DEATH SENTENCE AGAIN (99 Mar 17)
The government has decided to reintroduce the death sentence for murder and drug trafficking. This is in view of the alarming increase in violence in the country. It is expected that the President will announce shortly the the date on which the new policy becomes effective.The death sentence was last carried out on the 22nd of June 1976.
The government has also changed the policy relating to the exercise of the President's constitutional prerogative of granting remissions of sentences.
Everybody will agree that violence in the country has increased over the years, but there are various "theories" as to why this has happened. The "peace lobby" is quick to blame the "war" against the LTTE as if this trend was not noticeable earlier. It has to be pointed out the violence by the Tamil terrorist groups which were formed in late sixties increased after the abolition of the death sentence.
The intervention by the politicians in police matters is another reason that has been given by some groups. The politicalisation of the administration and the police has obviously contributed to the increase in crime as the criminals began to seek protection from the politicians. The links between the politicians and the underworld is well known and the President should have taken steps to take action against the politicians who have links with these criminals.