Elephant in the room

THE recent sentencing of Niraj Roshan, widely known as Ali Roshan, to 15 years in prison and a fine exceeding Rs. 20 million marks the first time a high-profile wildlife smuggler has been held accountable in our courts. Roshan was convicted of unlawfully keeping five elephants without valid permits.

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This verdict deserves to be welcomed. For decades, Sri Lanka has watched helplessly as its majestic elephants were ripped from the wild, trafficked under fraudulent documentation, and paraded as trophies of wealth and influence.

Yet, in celebrating this victory, we must not ignore the metaphorical elephant in the room. Ali Roshan, despite his notoriety, could not have operated such a vast smuggling empire alone. His activities thrived because of the politicians, Government officials, business magnates, members of the clergy, and even elements within the judiciary who aided, abetted, and benefitted from his crimes. Unless these powerful enablers are also brought before the law, the justice delivered recently will remain incomplete. Partial justice that risks becoming little more than symbolic.