Opinion
Grease devils challenge to post war security measures
With the end of the war against the LTTE in May 2009, the country has enjoyed more than two and a half years of peace without violent strikes by terrorist groups. There is popular acceptance that the strict anti terrorist measures and surveillance of the security forces backed by emergency laws has been responsible for this positive state of affairs. Responding to local and international pressures that a State of Emergency is no longer required to give teeth to the security forces, government spokespersons have been saying for the past month that most of the emergency laws under which the country has been governed continuously since 2005 will be removed by next year or possibly even earlier.
Rape and murder
However, a new development is casting doubt on the governments intentions with regard to the repeal of the emergency laws. There has been a sudden increase in the reports of attacks, almost all on women, by assailants who are said to have grease applied to their bodies. This has given rise to the phenomenon of the grease devils. The early attacks that first sparked off fear over a month ago were the rape and murder of five women, where the assailants were eventually apprehended by the police. Most of the subsequent attacks are reported to be of a less deadly nature and involved scraping and groping of women. The worst affected areas were initially those parts of the hill country and the east which are predominantly inhabited by ethnic minorities.
Vigilante groups
More recently, reports of attacks have spread to other parts of the country as well. Communities have formed vigilante groups that wait up at night for intruders. In some areas groups of vigilantes have even killed people they believed to be grease devils. The most recent victim has been a policeman in civilian attire who is accused of going surreptitiously into peoples houses. In the east, large numbers of people have even surrounded police stations and military camps and demanded that the latter in particular be removed. A frequent allegation has been that when a suspect is apprehended by people and handed over to the police, he is either released or taken to the nearby military camp.
LAWLESS BEHAVIOUR
Government spokespersons have issued stern warnings to the general population that they cannot take the law into their
own hands. In a particularly tragic incident, two of the people killed in the hill country by vigilantes are said to have been traveling salesmen. In other parts of the country, people apprehended officials of the Wild Life department who were engaged in an elephant census and moving about in the jungles to count the animals. While these cases of mistaken identity have received wide publicity in the media, more and more incidents of grease devils attacking women also continue to be reported. There are also reports of sounds being heard and people being seen, but with the suspects getting away leaving the entire community in a panic.
Ethnic polorization and a mono-ethnic security force
Although the reported attacks on women have taken place in a wide swathe of the country, the blaming of security forces and breakdown of law and order appear to have been most prevalent in the areas inhabited by the ethnic minorities. One of the weaknesses of governance that got aggravated during the time of the war against the LTTE and Tamil militant groups was the increase in the mono-ethnic composition of the security forces. There was a time when the security forces had a significant proportion of ethnic and religious minorities especially at the higher levels. But with the escalation of the war and the sharpening of ethnic polarization the security forces became a largely Sinhalese force. After the war the government has declared its intention to increase the Tamil-speaking proportion of the security forces, particularly of the police.
Reliance on draconian laws to control crowds
Sri Lanka's security forces: "Some of them may seek a life of crime with their special training. There are others who are serving officers who may wish to abuse their power. There is an arrogance that comes with unchecked power especially in those who wield arms"
Another weakness in governance that the present crisis has brought to the surface is the continued reliance of the security forces on draconian methods of crowd control. On a previous occasion in the recent past the police fired on a crowd of workers who were protesting about a new government pension scheme for the private sector that they believed would disadvantage them. Among the crowd there were agent provocateurs who threw stones and missiles at the police prompting harsh retaliation. The police firing killed one worker. On this occasion too in regard to the grease devils there has been police firing that killed a protestor. It is essential that the security forces be re-trained to deal with civilian protests and agitation in the post war context and to treat civilians with respect and as right-holders. There is also a need for more positive relationship-building exercises to take place between the security forces and civilian population.
REBUILDING CONFIDENCE
Post war societies are prone to the breakdown of law and order due to the inability of the security forces to impart confidence in the general population. The security forces who have fought a brutal war and suffered trauma as a result also need to be counseled and rehabilitated even thought they were the victors. There are those who have left the security forces either through retirement or desertion who are in need of employment. Some of them may seek a life of crime with their special training. There are others who are serving officers who may wish to abuse their power. There is an arrogance that comes with unchecked power especially in those who wield arms. A particularly notorious case comes from East Timor, which received its independence from Indonesia in 2002 after years of bloodshed and guerilla struggle.
