The recent multiple homicide in Ottawa, Canada which took the lives of six Sri Lankans, including four children, was a tragedy. Its impact was felt in Canada, in Sri Lanka and among the many Sri Lankan communities overseas. 

While the crime, which is still being investigated has opened a debate about mental health of Sri Lankan students studying overseas and about the pressures of adjusting to a new country and the obvious culture shock that comes with it, the tragedy also holds a mirror to Sri Lankan culture of dealing with crime, and highlights gaps in professionalism and ethics, both with our domestic law enforcement agencies and the broad media sector.

The murder of the six Sri Lankan residents in Ottawa will follow Canadian legal procedure, and would be an interesting process to follow. However, if we compare how the Ottawa Police handled the crime and kept the public informed about the ongoing investigation with the process in Sri Lanka, many would see that there is much we can learn from Canada.

Firstly, the Canadian authorities effectively cordoned off and managed the crime scene, allowing investigators to carry out their forensic analysis diligently and without distraction. The Canadian authorities also held a quick, but brief press announcement, where they spoke of the challenges of handling such a case, and that investigations are ongoing. They were careful not to ‘paint the picture’ of the crime, stating that the investigation was ongoing and asked that the families involved be given the space to process the tragedy and grieve in private. The Canadian Police also approached this crime, with emotional intelligence and understanding that the community in which the young family of victims lived in, is trying to process this incident and that it had shocked many of the residents. Note that no media outlet was allowed to film within the crime scene, or harass persons associated with the victims for sound bites.   

This professional approach compared to the many murder crime scenes where the Sri Lanka Police hardly manages a yellow line perimeter, and allows broadcast and print media personnel to ‘walk through’ the crime scene, often allowing them to give a live commentary, and interview key witnesses, including minors (who ought not to be exposed in the media), asking them questions about the crime and at times, almost establishing a narrative, which the reporters try to get confirmed by witnesses or relatives as to what happened.  Such practices, which are allowed and promoted by many domestic broadcast media outlets, and at times by the print media sector, screams unprofessional,unethical conduct, and evidence tampering. It is not journalism. Such acts, which are often tolerated, or at times arranged by local Police to promote themselves, not only contaminates crime scenes, it also brands individuals as suspects, and that publicity, whether later proven or not, does irreversible damage to the lives of the people affected by the crime.

If you have not had the opportunity, take a moment to watch Ottawa Police Chief Eric Stubbs’s press briefing and follow how his investigators have provided routine updates about the crime. There has been no ‘Ah huh! That’s what happened’ narratives by Police authorities, who have been at pains to educate the public that good police work, that which will stand up in court for a successful prosecution in Court. 

The Canadian way of handling this tragedy leaves many lessons for local law enforcement and the media fraternity to pick up. In Sri Lanka, the usual habit of the public is to demand justice immediately, or at least an arrest, sometimes within hours or days. Such ill-founded expectations place unnecessary pressures on the law enforcement agencies, who under pressure from politicians cut corners in investigation, to name a ‘suspect’. Such unwarranted pressure can derail a proper investigation, where time is needed to collect evidence, interview suspects, and witnesses and build a solid case which will stand up in court. In such a culture within the law enforcement community, sympathy towards the victims and empathy towards suspects, is almost non-existent. A good example is why so many young girls and women, fear reporting sexual harassment, rape or domestic violence to the Police. The mannerism of the police who record statements and offer their personal views on the alleged crime and the conduct of the victim, often leads to victim blaming. Today, it seems that the Police in Sri Lanka are more preoccupied with putting on a ‘media show’ about ‘arrests’ and ‘chasing suspects’ than building an airtight case for the prosecution. This is not to say there are no competent and effective Policemen and women in the service, there are, but there are not enough of them. Looking at how the Canadian press and law enforcement reports on and investigates the Ottawa tragedy will have many lessons for Sri Lanka, if they are ready to learn.