President’s stance on death penalty

During his interaction with Sri Lankans living in the US last week, President Anura Kumara Disanayake was asked about his stance on the death penalty to which he responded that this was an issue that should be considered carefully before being implemented.

“We tend to think we should at least hang them. But I have to sign the death of a living being. Is it suitable? We must see if hanging is the only solution to prevent crimes, and how a signature decides a person’s fate,” he said.

It is refreshing to hear from the President that the execution of the death penalty should not be taken lightly and not brought back as a way to curb rising crime rates.

There has been a moratorium on the death penalty since 1978 while the last execution took place in the country in 1976. Despite this there have been calls to bring back the death penalty, mainly when serious crimes are reported.

The death penalty has been abolished in over 140 countries while there is a moratorium on carrying out death sentences in some countries. However, countries such as the USA, China, Japan, and India are some of the countries where the death penalty is still carried out.

There is an inherent danger of carrying out the death penalty given the chance that there could be a miscarriage of justice and the wrong person could end up in the gallows; this is one of the main reasons that there is strong opposition to the death penalty.

But on the other hand, there are many who favour it believing that a fear of the death penalty would stop criminals. However, there is no evidence that the death serves as a deterrent against crime. Nowhere in the world do people have 100% faith in the judiciary and the police. They are the two institutions that decide the fate of a criminal and hence there will be a question even if a person is convicted and sent to the gallows.

Terrible crimes are committed in the world today including in Sri Lanka. There are shootings, murders and drug-related crimes which carry the death penalty but there are also serious questions about how impartially investigations are carried out.

Those who commit crimes and are found guilty should be punished, but life imprisonment is a good enough punishment for them.

The death penalty is irreversible and not even the person sitting in the highest office in the country wants to sign the death warrant of another man. This is clear from what President Disanayake said.

It is a human instinct to seek the worst punishment for those they see as being unfit to live in this world. This is partly true of those running the illicit drug trade in the country. There are often posts on social media calling for the death penalty for those that deal in drugs, but the reality is this is a social problem that will not be solved by hanging anyone. In fact, the death penalty will likely have the opposite effect and make heroes of criminals. One of the last to be hanged was D.J. Siripala better known as Maru Sira and today his story is stuff of legend with the crimes he committed forgotten.

It is one thing to bring back alleged drug lords with a lot of media attention from overseas and showcase them, but what has driven young men and women towards criminality has to do with poverty and inequality in society.

So, while the President’s words are welcome, the Government should focus more on rehabilitation and addressing the social issues that drive people towards a life of crime, particularly the drug trade.