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by Neetha S. Ratnapala

There's not a day that the words suicide and homicide didn't appear in our daily papers. The offenders of the law in committing suicide or homicide do so either on instant provocation or intentioned miscarriage of one's freedom to take away one's own life or that of another's.

Whatever the course this is now a curse on our society and culture. The youth of today were the growing children of a few years back. The adults or parents and grand parents of today were the youth or middle aged of years gone by. What has gone wrong in the years they passed through that led to these people to take away their lives or that of another? It is worth pondering, for though it's too late for the people who have already earned guilt, it's of immense importance to any who'd be contemplating to do so as a solution to one's problems.

Over the past few months we have heard or read about so many instances of suicide of people of varying ages, ranging from as low as fifteen and reaching about eighty five years. The offenders belong to both sexes. The reason, a reason the offender himself or herself attributes to as worthy of taking a life. However fortunately the majority know that living one's life is far more worth than destroying it.

Sometimes an excuse is highlighted, such as depression, lack of love and care, poverty, or social ills. But we fail to go into the all important core issues of upbringing, lack of self control, over selfishness or possessiveness, patience, strength of character to face life or learning by mistakes. The same reasons may apply to cases of homicide.

The main difference between the two offences of suicide and homicide could be cited as failing to compromise or lack of patience. Patience to give a hearing to the other party or the harmed party. Patience to let time solve problems. Patience to wait and see even if one by the innocent party - for retribution. Unable to take revenge by some means or the other, one commits the worst crime of planning, aiding and abetting and committing the offence itself.

Cases of reported suicide lead up to how and why a tender teenager took the course of action that nipped his or her life before it fully blossomed. Often it is a love affair started too young, before one knew the meaning of life itself. Emotions run high. Abuse and parental ill-treatment prompts them to look at the parents as enemies. Here it is the saner counsel of the adults - be it parents, relatives or teachers that would definitely help them. Lack of affection or step-motherly or step-fatherly treatment may be another.

Again it is the adult or parents that have to understand them and wield them away from depression or dejection. Love and comfort are essential balms on a growing up child, who deserves care, protection and mutual trust. Such a child would not desire to hurt the ones she or he loves. A girl friend or a boy friend is a new addition to the circle one cares about - but not the sole person. When she or he is the sole person there is no other strength, or caring person the victim can look up to. And Danger looms high in such a situation.

It is the duty of parents and adults to chaperone the young - particularly the female child, who'd then to seek opportunities to leave home and family on harmful adventures or expeditions, ending even in a disaster. Helping and guiding them to a self awareness, rewarding and praising them where and when such is due, friendly communication and discussion all help here, for communication is an essential ingredient in seeking understanding, maintaining relationships and suggesting alternative courses. The young who try to make adult decisions - the worst of all whether to perish do so without a second thought of what they are contemplating, do so in secrecy.

So many instances could be quoted - it is not their figures or statistics that are relevant but how society could help minimise such unfortunate incidents or discourage such courses of action as anti social, anti personal and above all anti religious would be the ideal.

No one would agree that reading of a teenager's suicide, a mother's or fathers or worse still a grandfather's taking away of life is exemplary. But there is the tendency for young minds to query whether such acts could be condoned. Sometimes one is led to wonder why such horror stories are reported in the press or picturised electronic media. Openness is one thing but decrying values is another.

There were the days when a person who commits suicide was not even given a decent burial, amounting to social disapproval of that manner of end to one's life. But today it's only another form of death for those who do not want to face life. No religion tolerates such cowardice. Abetting suicide is also punishable by death. - (Penal Code Sec 299).

Moving to homicide, which is a graver crime, it is universally accepted that one cannot take another's life for whatever reason it may be. Homicide is manslaughter. But we continue to hear and see of incidents of homicide. In the case of suicide you are one better in that you don't harm a second party. The law cannot take control of the offender in an instance of suicide. Therefore there is no one to prevent the arm of the law in its actions, But on the other hand a suicides earns no time for repentance or on rebuild of life.

The crime becomes graver in homicide when the offender uses all his influence - money, power and connections, in addition to the lying, denying, planting of witnesses or eradicating witnesses or wiping out circumstantial evidence to get away from the penalty that follows the action. The courts itself is sometimes bewildered, in the case of an influential or powerful person.

Homicides stem from many foundations - marriage and partners, business competition and rivalry, power and fame, politics and leadership, religious intoxication, jealousy, challenges, ambition, poverty and land disputes, revenge, robbery, rape and alcohol. Legal arguments under cover of insanity pose serious obstacles to meting out justice and the victim is reduced to a victim of circumstances.

Sections 100 and 101 of the Penal Code define the abetment of doing of a thing and the abettor. Cases of group conspiracies and murders are not uncommon either. Section 113A, 113B, spell out what a conspiracy is and if proved punishment for conspiracy too.

If proved without reasonable doubt a murderer can be punished by death i.e. capital punishment, or life imprisonment, and in cases of culpable homicide, imprisonment. Besides cases of homicide prompted by individual reasons, there is loss of life caused through threats followed by acts of terrorism.

This is now a world phenomena. Such acts of terrorism end up in individual or mass murder. Traces of evidence may be little or lie underground. Thus all forms of criminal mania today envelope society. Minds set to roll on new devices and strategies - all aimed at destroying human life. The value of a human life is reduced to naught either through one's own attitudes or those of others.

With multiple communication media innovations at our command, aren't we compelled to go back to the good old days when values played an important role in our lives and we sought to safeguard values than be bullied into aping anything and everything de-culturising the young minds into insensitive social animals?

STONE 'N' STRING

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