The Friday Forum has called for several reforms to be made in the police service and reflection on the process of demilitarisation in the wake of the shooting of two university students in Jaffna.
Issuing a release, the Friday Forum says that it unequivocally condemns the police shooting of the two Jaffna University students, Vijayakumar Sulakshan and Nadarajah Gajan on October 21, 2016 adding that, this act of violence by the police in the name of law enforcement is a grim reminder of the brutality that plagues the police force.
While calling for extensive overhaul and reform of the police service, the Friday Forum stresses that in the North and East in particular, people have lost confidence in the state to ensure justice when their rights of personal security and protection are violated by law enforcement agencies.
The Forum goes on to say that the incident should be a moment to reflect on the extraordinary militarisation of our state and society over so many decades.
The Friday Forum goes on to note that it is worrying that even seven years later, we as a society have failed to even have an open national discussion on the importance of demilitarisation for meaningful peace and democracy.
The Forum however says that the point here is not about apportioning blame, it is the responsibility of us all to address the tragic outcome of the conflict, they stress.
In addition to the reduction of the military, the Friday Forum says that institutions of surveillance such as military intelligence and the Terrorism Investigation Department have to be abolished or reformed.
The Forum also calls for the Prevention of Terrorism Act, be repealed, adding that moves to merely replace one draconian regime with another, is unacceptable.
The post Friday Forum urges reforms in police service, reflection on demilitarisation after Jaffna shooting appeared first on Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst | News1st | newsfirst.lk | Breaking.