Yesterday saw another Police encounter death of a suspected organised crime – gun for hire, in Angamuwa in Padukka. 

The Police have identified the deceased as a key suspect –‘shooter’ in a drive-by double homicide which occurred in Moragahahena in Horana on Sunday (7). It was later revealed that the deceased was a serving member of the Sri Lanka Air Force, a Corporal in the volunteer service, and star sportsman, who was part of the Air Force rugby team. The dead airman had opened fire on the Police when they attempted to stop and search him, which according to the Police resulted in the Special Task Force officers on site returning fire, fatally wounding the air force sportsman. Both the Air Force and the Police are investigating the incident. However, the incident highlights the depth of a serious social issue, the increasing lawlessness which has penetrated far and wide across the Sri Lankan governance structure.

While organised crime in Sri Lanka has long drawn ex-military personnel and deserters to bolster its ranks, the involvement of serving armed forces personnel, is a phenomenon which has only been documented in numbers, recently. There has also been a long history of ex-policemen and serving law enforcement officers being on the payroll of organised criminal groups. The ongoing spate of Gun Crime, which began in 2023 remains unimpeded despite the ongoing ‘Operation Yukthiya’ which the Police Department launched following the appointment of a new Inspector General of Police (IGP). Sources in law enforcement and the security establishment indicate that there have been personnel who are in service, that have been employed as guns for hire in the dark and murky world of  organised crime. It is suspected that the organised crime figures who organised such gun crime – the so called ‘shot callers’ for these ‘hits’ issue ‘contracts’ for such killings while being based overseas. It is no secret that a large number of armed forces personnel have become ‘absent’ or absent without leave over the last two years. Some estimate the number at around 20,000 – 25,000. Given the economic conditions that are prevailing, it is little surprise that trained soldiers, sailors and now, airmen who are without employment are vulnerable to be recruited for crime. Long standing issues of lack of demobilisation policies, and mechanism to ensure ex-armed forces personnel’s employment prospects, may have played into the hands of organised criminal groups, as has been seen in South America and South East Asia.

Given the continued level of gun crime which has prevailed despite the State’s effort to curb them, the reality that there is an abundance of small arms which are in circulation in the Island, and trained gunmen being plentiful, it is clear that the current tactics employed by law enforcement agencies, and that the thinking of senior law enforcement officials are ineffective.

However, the involvement of armed forces personnel who are in service, ‘contracting’ out for organised crime in Sri Lanka, is a significant concern, one that has been discussed at the National Security Council earlier this year, it is reliably learnt. The involvement of active duty personnel increases the risk factor as within military establishment, the opportunity to access small arms, or explosive and specialised weapons now comes into the equation. It is also reliably learnt that since last year individual arms of the armed forces have tightened security control of their armouries. It is prudent that the Government, addresses the concerns about the crime – military nexus, irrespective of how unpalatable it may be in the ongoing defence review process, and come up with robust mechanism to ensure that there is an effective demobilisation process, one which helps ex-servicemen to find more suitable employment and reintegrate to society effectively. There is also a need to have a vetting system to ensure integrity of serving armed forces personnel, especially those who have specialised skill sets which criminal elements may attempt to exploit.       

With an election year in the making, political parties beginning their election campaigns, and Sri Lanka only recovering from a year of unprecedented political turmoil and economic crisis, the prevalent gun crime, and its increasing audacity should be a key concern for the State and the public. To ensure stability and economic recovery, the Government must move swiftly to recalibrate the current law enforcement tactics, and enact robust mechanisms to ensure effective demobilisation, and employability of armed forces personnel. Let’s hope that the Government acts quickly, so that there is no room for the services and skill sets of vulnerable ex-service, or in-service personnel to be exploited by criminal elements or domestic and foreign entities who may want to disrupt Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and political stability.