Ninja phenomenon
In 2010, a Ninja phenomenon swept through the fledgling state. The ninja terminology first came into use in the 1990s
This picture taken on January 26, 2010 shows East Timor policemen searching for 'ninja' accused of murder and subversion in Covalima. East Timor police have declared war on mysterious "ninjas" accused of murder and subversion. Photo taken from http://blog.foreignpolicy.com
when Indonesia was still struggling to suppress the East Timorese struggle for independence. Secret militias allegedly backed by the Indonesian military targeted Timorese independence activists. The people were terrorized as large numbers of them were abducted and killed in the dark by men dressed in black. The fear of these death squads became part of a traditional dread of a lurking shapeless apparition with evil qualities and resurfaced in 2010.
The fear of Ninjas and the role of government as protector
The re-emergence of fear of ninjas in 2010 permitted the security authorities of East Timor to take on once again the role of protectors of the people. However, in Sri Lanka, there is no fear that the grease devils are part of a mystical realm. On the contrary they are known to be real human beings, whom the people are sometimes able to capture and hand over to the police.
Breakdown of confidence
But with reports that many of the suspected grease devils who have been apprehended, belong or have belonged to the armed forces, there is a breakdown of confidence in the government’s ability to preserve law and order. This vacuum creates space for groups with their own hidden agendas to gain ground. So far the government response to this development has been deficient in rebuilding confidence amongst the people. The government needs to order an immediate investigation and make its findings known.
13 Comments to “Grease devils challenge to post war security measures”
October 7, 2011 at 1:23 pm
grease devils are figment of the imagination says govt of sri lanka
August 24, 2011 at 8:07 pm
It is reported in Sri Lanka that a bogus website operated as a Sri Lankan online publication operated by a woman whose name in known in Sri Lanka is behind the fear monger campaign. As confessed by an arrested man he had been paid to do the job by a person who posed as a representative of a publication. He was told that they needed to test the reaction by the people to study their behaviour to a sudden threat and that he was offered Rupees 10.000 by a representative of the news publication. I see quite a few parallels between the stories published here and the statement made by the arrested man.
August 24, 2011 at 6:23 pm
This sounds like a bad joke by a few people who did not appreciate the fact that Sri Lanka has become a far safer place after the Tamil terrorists were killed and it seems as if some people still amuse themselves by fear and hatemongering but they are not the small criminals and jobless youths but people who call themselves Journalists who are seated thousands of kilometres far away from reality, seated behind computers in a far away country. Looking at the track records of these people we do not have to wonder when people who suffered in the hands of Tamil terrorists since decades will resort to any means to get rid of these fear and hatemongering menaces who have placed prize tags for their own heads. People who suffered terrible hardships since decades will resort to any means to get rid of every menace.
If the killing of ruthless terrorists in self-defence is justified, who should care when a hate and fear mongering menace is eradicated? Return to the country where you came from to find the answer. With the latest and most efficient despatch services we could also deliver the answer right up to your doorsteps with the best compliments from the people of Sri Lanka..
August 24, 2011 at 7:11 am
I have telephoned 6 different people in Sri Lanka who told me that what’s published on the website were simply speculations and that nobody had actually seen a culprit nor had seen a photograph of the body of a victim. I challenge….. the editors to furnish proof of their serious allegations latest before 31st August 2011 and have notified the Government MOD about this publicity stunt to tarnish the names of the President and his family. …… the responsible editors of Lanka Independent will be held accountable for the damage they are doing to harm those who have business dealings with foreign companies since there is proof that the link was E-Mailed to companies warning that the lives of their employees will be at risk.
I have engaged a private detective company to investigate and submit a report. So far they have not found anything other than speculations
August 23, 2011 at 9:44 am
When the MOD engages people like Rohana Guneratnes as Security Consultants, they must do something to show – and here we have a good reason to keep extending the Emergency Laws every month. This keeps
the Army occupied, when not selling vegetables.
August 24, 2011 at 7:32 am
The Government will act on speculations spread by bias media people who have fled the country and live in exile abroad, this website is maintained by such people and the procedure is to request the Interpol to issue an arrest warrant to arrest them and expatriate to Sri Lanka but the investigations at the ground level is an issue to be handled by the Police and Interpol that deals with criminals in and out of the country. I have already brought this to the attention of the relevant people. The names and addresses of the people are known.
