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| Sunday, 15 May 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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The Hangman " Criminals do not die by the hands of the law. They die by the hands of
other men", by Shanika Sriyananda
Given his profession, you expect a tough looking guy, tall as he is broad, and with a big moustache. But pre-conceptions can be pretty daunting and mislead you into believing what you want. For, the reality here is that Baladasa's physique does not reflect his job - Sri Lanka's lone Hangman. In fact, charming and soft spoken, the mild mannered five-footer, dressed in a casual outfit seems the antithesis of a man destined to kill and kill repeatedly with the sanction of the Courts. Talking to the Sunday Observer, in an exclusive interview. Baladasa, the 'judicial killer' describes his job as rajakariya is devakariya (A job is the top most priority) and is ready to hang any one who has been found guilty of going against humanity. At twenty five, Baladasa is the only 'alugosuwa' (hangman) in the country and may even be the youngest in the world. But he is still an untried rookie as he has never experienced the gruesome procedure of Hanging, as the President is yet to put her signature to hang prisoners on Death Row in either Welikada or Bogambara. But coming from a family of Hangmen - his father was the last Hangman and retired in 2002, does make him the right person for the job, though the job is not an ordinary one. Still, trying to match the charming demeanour with the brutality of the job he has undertaken is not an easy task. It makes one wonder what made this 'innocent' looking mild mannered young man choose a job which calls upon him to 'kill' people. "Poverty made me to choose this job". That's Baladasa's simple answer. Poverty had been knocking at Baladasa's door since childhood, which also forced him to give up his education at a school in Colombo, after the Ordinary Level Examination. Eighth in a family of nine, the family survived on the money earned by his father and some of the older children. The meagre monthly income was not enough to feed eleven mouths. Baladasa did several odd jobs to help make ends meet and to support his father's hard struggle for survival. Finally, he was forced to listen to his sick father's request to become the Hangman, and follow in his footsteps. Perhaps, it also helped that Baladasa was the only candidate at the interview. He was officially appointed as the Hangman on May 2, 2002. His father, who was appointed as the Hangman of the Welikada Prison on July 1, 1979, just one month before Baladasa was born had retired in 2002. "My father, who was the fourth Hangman, was fortunate because he did not have to hang anyone during his period. The sudden death of my father was a big blow to me. If he had been alive I would have got the opportunity to learn more about my job", he says. The hangmanship in the Welikada Prison is kept in the family, and handed down from generation to generation. From Singho's generation it was handed over to their relative, Baladasa's father. Baladasa does 'maithree' meditation every morning and night, and goes to the temple whenever he has some free time. He knows the value of human life more than any one else. But he also knows, he won't have a say, when the final decision is made and he is called up to put the final full stop to the lives of over 70 people, especially hardcore criminals including well-known underworld gangsters. He says his job is very interesting and hopes he would not be called upon to hang an innocent person. "I do not fear hanging anyone because the people in death row have been convicted by Courts and they have been found guilty for committing crimes against humanity. So I am ready to hang them", his voice sounds very confident. "Everyone thinks that the 'alugosuwa' is really a man without a heart. This is wrong. I am like my father. We are innocent and never had fights with others. My father was not a Hangman but a God. My role model is my father, who always taught us to be kind to everyone", says Baladasa, who still loves to help the needy. After reporting for duty at 8 in the morning, Baladasa spends his time 'idling' in the small office of the Bandanagara Niladaringe Suba Sadaka Sangamaya (Welfare unit of the Prison Officers' Association) at the Prison Head Quarters, Welikada, just attending to clerical work - entering data and delivering letters to high ranking prison officers, till 5 pm. He says that he always gets the support of the Commissioner General, Rumy Marzook and the entire Prison Department staff to continue his job as the Hangman. So, what would life be for a Hangman...As the only Hangman in the country, he would be legally entitled to many privileges - an official quarters, vehicle and security. But life right now is not a bed of roses. "From the very next day that a criminal is hanged under President's order I will definitely get all these privileges. Until then I have to wait" Baladasa claims. Baladasa travels from Welikada to Gampaha every weekend to see his sick mother, who is his source of inspiration to be courageous in any circumstances. He is ready to pull the noose at any time, making an end to a 27-year abolition of Capital punishment in Sri Lanka. Though he like his father does not have experience of hanging a criminal, he recently experienced the gravity of hanging and the power of the hangman's post, after the government announced Capital punishment. "I accompanied some top officials to the gallows to check its functioning. We went through the death row and the prisoners felt that something was happening. The following day a few were admitted to the hospital", he says. With the noose hovering in the horizon, Baladasa plans to tie the knot of a different sort next year, when he weds his sweetheart of our year. However, he is happy that his in-laws are very understanding and have never asked him to quit his job. "They know that this is my job and that I do not kill people for money", says Baladasa who holds the post of 'wadaka', a rank below a prison guard and draws a four figure salary. Today he is busy earning some extra money to give a comfortable life to his girl. "After 5 p.m. I am not the hangman but a three-wheeler driver", he smiles. "I will be the hangman of this country as long as I can. But I do not like my children to follow in my foot-steps. I want them to be educated citizens", dreams Baladasa. **** Testing the rope The two ropes donated - one by the Government of Pakistan - have been handed over to the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) to the tested for its quality and strength. Prisons Commissioner Gunaratne Kuruppu told the Sunday Observer that ropes with certain standards need to be used for the Hanging and that depending on the ITI report, the Prisons Department would order the ropes. The specification of the rope used before 1976 will also be taken into consideration. According to prison sources, the rope is approximately one inch in width and of high quality. Meanwhile, the Department has decided to send two officers to Pakistan for training to learn the nitty gritties of Hanging and its legal requirements. "Two jailors will be sent and they will teach the other staff including the hangman about the Hanging process", he said. **** History of Hanging In ancient Sri Lanka criminals were killed using inhumane punishment. Robert Knox in his famous book - An historical relation of Ceylon - had clearly explained the methods used to punish criminals during the reign of King Rajasinghe II. Abolishing these very strict methods of punishments, the capital punishment was introduced during British rule in 1802. * The first Gallows was set up in Paliyagoda in an open space and the first criminal who underwent capital punishment was Ingiriye Kalu Appu. * The first woman sentenced to be hanged in 1824 was Pahalagedara Dingiri Menika but she escaped Gallows under a special pardon as she was pregnant. * The first Buddhist monk who was executed in 1823 was Ven. Kahatapola thera who went against British rule. * The first permanent gallows was built at Welikada Prison in May 25, 1871. * Later Gallows were built in Jaffna and Bogambara prisons but only the Gallows in Welikada and Bogambara functioned. * First Hangman - David Singho * Second - Louise Singho * Third - Pabilis Singho * Fourth - Ranjith Wijetunge * The name of the 5th Hangman was changed to 'Baladasa' to protect his privacy. |
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| Produced by Lake House |
It is almost eight p.m. The three-wheeler stops near an Indian Restaurant
at Thunmulla junction, and the young man who drives the trishaw, introduces
himself. For want of a better name, let's call him 'Baladasa'. 
