Pressing need to revamp Civil Defence Committees

SQN. LDR. J.T.R. Fernando (SLAF Retd)

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has declared that the Civil Defence committees will be re activated. The Civil Defence Committees helped the government in its concerted effort to eradicate terrorism. The Defence Secretary is of the view that these committees should be revamped to perform a more effective role in the efforts to eradicate crime.

It is difficult to think of any aspect of life which affects the populace of the country more than security. Consequent to the increasing attacks on individuals and the escalation of crime, the protection of the individual and property has become a priority.

CDF plays major role in combatting crime

Every citizen in the country is now inordinately concerned about security and depends on the government to provide the required security. Virtually overwhelmed by fear they tend to make even unreasonable demands in respect of their personal security and their property, apparently oblivious of magnitude of the government security commitments.

The government has to maintain law and order. It has its Police force assisted by the Army, Navy and Air Force to maintain and perform the functions of providing utmost security to the people as a collective body. However, when there is an escalation of violence in a country affecting individuals and property the question of providing security comes up to the extent that any government has limitations in providing maximum security to all individuals.

Civil Defence Force

It is in pursuance of the efforts to enlist the active participation and meaningful involvement of the public that the government set up the Civil Defence Force during the period of the conflict.

Civil Defence Force was timely and commendable. For the effective functioning of these units it was necessary to enlist the cooperation and active involvement of the public. Regrettably while many moan and complain about the lack of security to conduct their normal work routine, what effort do most of us make to the concerted national effort to maintain the sovereignty and integrity of the country?

The instituting of Civil Defence Committees has been with the objective of meeting the threats to the country’s unity and stability and its citizens. The hallmark of this scheme is to widen the defence policy scope. So as to meet threats from both within and without.

There is no dispute, that properly constituted Civil Defence Committees with a suitable infrastructure can help the government in its efforts to combat crime.

While Civil Defence Committees have to be sufficiently enthused to be vigilant in the neighbourhood and gather information pertaining to security there have been delays in notifying the security authorities. Lack of vigilance and alertness is a serious drawback. It has to be accepted, that considering where attacks had been carried out, had there been alert citizens watching out for suspicious characters, the disasters may very well have been avoided.

Prevent crime

While on paper, the formation of such units in respect of each neighbourhood or street seems easy, it would of course be a very difficult task to catalyse some of our citizens into beneficial action.

It is observed that Vigilance Committees appear and disappear in fits and starts. When a crime wave hits a particular neighbourhood, the residents may get activated and take various protective measures including the patrolling of streets, but when the situation eases, the Committees go back to sleep. Quite often even though robberies keep on taking place in certain areas, citizens, by and large, attempt only to safeguard their own interests and not those of the community as a whole.

In most middle class areas in Colombo and the suburbs where the trend is to build high walls and for residents to keep to themselves, conditions are not ideal for committees to be formed in the interests of the community. That old habit of gossiping over the wall and keeping in touch with neighbours is fast disappearing in a society that is caught up in the rat-race for ‘success’.

There will be some who will resent what they would consider to be an invasion of their privacy. Tamil residents in particular will be concerned about these Committees as even though the great majority has nothing to do with violence or crime.

They will be watched upon. In this case what the committees could make it is to explicitly make known that their objective is essentially to prevent crime.

For these committees to take off the ground, those public spirited organizations, such as, Rotary, Lions and Jaycees and all social service organizations can be of help to the Police.

The fly that we spot in the ointment is the Grama Niladhari - the replacement of the old village headman. This minor functionary by virtue of his office is a political functionary and could be manipulated by local politicians for their own proposes.

Being a political appointee he would naturally be viewed with much suspicion by a section of the neighbourhood.

There may be exceptions but by and large these officials are political henchmen of those in power.

However according to some news report the Committees can communicate directly with specific police officers of the area. This getting the Grama Sevaka Niladharis (who often do not reside in the area) into the act is difficult.

Identification

With the determination of the Defence Secretary to revamp civil defence, to restructure and energise the operations the following aspects may require to be considered.

These aspects are relevant since these have a direct bearing on the effectiveness of the Committees:

* The method of identification of officially appointed members of the volunteer civil defence/Committees. (i.e: identity cards authority) The level and details of empowered authority vested in the volunteer civil defence/vigilance force members.

* Whether the members of the Civil Defence Vigilance Committees have independent authority or can they operate only under the directions, supervision and control authority of regular police or armed services personnel?

* Will the members of the Committees be required to undergo adequate training and be certified to have the capability to carry out the tasks to be assigned to them, with care, courtesy and the required degree of professionalism?

* Will the members’ scope and functions be explicitly set out and will they be provided some training and instructed on the activities and roles and advised that they should not engage in, beyond the scope of their empowerment?

* Will the member be bounded by a code of conduct and ethics in the performance of their assigned duties?

* Will the members powers of search and arrest have the authority to engage in searching business and residential premises and in extracting personal/business details and questioning of persons on the road and within business details and questioning of persons on the road and within business residential premises? Also, will they have the right to detain any person, goods and or any other materials, including documentation?

* Will independent records be maintained, if so, that at any subsequent inquiry or investigation such records will be available?

* Will any person engaged in business or any other person aggrieved by the actions of members of the Civil Defence Committees have an opportunity to take up such a grievance with a higher authority or with the Police.

It is the duty of all peace-loving people to give their maximum support to the government to maintain law and order.

The whole national effort should be directed to ensure peace to facilitate the government’s efforts to provide for the post war accelerated development and reconciliation.

In the meantime, it is necessary to create the necessary social psychology that all sections of society will realize their national obligation and the need to sacrifice at least part of our personal comforts if we are to defend the unity and sovereignty of our dear country.

Unless we can create awareness and discipline our lives with a national commitment whatever efforts the government may make, will not achieve that degree of success.

In this context it is appropriate to recall the assertion of William James, “So far war has been the only force that can discipline a whole community and until an equivalent discipline is organized, I believe that crime must have its way.”

Simple though it may seem to organize neighbourhood committees in the greater part of this island is a colossal task, which can only succeed with the full cooperation of the public at large.