August 24, 2011 at 9:50 am
Punchinilame,…. Just think for a minute! Do you really think the government needs this kind of silly acts to extend emergency? They have enough MPs to pass any bill, let it be emergency extension or a 19th amendment. If you jump out of the political frame you are thinking from, you will see the reality, which is,this is like London riots. In London , one small group began looting, following a shooting incident. This gave the message to thousands of other young people that looting is fun and profitable, attracts no serious opposition or threat to their lives, so they joined the party using modern communication methods. Just like in London, one Grese-yaka appeared in one place, which reminded the other rogues of this old method of committing crime without getting caught. (Greese-yaka is a concept we have in our country for generations, which Jehan would not know of course.)Just like some rioters were/are being caught, some greese-yakas were/will be caught too.Just like rioting dissappeared, Greese-yaka will dissappear as well….the government doesn’t need this method for emergency extension.
But then comes the problem, that where is the security for rural masses?(It is not this government’s fault but no government wanted to develop rural areas. At least these people are doing something.)Anyway, when I once enquired about street-lighting on a rural road, the Pradesiya Sabha chairman asked me, why would villagers need light after 10 PM. That way, politicians do support Greese-yakas indirectly (they can come after 10 PM!) but not to extend the emergency!
…….. the soldiers…… fought a war for us and there is no war now. Do you want them to sit inside the camps partying around, waiting for another war? There are some thousands of them. They now contribute en masse to the development in the war-torn region and as always, they will sell vegetables or oil or fish if such a situation arises where the public need help.
There is one point I agree with you. The government has to be careful when they deal with Rohan Gunarathne.
August 24, 2011 at 2:03 pm
The term Grease Yakkha has been always used to describe a mechanic and service attendant who greased vehicles and was mostly smeared with the oily substance from head to toe, but
I doubt if any criminal in Sri Lanka will be stupid enough to smear him / herself (unless it is Sonali and her so-called journalist goons as shown in the picture) to create turmoil in a peaceful society.
Soon after receiving the link to this website I have checked with Sri Lanka and learnt that there are speculations but nobody had been apprehended or the bodies of the mysteriously killed persons were ever found. Therefore I believe that this story is a creation of mentally sick people with the determination to destroy the good image of the Rajapaksa famila and Sri Lanka.
The possibilities that the alleged Grease Yakhas, should they really exist as a gang of criminals, are financed by Lanka Independent cannot be ruled out because their obvious motives to slander the President and Government of Sri Lanka, which they clearly reveal in other articles. Therefore I have challenged them to submit the proof latest by the 31st August and help the Police to apprehend the culprits. Those who withhold important information to apprehend criminals and at the same time accuse the President and government for not taking action will be taken seriously and they will face serious consequences. I have not doubt that ways and means will be found to punish those who are withholding information regarding national security issues.
During the 30 year long intimidation by the LTTE, there were Singhalese journalists who were lulling in the pockets and on the pay roll of the LTTE and the fact is that the common man who suffered most applauded when the traitors were dispatched to hell.
Security forces that eradicated a whole bunch of ruthless terrorists at one go would certainly not need the alleged Grease Yakkhas as an excuse to extend the emergency regulations. There is ample proof that Tamil terrorists are regrouping and have already begun secret training in certain countries and the information available on their URLs (about 85 in all) is sufficient as proof to extend the emergency regulations for the next 250 years. Sri Lanka has won a battle but not the war. People cannot be fooled about the eminent threat by drawing their attention to horror fairy tails. The Lanka Independents only objective is to distract the people from the real eminent dangers. The people involved in these slanderous campaigns should be seen as a threat to the national security of the country and their extradition to Sri Lanka should be requested. I have offered my assistance to the GOSL in this regard.
Note to the editors. Screenshots have been taken in case this posting will be removed.
August 23, 2011 at 2:19 am
What is troubling about these “grease devils” is the deafening silence of the most “powerful” man in the country namely Gotabhaya Rajapakse or the Government for that matter. Silence would mean that the Govt is behind these types of activities and are encouraging this kind of lawless behaviour.
August 24, 2011 at 7:26 am
The Government will act on speculations spread by bias media people who have fled the country and live in exile abroad, this website is maintained by such people and the procedure is to request the Interpol to issue an arrest warrant to arrest them and expatriate to Sri Lanka.
This is a criminal issue to be handled by the Police and Interpol
August 22, 2011 at 8:08 pm
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August 22, 2011 at 2:12 pm
There were no complains when the Tamil tigers were killing in Sri Lanka, but why complain about the Army now?
August 23, 2011 at 7:11 pm
No, these guys Jehan, Pakyasothi and their gang at CPA (whatever it is!) did complain but still against the Army, even when the LTTE terrorists were raging mayhem in the country. That is what they have always been doing, supporting terrorism and attacking the government. Amazing charities these are!