The Incident
(November 04, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) On the 29th of October 2009 a man was throwing stones at trains and vehicles passing by in Bambalapitiya Colombo 4 . Angry crowed reported this incident to the police and a Police constable from Bamabalapitya police station came to the seen immediately. Instead of using his intellect and Police skills the constable started beating him and the feared man jumped in to the sea. The constable took a wooden pole and with the help of another two men started assaulting the victim. The helpless man brought his hands together and worshiped his tormentors. But they did not stop the attack . With a savage pleasure they continued the beating until the victim drowned. When this incident occurred over 100 people watching the incident and no one spoke against it or interfered to save the man.
The Victim
The victim was later identified as B. Sivakumar (26), a resident of Ratmalana also a Psychiatric patient who had taken treatment from the Angoda Mental Hospital. Probably he suffered from Schizophrenia and following auditory hallucinations he stared throwing stones at vehicles or may be he had BPAD (Bipolar Affective Disorder) in his manic phase became aggressive and reactive. Sudden provocation could have led him to throw stones at vehicles. Apart from The illness the 30 year armed conflict in Sri Lanka may have aggravated his mental health.
The Psychological Autopsy
A time like this where racial tension has reached its maximum levels one can come to a petty and racial conclusion that a Sinhaleese Police officer killed a Tamil man in the heart of Colombo in brought day light. Most probably the people did not know the nationality of the man when they first saw him throwing stones. Of course they were mad at him. Also they knew that he was doing an abnormal thing . But no one wanted to calm down the man or not to provoke him further. This indicates the most pathetic part of the incident. People were empathetic and encouraged the tormentors with their non interfering attitude and silence. In a War -torn society this silence and emotional apathy represent a social dilemma and retraumatization. This has become a damaging feature which is prevailing in the contemporary Sri Lankan society. Politicians like Mervin Silva or Nishantha Muthuhetti can commit any aggression in public , challenge the law and enforcement agencies , yet there is no protest from the general public. People turn a blind eye. They mind their own bussinesss saying that we are good citizens, we don't want to get involved. That is the common attitude of the intellectuals, artists etc of Sri Lanka. This condition is expressed by one of my good friends as “fear” overrides a sense of humanity.On the 29 th of November 2009 at Bambalapitiya sea shore we witnessed this condition again.
(The victim was later identified as B. Sivakumar (26), a resident of Ratmalana also a Psychiatric patient who had taken treatment from the Angoda Mental Hospital.)Humane Treatment Of Psychiatric Patients
In the Medieval Europe psychiatric patients were regarded as the agents of Satan and they were tortured and often burn to death. The humane way of treating psychiatric patients in Europe started with with Dr Philippe Pinel s reformations in the 18th century. But 2500 years ago we Sri Lankans treated psychiatric patients with a compassion.
Kohombakankariya which is an ancient Sri Lankan ritual and a mode of psychotherapy testifies that we did not burn the psychiatric patients but cured them. King Buddhadasa (340-368 A.D.) was a magnificent Physician as well as a Psychotherapist. One day a man insulted and humiliated the King in public. Instead of sending him to the prison the King did a psychological profile on him and came to know that the man was mentally unsound. The King Buddhadasa treated the patient and man regained his insight. As the story goes he had became a good friend of the King.
The hidden truth
There are reports from all over the world that psychiatric patients are discriminated and mistreated. Many law and enforcement officers have no idea about trauma/ psychiatric based behaviour of a mentaly unsound man. Bambalapitiya incident reflects this once again. Many psychiatric patients do not seek treatment following social stigma. In Sri Lanka there are a large number of people (civilians / military/ ex militants ) with untreated and undiagnosed malignant PTSD . These men can go in to tantrums or flashbacks with a sudden provocation or with an arousal. How are we going to deal with this in the future ? Are we going to repeat the Bambalapitiya incident again. ?
Related Article: Keep racism and politics out of the Bambalapitiya tragedy
-Sri Lanka Guardian
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Thank you! Very balanced, very clear, and you are asking the right questions.
I live on the east coast, and meet a lot of people that seem to be affected by the "cocktail" of poverty, war, alcohol and trauma, including myself and my adult children.
We need some kind of mass education to help each other, rather than pull each other down.
Saray, Komari-2
The worrying thing is that despite several incidents where the Police have been implicated in murdering and assaulting innocent members of the puplic no proper definitive action has been taken. Officials like SSP Vaas Guneratne have not been even reprimanded when he shuld have been dismissed from service. THe IGP is taking a very lenient attitude and hides behind statements like "Awaiting instructions from SG dept" I hope His Excellency the Precident does something about this trend and shows what Mahinda Chinthanaya is really about!
are this constable and the other scoundrels are going to be charged of murder or homicide? This culture of self justice should be eradicated from our minds, and the people who instigate and welcome such ideas should be treated as criminals too.
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