“Torture Free Sri Lanka through Protecting Citizens’ Dignity!”
The Panel Discussion on “Torture Free Sri Lanka through Protecting Citizens’ Dignity” held in Horton Place, Light House Auditorium, on 26 th Wednesday as the public event after the Press Conference and Public Meeting organized by Sri Lankan Collective Against Torture (SLCAT) to highlight torture and its possibility of being extreme in many forms in the country with the past and present experiences. The proposed Anti-Torture Month started on June 19, 2019 to mark the International Day in Support of Torture Survivors of 2019. There are many programs planned to host around the country through various manner.
Panelists addressed the gathering were Ven. Galkande Dammananda Thero, Mr. J.C. Welamuna P.C., Mr. Ajith Parakum; Journalist, Mrs. Ramani Muruthethuwegama; Commissioner Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka and the Panel moderator was Senior Lawyer Mr. Upul Kumarapperuma AAL.
The summary of the speech by Ven. Galkande Dammananda Thero
The state is basically built on the concept of suppression. Religion has always been a state tool. Buddhism has never accepted violence in its definition of ‘Abhya’ in a religion like Buddhism advocating non-violence. As mentioned in the “Kakachupama Suthraya”, even for self-defense don’t harm for others. Similarly, punishing wrongdoers in front of the law, as explained according to the Buddhism’ rationalisms or “Hethupalawadaya”, apparently it is proven that guilt is a fruit and that the result is inevitable without eliminating the cause. As the society, each of us may have been tortured. Either way, it should be discussed how to recover the victim who has been tortured. This discussion should be socialized. It must be said that the school is main focus here. In here, we should look at how to punish the offending child without torturing him. Now Sri Lankan society is talking about the death penalty or capital punishment. But it couldn’t achieve the successful solution.