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| Sunday, 13 March 2005 |
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Rehabilitating drug addicts Crime Sunday by Jaympathy Jayasinghe Proliferation of heroin in Sri Lanka during the past have resulted youths in cities and elsewhere taking to drugs and committing heinous crime in a big way. The problem still has been aggravated by a horde of service deserters who commit serious crime like contract killing and extortion of money from businessmen. According to a recent survey carried out by the Colombo Division Police under the guidance of DIG Colombo, Sirisena Herath it was revealed that several 16 year old boys awaiting trial at a correction centre at Kottawa had killed nearly 10-12 people within an year. Another youth from Kadawatte had killed his father mother and elder sister by poisoning them due to hatred he had towards them. The youths believed to have been involved in homosexual activity with an elderly man had done so on his advice to acquire the property. In an another incident a youth had slaughtered his father and mother by chopping them with a sword for reporting him to the local police station. The youth had waited in ambush in the compound of his house and attacked his parents after they returned from the police station. The same youth also attacked and killed a neighbour who rushed to the spot on hearing the cries of the boy's parents. Police say that around 700 women have been detained at a correction centre at Meth Sevena, Gangodawila for various sexual offences. Prominent among them is a woman inmate clad in a pair of denim shorts and a head scarf who commands respect from other fellow inmates. Detainees have acknowledged her as the leader of the pack owing to her aggressiveness. According to DIG, Sirisena Herath some women inmates become abusive and hurl insults at police officers who had falsely implicated them in sexual offences. They alleged that trumped up charges have been brought against them for not yielding to sexual pleasures of policemen. Several such policemen have been exposed in the past, he said. DIG Herath said that Kimbulawela in Modera area has become a haven for drug addicts and steps are being taken to rehabilitate them. Heroin trade is dominated by a terrorist organisation who work closely with and 26 underworld gangs in the country. He said to counteract this problem, a drug awareness program have been launched in Colombo to lure youths who are likely to become potential drug addicts. The project, is aimed at youths to refrain from using dangerous drugs like heroin and to lead a good life. Meanwhile the 8th batch of youths who followed a three week's drug awareness program passed out recently. The awareness program includes lectures at universities, the SLIDA organisation, Sri Lanka Foundation Institution (SLFI), the Government Analyst Department, the Attorney General's Department and by senior police officers. The project have been quite successful with several youths from Colombo being drafted into the project. It is implemented by academics knowledgeable in counselling and drug abuse programs from the Sri Jayawardenapura and the Colombo Universities and elsewhere. The rationale behind the project is to prevent destitute and orphan children falling prey to drug abuse perpetrated by ruthless drug dealers. During weekends drug addicts are rehabilitated at various drug rehabilitation centres or at the Sedawatte temple. The youths who have previously followed such training programs are in constant touch with the police, DIG Herath said. He said youths not only become drug addicts, but also are recruited as drug peddlers. "What we are trying to do is to create an awareness among juveniles and unemployed youths and those who do not attend school to refrain using heroin and to become good citizens." he said. Referring to detection of heroin in Colombo in 2003, DIG Herath said 49 drug kingpins were indicted before the High Court and the quantity of heroin detected was 900 grams. However this number had trebled in 2004 with 150 drug kingpins being indicted in 2004. The amount of heroin detected during this period too had increased to 1.5 kilos. However the normal quantity of heroin detected by all police stations annually does not exceed more than 2 kilos, he said. Figures show that 12,000 prisoners five years had swelled up to 27,000 in 2004. Of this number 17,000 inmates were convicted for drug related offences. From Colombo Police Division alone 7,000 persons were arrested in 2003, for drug related offences but the number had decreased to 6,000 in 2004 due to a relentless campaign carried out by the police. Meanwhile a pilot project conducted in the Grandpass area had revealed horrifying accounts of children who had never attended school although it is mandatory requirement under the existing law. The parents or guardians of such children are accountable for such acts. A recent survey in Grandpass area revealed that 67 male children and 51 female children have never attended school. A survey in the Modera have revealed that 162 children had never attended school. Of this number 86 are males and 76 females. Further 23 children, between the ages of 5 to 7 have never attended school. Mother finding employment abroad, or marriage union ending up in divorce or father languishing in jail have been attributed as reasons for children not attending school. According to DIG Herath around 2000 youths addicted to drugs are being rehabilitated at some 30 odd centres including the Boossa Prisons and ten other centres belonging to Bodhananda Thera. |
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