New strategies needed to stamp out gun violence

Il Opposition Parties are not in agreement on the no-confidence motion handed over to Speaker Jagath Wikramarathna by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya against the Deputy Defence Minister, retired Major General Aruna Jayasekara, on the grounds that conflict of interest is involved in the investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, as he was the commanding officer in the Eastern Province at the time of those terrorist attacks.

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It is ironic that the leaders who initiated the investigations into those terrorist attacks during which one of them was the Minister of Law and Order are finding conflict of interest in the current investigations into the same incident involving the Deputy Minister of Defence.

Some groups that are not in agreement with this no faith motion argue that it could be justifiable if a no-confidence motion is presented against the Deputy Defence Minister over the current crime wave.

In fact, rarely a day passes now without a shooting incident being in the news. Police on August 14 reported that 82 shooting incidents have taken place this year resulting in 44 deaths and leaving 48 people injured. They have also claimed that 62 out of 82 incidents were linked to rivalry between criminal gangs and drugs, and the rest have been caused of other issues.