A chilling indictment on law and order

The daylight murder of the Welgama Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman sent shockwaves across the country, not merely because a local politician was slain, but because it revealed — once again — the frightening extent to which the rule of law has eroded in Sri Lanka. It was not just a criminal act; it was a public execution that symbolised the growing collapse of order in our society.
The Chairman, despite facing various allegations and being the subject of sustained social media criticism, remained an elected public representative. He was entrusted with public responsibility by the people, and until any allegation was proven in a court of law, he was entitled to that status. Yet, the brazenness with which he was gunned down in broad daylight, in the heart of his own electorate, underscores a grim truth: we are living in a society where even elected officials are no longer shielded by the institutions meant to protect them.
This murder cannot be viewed in isolation. It comes amid a string of violent incidents that reflect the steady corrosion of Sri Lanka’s law enforcement machinery. Drug trafficking, underworld rivalries, and the re-emergence of organised criminal groups have once again become part of  the country’s daily headlines. Each such killing chips away at public faith in the government’s ability to maintain order and dispense justice.
What happened in Welgama raises disturbing questions. How could armed assailants move freely, identify their target, and execute the crime with such precision without fear of immediate consequence? Where was the  intelligence network that should have detected such threats? And why has the political culture become so toxic that even allegations — often spread through unverified channels on social media — can create such hostility against an individual?
Social media had been abuzz  with posts  against the slain Chairman. Some accused him of  links with unsavoury individuals. Yet, none of these claims were substantiated through due legal process. Character assassination online should not  become a substitute for formal accountability, the lines between allegation and verdict blur dangerously.
The murder also exposes how weak the state has become in asserting its monopoly on force. In theory, the government holds that power exclusively through the police and security services.
No government that claims legitimacy can afford to brush this aside as a local incident. It demands a national response — not merely in the form of arrests, but through a full-scale restoration of public confidence in the rule of law. This is not the first time that political figures have been killed under mysterious or violent circumstances.  In the midst of the  2022 Aragalaya that sent then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa home, a parliamentarian was killed in cold blood.
What distinguishes this case is the brazenness and the timing: it occurred in an environment where the government has repeatedly promised to curb crime. In fact, they tried to lull people into a false sense of complacency that the organised crime wave has ended with the recent arrest of underworld fugitives such as   Kehelbaddara Padme.
If the government fails to respond decisively, it will stand accused of indifference or, worse, complicity. How it reacts in the days ahead will be the true test of its genuineness. Mere rhetoric or token arrests will not suffice. The public must see transparent investigations, accountability, and above all, the political will to dismantle the networks that commit,  protect and perpetuate violence.
 The murder of a local government head carries implications far beyond the boundaries of a single Pradeshiya Sabha. Local authorities represent the closest layer of governance to the people — the foundation of grassroots democracy.
The social media campaigns against the late Chairman — however sensational — should also prompt serious reflection. In an age where digital platforms amplify every rumour and exaggerate every scandal, the line between accountability and mob justice is dangerously thin. Digital outrage can sometimes become a substitute for evidence, and the court of public opinion can easily become a trial without due process. It is time to recognise that while online platforms have democratised speech, they have also weaponizsed disinformation, character assassination, and hatred.
No individual, whatever their past, can be summarily executed outside the law. That principle is the cornerstone of any civilized society. To forget it is to invite chaos. The very essence of governance lies in the state’s ability to protect life, uphold justice, and ensure that even the most controversial figures are treated within the framework of law.
The government must now rise to the moment. It must ensure that the perpetrators — and their sponsors — are identified, arrested, and prosecuted transparently. But beyond that, it must demonstrate a genuine commitment to overhauling the mechanisms of law enforcement.