Can we truly place a value on human life in Sri Lanka?

Judging by the conduct of our politicians and top administrators during major disasters in the recent past,  the answer is a firm no.

We had clear advance warnings before the 2004 Tsunami, yet over 30,000 Sri Lankans died because the system failed to act. The Easter Sunday attacks followed the same tragic script: credible alerts were ignored, and over 290 lives were lost. Most recently, despite more than 10 days of warnings, a severe storm devastated the country and killed over 300 people—once again, we were unprepared.

This recurring negligence is not a misfortune; it is institutional failure. Regarding Easter Sunday attacks, when a senior defence official casually remarked, “We didn’t expect the attack to be so severe,” it exposed the dangerous complacency at the heart of our governance.

Sri Lankans deserve better. Those who neglect their duties and fail to act on clear warnings must face real accountability. Only then can the public be reassured that their lives are in safe hands.  Pardon me, but I am so disheartened  when I think of Saudi,  Chinese or North Korean justice.

Upali Weerasinghe