Sri Lanka has long dealt with violent crimes using ad-hoc measures instead of long-term, well-established policies. Once again gun violence seems to be on the rise instilling fear in ordinary citizens and posing a threat to the rule of law.
Over the last decade, the country has been grappling with sporadic surges of gun violence, often linked to organised crimes. Repeated resurgence of gun violence and the impunity with which some criminals act is indicative of the deep cracks within the country’s social, governance, and political fabric. Law enforcement agencies, often due to immense public and political pressure post mass casualty incidents, embark on various anti-gun crime measures which are often short-lived, and also do not address the root causes of such crime. Over the years, overall economic instability, growing poverty, and in some cases failures on the part of the law enforcement agencies and justice mechanisms have complicated the issue, and today curbing gun violence has become a significant challenge.
According to the Police, in 2024 alone, 103 targeted shooting incidents have been reported, and 56 of them are linked to organised crimes. This spate of shootings had resulted in 61 deaths and seven injuries. In addition, there is a more concerning issue pertaining to gun violence – data shows that family disputes account for the remaining 47 shootings in 2024. Of them, 25 were domestic shootings. In comparison, according to the data reported by the press, there were 120 shootings in 2023, which resulted in 64 deaths and 65 injuries. Given the statistics of 2023 and 2024, the way this year has commenced leaves serious concerns how the year will progress as far as gun violence is concerned. The Sunday Morning recently reported that five shooting deaths have been reported thus far in January (as of 12 January).
The Police force is of the view that the majority of this gun violence is linked to organised crimes orchestrated by criminal elements living overseas, outside Sri Lanka’s jurisdiction. The Police pointed out that Sri Lanka has released 63 Interpol red notices for criminals operating from overseas, mainly in the United Arab Emirates, India, and Canada. Yesterday (16), as the country woke up to the news that two people had been shot dead near the Mannar Court. Meanwhile it was further reported that the organised crime figure known as ‘Podi Lasi’, who was released on bail last month, had been arrested in India. It is concerning how Lasi, who is accused of multiple criminal activities of serious nature, including murder and use of illegal firearms, has made a mockery of the foreign travel ban imposed on him by fleeing the country within such a short period of time. While many criminals operating from overseas have been identified and certain actions have been taken including through local law enforcement agencies, these efforts must be intensified because the impacts of criminal activities on the country and people are huge.
According to the Police, over the last three months of 2024, their operations have resulted in the seizure of 37 pistols, 36 revolvers, 20 T-56 rifles, and over 2,200 other types of weapons including shotguns and locally-made improvised firearms. While the Police may see this as a victory because their efforts have resulted in the removal of unregistered, illegally-obtained, and illegally-used firearms off the streets, this high number of firearms is indicative of the scale of the issue that the country is dealing with. It must be noted and recognised by the authorities that this is not just a matter of professional criminals. This is also a matter about ordinary people who have found themselves in desperate situations, particularly because of the economic downturn, and have chosen the wrong path to make ends meet. That is why it is crucial to address root causes of gun violence.
Over the last decade, experts have identified gaps in law enforcement, lack of effective prosecution, as well as shortcomings in prison and other correctional systems in Sri Lanka, which some believe continue to support the cycle of violence within the country. The continued use of gun violence poses many risks. It adds to the prolonged erosion of the trust in the State, law enforcement, and Judiciary. This should be a key concern for the Government as it has a serious impact on governance, the rule of law, and day-to-day public life. In this context, the Government needs to take this matter seriously and not resort to theatrics or ad-hoc actions as previous governments have done.
The Government should devise a well-planned methodology to address root causes behind gun violence, and implement long-term policies which are capable of tackling this issue in a more sustainable and effective manner.