to wreak vengeance as in the most recent instance of communal violence.

He also said the majority community should be most vigilant to ensure that it was not seen as imposing a dominant view or values on others by virtue of its numerical and political superiority over other groups.

“The government should take immediate measures to take stern actions against all parties and prosecute all wrong-doers irrespective of ethnicity, vocation, political connections, social influence or wealth,” he said.

He said the labelling of groups of people as “majority” and “minority” purely in terms of population percentages was detrimental to true pluralism and the country should recognise real differences, without feeling threatened or devaluing the diversity in any way. (Kalathma Jayawardhane)