BY EDWARD THEOPHILUS

In Sri Lanka a widespread talking point or a gossip was, that originally abolished capital punishment was re-established after the assassination of Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, and the capital punishment was given to the assassinator, Rev. Talduwe Somarama was not the real assassinator, but some other person did it, and the exterminator disguised with the support of the law enforcement authority. This means that it is a quite difficult task to detect the real criminals to give capital punishment and the best option is to consider another method of punishment for drug criminals.  It does not mean that the system of justice should ignore the offense, but to use an alternative strategy.

Many countries have controlled illicit drug problems using effective strategies and techniques.  The Local drug problem in Sri Lanka is basically related to consuming or use of the drug, which can be controlled by using multiple methods such as educating about drugs and harmful effects of drugs to individuals and the society.  Sri Lanka has a history of the small-scale drug business in villages. Opium and cannabis business had been operated in Sri Lanka since the beginning of human being in the country. Opium business had been operated in villages by small scale Indian businessmen, who illegally migrated to Sri Lanka and used opium as a business device to quickly achieving enrichment.  Sri Lanka is not growing the plants which use to produce opium (Popi plant) or cocaine (Koki Plant).  Sri Lanka Politics and education in the country did not focus to control such business in the past.  Therefore, Sri Lanka has an ideal environment for illicit drug and alcohol business and consumption.     In many countries, drug education is a part of the school curriculum and lots of resources are diverted to this purpose.  Sri Lanka needs a vigorous campaign on drug education not only in schools but also to the young generation who are out of schools. The government needs funding for advertisements against drug in newspapers, radio, and TVs.

Another vital aspect of narcotics and illicit alcohol in Sri Lanka is that traditional people treated cannabis as a medicinal plant and many Ayurveda doctors use cannabis and opium to produce medicines in various forms. History recorded that illicit alcohol used in the war between King Dutugemunu and Elara. Many traditional employees such as toddy tappers, coconut husk removers, coconut pickers, and many hard-labour workers had been used opium as a pain killer and sleeping chemical or a nerve agent. In the recent past, many Ayurveda doctors got caught using cannabis and opium for making medicines for Asma and another common deceases.  In villages, women use cannabis to soften the village rooster’s meat. Religions did not address the issue.  Catholic priests appreciated with illicit alcohol producers and dealers who contributed funds for church festivals.  Cannabis dealers associated with Buddhist temples, many Muslim clergy associated with heroine dealers and religious leaders reluctant to openly talk about narcotic and alcohol business, the stand of religion now has radically changed and openly talk against illicit drugs and all religions in the country have commenced drug education programs.

People should be vigilant on drug traffickers.  During the LTTE war people were highly concerned with explosive and similar way, people need concern on drug traffickers and inform about the suspicious people to the law enforcement authority.   

Capital punishment from the point of views of religion may not be justified due to various points. According to Christianity humans are the creation of God and human have no right to make a judgment to destroy a creature of God.  This is a complex argument because human makes decisions to destroy animal, plants, which are also creatures of God.  Because some people do wrong things, it doesn’t warrant to kill them.  For example, Adam and Eva believed to be the first human were created by God and when they committed the original sin, God could have given a punishment to kill them and end human being in this world, but God never has done it. Instead of destroying creation, God sent own son (Jesus Christ) to this world to save human being sacrificing his life and to educate people to get away from bad habits and sins. Therefore, Christianity doesn’t agree with capital punishment for drug or any other kind of offenders.

Buddhism also does not agree with capital punishment as a killing of a person regards as a Karma, which is sorrow in metempsychosis transmigrating one life to others and Buddhism would not agree with the capital punishment. In Hinduism, it is a controversy, in terms of Bagawarh Geetha, if God has not sanctioned, a killing a person is regarded as Karma. Islam also against killing people despite the fabricated Islam of new manipulators.  In this religious background, capital punishment is not approved by religions in Sri Lanka and the president’s decision for capital punishment for drug offenders would not be justified by any religion operating in Sri Lanka. Other religions in the world, which are not mentioned here don’t agree with giving capital punishment to offenders.  All religions in the world aim to redeem offenders from the way of reforming them. 

I had an opportunity to develop a program for correctional service officers to reform offenders in jails. I was financially supported by Australia and Canada.  It was highly successful.  In the jail environment, many prisoners openly talked with me the causes to commit crimes and I found that various factors contributed to committing crimes and came across that giving competency-based training to correctional service officers could successfully redeem offenders and remove the elements of wrongdoing from their minds.

I observed that many countries have various programs with a view to reforming offenders and in the modern society programs aim at reforming drug offenders. Developed countries donate a considerable amount of money for programs reforming drug offenders. To be successful such programs, while strict role-playing to detect drug dealers by the law enforcement authority and arm forces, the government needs taking responsibility to provide continuously helping and monitoring different types of offenders who reformed and living in the free society.  I found that the main weakness of the reforming programs was neglecting reformed offenders after the correctional service. Mainly many reformed personnel haven’t had the opportunity to find employment with a decent pay packet for living with the family.  There is no doubt that the government cannot economically help reformed people for their entire life and they need to adapt to reality.  The second important point is that reformed people should be treated equally like other citizens and they should be helped to gain employment consistent with their qualifications, experience, and skills or give the opportunity to gain education and training to find employment like other citizens.

The role after the reforming offenders especially drug offenders seems to be very weak and much-reformed personnel vulnerable to reengage in drug consuming and dealing as they are not gained a status of social civility or decorum in the new environment.