Whither national security?

The spate of shootings believed to be done by underworld groups have once again come to the fore. The double murder at Akuregoda on Friday is a reminder that national security isn’t just a buzzword. The suspects shot the victims in close proximity to the Army Headquarters and NPP’s Pelawatte office where President Dissanayake conducts most of his meetings. The irony of the situation is that whenever there is a shooting incident, the Police are more inclined to check people’s licenses and insurance cards. Now that the vehicle used in the shooting has been burned and with the Police trying to recover the dash cam footage to identify suspects, it certainly looks like a wild goose chase. Another four people were injured during a shooting in Jinthupitiya,  leaving one dead. Another individual was killed in Kalutara. If the government continues to pass the ball onto the underworld,  it would become a never-ending cycle of shootings in broad daylight. One Minister even asked people to bring desks and chairs to learn about national security from him. But today people are uncertain about their own security. This had been a recurrent issue even during previous regimes that eventually made them unpopular among people. Therefore the government needs to give priority to establish national security without allowing the underworld to expedite the law of the jungle. 

A concerned citizen