Reminiscing police days
Ishara Jayawardane
The Launch of Tassie Seneviratne's book Human Rights and Policing -
Reminiscences of my Police Days was well attended by his friends and
colleagues, and it proved to be a memorable evening. Tassie Seneviratne,
Senior Superintendent of Police (Rtd), conducted himself with dignity in
his long and distinguished career with the Sri Lanka Police. A man who
made no compromises when it came to ethics, Tassie is fondly remembered
by those who had the fortune of being an acquaintance.
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Tassie
Seneviratne |
 "I settled down to serious writing in 2008, pouring into dusty old
files and diaries over a period of five years. Human rights and rule of
law had been a priority throughout my police career. This subject being
so topical, it was natural for me to give it prominence in my book that
is launched today. I feel the book has achieved much. In my quest for
justice I am not alone," said Tassie Seneviratne.
Seneviratne's book is a classic study into the police and will
provide the reader with an understanding of how the police work. "After
schooling Tassie joined the police as a sub inspector and had an
eventful career. In the book, he discusses the exciting moments in his
career," said compere D C Ranatunga in his introduction. .
R K W Gunasekera, a constitutional lawyer whose success in the field
of constitutional law is well known, delivered his comments as the chief
guest.
"Tassie approached me and told me that he wanted to write a book on
his experiences. I was quite enthusiastic. I told him, don't make your
book just a collection of incidents. Try to fit it into a pattern, try
to put it into periods, so the reader will be more interested. Put as
much information as you can about ministers and IGP's, because people
like to read those things," said Gunasekera.
Gunasekera also praised Tassie as a police officer of learning and
caring. His learning in the good procedures of law and also for caring
about the people.
"I call them gentlemen in Khaki. These are good officers, capable and
able to do service to our country. There are officers who do dishonor to
their Khaki but most of them, I would like to think, are proud to wear
the uniform. Thank you Tassie for sharing your recollections with us,"
stated Gunasekera.
Attorney-at-Law and Human Rights Activist J C Weliamuna delivered the
keynote address. He stated that Seneviratne's memoirs shed light on his
personal experiences on how Police protected integrity, how integrity of
police was ruined and also restored.
"Throughout the world the conduct of police has been a matter of
concern, but there are no countries without police. All countries need
the police with the only exception being that a functioning police state
needs no police. We do not have a state where police are totally
ineffective. What would the country be like without police? Most of our
problems with the rule of law are protected when the police was left
free to act according to the law," said Weliamuna.
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