Destroy the smouldering embers of religious and racial flames

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Disasters

Our country has witnessed enough and more violence and hatred during the past 30 to 40 years. This year our country has faced disaster after disaster such as the explosion at the army explosive dump in Homagama, the Meetotamulla garbage disaster, the severe drought and now the heavy flooding. The number of deaths and the number of people left homeless and displaced, deprived of all their belongings, are too numerous to be counted. Should we face another disaster due to the religious, racial, rabble rousing which is bound to be disastrous and detrimental to our country? The people are apprehensive of such a calamity of island wide clashes between the citizens of various races and religions due to the prevailing uneasy situation in the country.

Law and order

Prevention is better than cure. Nipping in the bud is a saying which is very relevant to the present situation. Blame has already been placed at the feet of the police for not taking appropriate action to prevent the rabble rousers carrying on their campaign without any hindrance. The law and order agency, the police, should not wait till the bubble bursts. There are sufficient legal provisions for the police to act against anyone whether from the North, South, East or West, irrespective of race or religion, who indulge in spreading of hatred and violence among the people of this country who have co-existed peacefully for many centuries. The peace loving people of this country depend on the police and expect them to act without fear or favour. The police should not allow the embers of this flame to rise up. They should take immediate steps to destroy the smouldering embers of religious and racial flames before it engulfs the country. (The writer is a retired Deputy Inspector

General (DIG) of the Police.)