Missing weapons and military murders: Sri Lanka is ‘criminal state’ admits president

Srilanka is a 'criminal state' says Anura

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake admitted that "Sri Lanka is a criminal state," echoing the concerns of numerous human rights organisations regarding extrajudicial killings and systemic abuses perpetrated by state forces. 

His comments come in the wake of a scandal involving missing military weapons and revelations about widespread misconduct within the police force.

"There are a few in the military who are hired to go out and shoot to kill and come back to the camp," admitted Dissanayake in a public address. “This is the situation of the country. Therefore, this is a criminal state. It is a type of state where nothing can be trusted at any time.”

His remarks come after disappearance of 73 T-56 assault rifles from the Polonnaruwa military camp. According to Dissanayake, 38 individuals, including military officers and a member of the Civil Defence Force, have been arrested in connection with the incident. However, 35 of the rifles remain unaccounted for.

He further alleged that weapons were being hidden underground with the support of political actors, underscoring the extent of corruption and complicity in these crimes. The missing weapons are just one element of a broader investigation into illicit arms smuggling and misuse. This incident adds to longstanding allegations that the Sri Lankan military has been involved in extrajudicial killings and other criminal activities, particularly targeting Tamils.

Meanwhile, Tilak C. A. Dhanapala, a senior Sri Lankan police officer, revealed that 28 police officers were dismissed between January and December 2024. These officers faced charges ranging from bribery to involvement in fraud and other criminal activities.

The period also saw a surge in violent crime across the Northern Province, with 34 reported murders, 255 robberies, 501 thefts, and 70 deaths by drowning. The dismissed officers' misconduct raises questions about the integrity of law enforcement in a region already scarred by decades of military occupation and human rights abuses.

 

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