Dr Sarath Obeysekera

The rise and fall of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar remains one of the darkest chapters in modern criminal history. Escobar did not merely run a drug empire — he built a parallel power structure through fear, intimidation, bribery, and murder. Judges were assassinated. Journalists were silenced. Police chiefs were targeted. Politicians lived under constant threat. Even ordinary citizens became collateral damage in a system where criminal power attempted to overpower the State itself.

Colombia during that era became a frightening example of what happens when organized crime infiltrates institutions and when fear prevents society from speaking openlySri Lanka is obviously not Colombia of the 1980s. Yet recent incidents involving mysterious killings, underworld violence, suspicious deaths, intimidation, political patronage networks, and attacks on media personnel have raised disturbing questions among the public.

People increasingly ask:

• Why are certain investigations delayed?
• Why do some criminal figures appear untouchable?
• Why do witnesses fear speaking?
• Why do journalists and social activists sometimes operate under pressure?
• Why do suspicious deaths quickly disappear from public discussion?

Whether these incidents are connected or isolated is for law enforcement and the judiciary to determine. However, the growing public perception of fear and impunity itself is dangerous for democracy.

The lesson from Escobar’s Colombia is not merely about narcotics. It is about how criminal influence grows when:

• institutions weaken,
• political patronage protects wrongdoing,
• fear silences honest officers,
• and society gradually normalizes violence.

One of the most frightening aspects of the Escobar era was that many ordinary citizens initially tolerated him because he funded housing projects, football fields, and welfare activities. Criminal power often attempts to buy legitimacy through philanthropy while simultaneously destroying the rule of law behind the scenes.

Sri Lanka must be careful not to drift into any culture where:

• criminals become celebrities,
• political connections override justice,
• or violence becomes an accepted tool of influence.

The country has already suffered decades of conflict, terrorism, political unrest, and economic hardship. The people deserve a society governed by transparent laws and accountable institutions — not fear.

The responsibility now lies with:

• the Police,
• the Judiciary,
• independent media,
• civil society,
• and political leadership

to ensure that no parallel culture of intimidation takes root.

History shows that once organized criminal influence penetrates deeply into governance and public life, reversing the damage becomes extremely difficult.

Sri Lanka must learn from the mistakes of other nations before it is too late.

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera